Motivation..lack of!!

SBW

Active Member
Hi there,

a few weeks ago i took part in a fantastic off road adventure race - the weather was torrential and the obstacles challenging! I was head to toe in mud by the time i finished but absolutely loved it! the problem is now that 3 weeks on i can't be bothered to do anything!! i'm early on the go but usually home from work by 5pm - should have plenty of time to walk the dog and get a workout in, but really struggling with my motivation and in bed and out for the count by 9pm!! I know that if i were to workout i'd feel better and have more energy...but i'm struggling.....

any ideas how to get back on track after a break...help get my motivation back? i know aiming for another event would be the answer but the adventure race was really something special and an event i ran for charity so wouldn't want to impose on folk again.

hopefully this sluggish state is just a post event phase but any ideas would be great...

best wishes
Sus xx
 
My thoughts on this are a little different. However after many years of "searching" for motivation and "help", I don't think motivation is as important as "doing".
I have gone through alot of journeys in my life, but I was using the energy to get motivated in looking for or finding a way to be motivated. One day I realized that the doing, is itself motivation.
Each day you "do", your motivation becomes how well your body can perform. How much better you do your workouts because you are "doing" what you should to keep your body healthy and active. And the more in shape you become, the way your body reacts, from posture, to endurance, to movements, that becomes motivation.
I didn't realize how much time I was spending looking, and could have found it by doing.
I have been off the track myself lately, picked up another job. But still working out with Cathe, just have to structure the time frame a little differently. But it is do-able. Absolutely.
Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for your comments scrapquilter, they make so much sense and are much appreciated. Have been enjoying a weekend with plenty of walks and although not working out hard, it's been just what i needed - am sure i'll be back on track soon.

Thanks again,
Sus x
 
Sue,

I struggle with this from time to time. I have 2 suggestions:

1st) After 25 plus years of working out, I have finally accepted that sometimes I have to stop pushing so hard and listen to my body. Sometimes I just need a physical and/or mental "break". I have found that when I am really dreading my workouts, the best thing I can do is allow myself to take a little w/o "vacation". I have found that if I give myself permission to take a few days to even a week off, I start looking forward to my workouts again and am ready to "hit it" again, hard.

2) What I usually do (when I am not wanting to work out due to fatigue and stress from working too hard and too much) is tell myself that I will work out for only 15 minutes. I give myself a time limit to get started (example: Do whatever I want to do for 30 minutes, then be loading my Cathe work-out by 7 pm) then I start one of my favorite workouts (STEP for me, as that doesn't feel as much like a work-out) and I give it 15 minutes. I have NEVER stopped after the 1st 15 minutes because by then I am starting to feel good and energized and "into" it! Something about thinking that "I can do anything for 15 minutes!" is enough to get me over that mental "hump".

Hope this helps you. (and I would love to hear what tricks other Cathletes use, as I am sure we all suffer from this occasionally)

Laura
 
Hi Laura,

I often get the 'dread factor' and following a rotation or setting a goal can sometimes be too much pressure....I'm a bit of a perfectionist so a bit 'all or nothing'! I've had my break and think that for now I should be happy just 'doing'...no pressure to take part in event or follow a training plan. I think I also need to try and get past the 'guilt factor' of not working out for an hour a day...which I know adds to the dread. I'm looking forward to Cathe's new workouts as I think they're a wee bit shorter and rather than 'planning' my workouts I'll try and be a bit more relaxed about them...I like the idea of 15 minutes or so, seeing how I feel and building from there.

Yep, I think we all go through the 'struggling phase' from time to time and I've really appreciated your email and scrapquilters helpful words too.

Here's to a good week!!
S xx
 

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