Latest / FitMitTuro Fitness Podcast / Strategies to Overcome Workout Motivation Slumps

Transcript

Strategies to Overcome Workout Motivation Slumps · FitMitTuro Fitness Podcast

• 1:06
  Turo Virta: I didn't want to do i i ended up doing 15 minute workout because that was more I didn't I was so tired I didn't sleep very well last night, and had a long tennis matches on the last couple days. And now didn't feel like doing lot more but 15 minute workout, and this is the way how I have been approaching my strength training for the past couple of years. And this is, I hope this might help you also to get yourself working out, and especially strength training or something, what you naturally don't enjoy. So in this episode, I'm talking a little bit about strategies I use for myself and and obviously we what we are talking with clients like what have been the their ways to get themselves doing the work when they feel like that, they would have 1000 excuses to not work out, that there is always, like some family or work or or some other other things, what is going on, and then often it's our own health than what we tend to put on a back seat. And finding those excuses, why not to work out so first of all, but to get under to understand that, uh, motivation, workout motivation, you might think that either you have it or you don't have it, but it's in the end, it's emotion. It's emotion, like feeling happy, like that. You would love to be feel happy every day, but most likely it won't happen. Some days you feel more happier than other days.
• 2:49
  Turo Virta: And it's exactly the same thing with the workout motivation. So some days you feel motivated and some days you don't. And that's why you have to to get that most out of it. It's a you have to have this kind of these principles set in a place and and often tendency. What I see, it's this is, have been with my group courses. What I have been doing now past nine years, online coaching. I've been doing it to eight years, and it's almost always the pattern is the same. So what I see when people are starting to or who are struggling with their fitness, it's there is a one common thing, short breaks, or they are thinking. Most of those people think that now I can't, because there is something going on and and if you can't do it perfectly, then you know, you tend up in end up doing nothing.
• 3:45
  Turo Virta: And that is kind of like for me.
• 3:50
  Turo Virta: It's all in or nothing mindset and thinking like that, if it's if you don't have time to do that for our workout, or if it's not going at that time, if you have your progression. So it's not there's no point. It's not the birth of it to show up every once in a while or because it doesn't bring anything. And this is ultimately the reason why so many people are struggling with their health fitness, because they think they don't understand that consistency beats always perfection, so consistency matters lot more than being perfect. So there are my ways, how I have been able to work out for the past three years, and what? What tips for my clients, what my followers in Bridge, I have been there now posting some questions, and I've been loving answers, feedback from there, and actually very thoughtful answers. So the first thing, how I get always started is is we had a discussion with with one of our group coaching members this week and and symphysis, and how I'm getting motivated, as did that, I honestly I'm not even it. It's I'm kind of little bit ashamed to commit that as a fitness coach, I'm not motivated. I don't think so doing naturally strength training. That's something, what I naturally don't enjoy doing, but I know that I must do it to feel energized, feel to stay injury free, pain free, and all life, my whole fitness, when I start really started doing it after 10 years break. I was doing strength training because I had to. I was a isogie player, professional IC player, and that time I had to strength train to perform better in my sport. And then when I retired, I didn't do it anymore, because I didn't have to do it, and I didn't enjoy doing it. And I thought that if I don't enjoy something, I'm not going to do it. And now I understood that, that that it's something, what I must do, and now I'm so happy that I have been able to do it. So it's not even I don't think so doing it.
• 6:15
  Turo Virta: I know that I need to do it. I don't want to. I'm not some guy who won't want to do like, five, six times a week. Actually, at the moment, I have my our ties enlarged. So I'm I must avoid a little bit heavier weights, like everything, basically where I have to hold my breath, so I must follow only a lighter exercise, better weights and more repetitions that I can read well throughout the exercises.
• 6:38
  Turo Virta: So that had changed my approach a little bit and and that was first I thought that I'm going to use this as this as an excuse that I can strengthen. I must do something else. But I know that this is also only an excuse to avoid work. What I know that I must be doing, it says the methods are maybe now for myself little bit different. So the reason how you always get started, and that was what my client asked, was that how you get yourself motivated? I said i i At the time, like a couple years ago, I understood. I made a training what I will always for all my coaching programs I recommend to get started to understanding what is your why and deeper why. Because often, if you think that your goal is just to get fitter, healthier, look better, that is not enough to stay motivated For the rest of your life. So it always more. Painful, or you have to have more fear than the pain of actually doing that workout is so if you really think it like for me, the reason, what I figured out in this said it's a very simple practice basically ask that why it's important, whatever your goal is, if it's for losing weight, if it's staying getting healthier, and then you say an answer that is important for me, because whatever the answer is, and you repeat the same question seven times. So I have this is basically the training. What I always recommend all my clients to get started, and then when you get that, I'll deal that seven you ask that same question seven times, and when you get that seventh answer, you should be kind of emotional. And that happened to meet you when I did it. And I understood that my my reason, what I have been doing this was also related with my dad, who unfortunately passed away. Now it's almost it's almost two years now, and but the thing is that he lost his health at the age of 60, and he lost his life at the age of 70.
• 9:01
  Turo Virta: But the last 10 years of his life, the quality of life wasn't anymore, what I would call that, it's worth of living. If you are just laying in a pit, you are tempera is changing your Vipers and and bringing you food. So at least for me, it wasn't the quality of life what I would like to have for my last years and and that is that to seem that close, that was enough pain for me that I'm I'm I'm thinking I'm 42 now, if I predict that, maybe I have another 10 years, maybe 15, maybe 18 years left, and then that's it, as The day that I'm not willing to accept at least everything I can to improve my chances and give my myself better chances to change something and not to have that same same destiny, same things.
• 10:01
  Turo Virta: What happened to my dad, and that is, that is my reason why I know that, that I must do it, I must do it. And it's, it's when I don't feel motivated. I always look picture of my dad, and that reminds me that is a painful memory, but at the same time that I'm unwilling to go, I'm willing to start, I'm not finding excuses. That is that memory is painful enough. So, this is how, where you should get started, that define that your real reason why it's more important. And, and why that.
• 11:06
  Turo Virta: But the but the thing like, of course, we are all different and and these methods, what I'm going to talk I'm not using all by myself. Some of them I do, some of them are coming from my clients. So number one is setting some manageable goals, like some small goals, exceedable goals for each workout system, each week and and then, instead of focusing on the perfect perfection. So how these small goals could be like, for example, it's it's my off my job always in the beginning, like my coaching career, I understood the people who came for me. They were always, often, people are motivated when they contact me, like for one on one coaching or group coaching or whatever they are.
• 12:02
  Turo Virta: Always, of course, asking that how many workout systems they think they want to do. And then in the beginning of my career, when women told that she haven't been working out now for a couple of years, and now excited to work out for five, six times a week. And I me as a younger coach, I was thinking that, wow, this is, this is going to be great. I'm going to, I was seeing already those before after pictures, as they were at the time, and they still are one of the best marketing tool. And I was thinking that now I'm going, we are going to create the amazing before after pictures that there's somebody finally motivated to work out five, six times a week, and I'm going to put her restrictive diet or or getting results in a very short period of time, and then getting those amazing pictures and stories that how quotes changed my life and blah blah, that what actually happened I was by putting her five times a week workouts, And I think it was two weeks, she did first week perfectly. Second week started to skip workouts, and from third week, I didn't hear anything from her anymore, as everything was too much. She was sure she couldn't handle it.
• 13:19
  Turo Virta: It was too much. And I was thinking, well, maybe that she wasn't just meant to be, meant to be, and she wasn't motivated, so it happened and didn't at the time, I didn't blame myself, and so I understand that that's all my fault why she ended up quitting.
• 13:37
  Turo Virta: So it's it's these lessons I've learned. And now, when I think that, if somebody is coming from work outbreak. It's two, three sessions at the most per week, and depending on length of systems, because more in the beginning, if you are just about to get started from from long first of all, it's, it's a huge change, even you are motivated your body like depending, of course, how old you are, what is your background, but, but in general, not more than three times, even two times per week and and for me, my approach now is that that for the first month, for the first four weeks, it's rather you work little bit less than you ideally think What you could be doing. And then if, for some reason you, let's say, after 234, weeks, you still feel like, now I would love to do more. I can do more.
• 14:34
  Turo Virta: Then it's time to start adding things. You can always add things do extra. Like, let's say, what is the difference if you aim for doing three workouts per week. Or if you are aiming for two times per week, so if you end up doing two workouts, your if your goal was to aim for two workouts, you are happy that you did it. If your goal was to aim for three workouts, you end up doing two. Are not happy about those two workouts, but you are. You are or most people, they are thinking that there's something wrong that you missed that one workout would you be doing? And same way in if your goal is to work out two times, you end up doing three workouts.
• 15:16
  Turo Virta: You are thinking about, I did something extra if instead, if it's if your goal was three times, so then you did that okay, you did the bare minimum.
• 15:23
  Turo Virta: So there is a huge difference how you are going to feel about yourself. And that's why, especially in the beginning, like to encourage yourself that you are actually able to do these things and even those sessions, that they should always be that sort, that you can find any excuses from for yourself, that it's too long. It takes too long, so it's not worth it even to get started. So systems should be so short, and then, of course, later on, you can optimize, change length and adjust it, basically week, week by week. That's what I do for my own workout systems. I look my schedule for upcoming week.
• 16:10
  Turo Virta: That I'm going to broke out when, what time I will do it. I put it into my calendar how many strength training systems I'm going to do, and that's what I'm going to do. And I'm not asking myself when the time is coming that I feel motivated or not.
• 16:31
  Turo Virta: There is, it's it's a meeting with myself in my calendar. It's like a meeting with some other important meaning in a verbal or whatever. So I'm not those are times that I it's a good time. I it's not. There is no questions asked that how I feel or, or even I know, so many times I try to talk myself out of it. There is like, always, like that, you know that I would have a work, or there is something else to do or, or whatever. And because I know it's, it's a work, what I try to avoid in in because I don't enjoy it. But but my goals, and even even like today, I promised myself just to get started, not to finish my workout would be 3040, minute session, but I ended up doing I ended up doing 15 minutes, and that is the other way of thinking is that I never promised myself to finish my workout. I promise just to get started do one exercise, and then it's basically exercise one after another. I can do one more. I do another, because I know that when I get myself just started, it's not I most likely I won't stop in one exercise. So I end up doing at least 234, exercises, and then it's already a lot better than nothing. So and even if, even if it's only one exercise, it's still I prove point to myself that I have, I have, I did it, I I kept promise what I made to myself. I stayed consistent this week and then next week is another chance to do it better and this way, breaks or take it off like there is. Of course, some weeks are going to be lot less than other weeks, but those are that is very minimum for strength training. Because if you if I didn't, of course I'm I'm coming from ice hockey. So if somebody is asking me to play ice hockey, I love playing tennis. I love going for a hike, so walk with my wife. So those are things, what I naturally enjoy. And if somebody is asking me for playing tennis, playing hockey, I'm like, if I have just time, I'm always, let's go. I'm totally on it. But if somebody says, Let's go for strength training, that is, like, of course, if you have some kind of accountability partner, you're doing it with someone. I don't, I'm I do my strength training all by myself in my basement. So I don't have that kind of thing.
• 19:06
  Turo Virta: But I would think that if I would have someone to ask me, if I have someone accountability partner to do your strength training, go with my groups, group coachings, so if you have a point, it's to practices at six o'clock or at seven o'clock, and it's it's that then you have that kind of accountability, you have that workout, you have the time where you have to go. So those are things, what are going to what are crucial if you want to stay motivated, when you don't, or if you want to do your workout, we're not feeling motivated. Then other thing, what I do with the with the pre workout, like, in a days, like, usually I know I like, I said, I said, it into my calendar. I love to work out in, or I know that I must work out in earlier in the morning, because later on, I know that I will find too many excuses. There is two big chances that something is happening. There is coming, like, with a work or or anything else, there's coming always something I don't feel, feel like during the time, tired or whatever excuses I will later in the evening, in the morning, I don't have those excuses. I don't watch my phone or or start to read my emails before, before I get my workout done, and how I do it, I put it on my on my workout clothes already ready next day, so they are visible when I wake up in the morning. I know that it's time. It's setting the routine that okay, I have to be there at that time, at that time, and having my breakfast before. Sometimes, if it's very early workout, I don't eat breakfast before. I do it after, depending what is, what is going on. And this is how I prepare myself. And I know that it's called time. I don't start asking, like, how I'm I'm doing.
• 21:03
  Turo Virta: And then also, of course, then next thing is that I'm having a flexible workout plan. So this is what I what I prefer to have, like, like, I don't. It's not every week to say I know I have to decide it like, on Monday or Sunday when I'm going to go. And then if something happens, like, usually it's for me, it's at the moment, it's Tuesday, Thursday, and if I if I can't do it on Tuesday, then I do it on Wednesday, and I do next one on Thursday or Friday. So it's, it's kind of flexibility, but if I know that if I can't do it in for some reason, that day when I want it, then I said, right away, another time. And it's exactly the same way. And this is what I what kind of flexibility I want to provide also for my group coaching lines, who are coming in person workouts. So they have a six workouts to choose over the week, so they can come whenever they want. But that is what I recommend always, to make appointment with yourself. This is the workout I'm going to attend. This is the time, and if something happens, then I'm going to instead of that, I'm doing it on the other day or other time, but always not trying To skip or talk yourself out of it that that every week is going to be, this is going to be weekly schedule and seven days small goals.
• 22:34
  Turo Virta: Then, like I said, accountability partners, so to have some kind of workout buddy or or coach to help you staying on that track and making those commitments harder to break. I just started last or this week with working with one CEO from locally. And when we talked initially like he said that he needed, he needs somebody who is controlling like that. He first of all like what we talk you have a plan. You know how many workouts you are going to do, you know exactly what exercises you are going to do. And then you have someone who's taking you, who's driving you, taking you out, if you have been doing your workouts, asking questions, taking your nutrition, giving ideas. And this is all, of course, this is my job as a coach, but this would be someone that you have accountability partner who is doing workout with you, or you go to some group coaching sessions. Of course, they are always group coaching sessions, depending like what kind of systems it is that it have to be, something would actually make sense in for your goals and and. But this having some kind of account. Of course, if you are all bios, I need also my accountability is my groups.
• 23:53
  Turo Virta: So I have a Facebook group where posting weekly challenges. I try to do these challenges by myself too. So this is my way, also to stay accountable, accountable for my group. So I'm even I'm managing that group and making all these things, but I'm going to lead by an example and doing those things what I post myself to. So this is kind of my accountability system. And then next thing is a is often what so many people are under, estimating, forgetting to do that you have to reward yourself with. Because often we don't. We think that okay, I work out three times a week.
• 24:44
  Turo Virta: That's my goal. I ended up doing whole month, staying consistent, keep promises. And this is like that. This is often people think that this is what I should be doing, so it's normal. You don't celebrate it, and then if you miss one workout, two workouts, you feel guilty about it because you didn't do one thing, but because that's we are going to feel that guilt and same anyways. But if you never pat your own back, back and reward yourself, somehow, it doesn't need to be some big way, but some kind of reward system you have to have that you are recognizing yourself too. So often it could be like, if it's like a achieving some bigger goal, like, let's say that staying consistent with your workout. So if you have a workout, call hitting your personal best, and when you when you achieve that goal, you should celebrate it, or you must celebrate I'm not saying that you should, because you must celebrate. For me, I I love to those smaller goals. It's like every single workout, or when I get done, my small celebration is to have a tasteful protein shake. So that is my small thing that now i i I did it, I crushed it. Now it's time to have my tasty protein sake, and that this is the way how I celebrate my things. What I know that it wasn't easy. It wasn't it was today. It was a 15 minute workout, but I still deserve to celebrate, because I didn't feel at all to get started, but I did it, and now I celebrate myself.
• 26:14
  Turo Virta: And then if I achieve something bigger than it's something bigger, but just through volume yourself, with something that is, that is so, so crucial. So this, these are, these were, is what I what I use for myself and for someone like we are different. I don't need, at that point some specific workout goals or something for someone we are persons who need to sign up for some bracelets, for example, Spartan Race or marathon, or whatever your goal is that you have, or some shooting, if you are photo shooting, or whatever, whatever goal you have, that kind of thing that that you have, you work towards your goal. Because this is, this is often like for me, I feel at the moment, my I work out for my health. I don't have anymore. I don't need to eat personal best or anything.
• 27:13
  Turo Virta: It's, it's, I do it for my health. And like I said, for me, it's basically avoiding pain, and that is the reason why I'm doing it. But for someone, it's, it's easier to sign up for some kind of phrase, or having that you are. The only goal is that you work toward performing something like like that. If you more, you focus on getting stronger, improving your athletic performance. You work towards something it's so much more much makes so much more fun, and it's so much more likely that you are actually hitting your goals without getting frustrated, because if you work out only to lose weight, to burn calories, it is getting frustrating, because that progress is always going to be it's not always under your control. Like a weight loss coach. They are great. They are amazing to have, but they are not always under your goal. So you can say that if you lose weight today, that you did everything good, it might be the reason of what you if you were avoiding carbs, if you didn't work out, you might lose scale weight that doesn't align with actionable goals. So if you have actionable goals, and those are like, doing your workouts, and then they are improving your performance, and then kind of, those are like weight loss goals or something, they often it's so much easier when you they are coming as a side effect, when you are following your plan, improving your application now or or getting stronger, and then it's kind of side effect when you get those physical or changing your body composition goals. And they are often as a side effect. And so this, this are, are, are my tips, how I do it myself, how what I have, would have helped my clients, and hopefully they are helping you. And if they did, I would appreciate if you could leave five star review in iTunes Spotify, they are helping so much on on reaching out more new people. And obviously, if you have any questions, feel free to shoot me email Doro at fit into row.com or apply and talk to you soon thank you for listening.