Motivation during the pandemic

Motivation during the pandemic

Motivation has been literally non existent for the last few weeks. That goes for me, for a lot of my clients and probably a lot of you reading this. It is easy to see why. 

You are not going out at the weekend, so you don’t feel the need to look your best. Beach clubs and anything that requires you wearing a bathing suit are a no go. The dating scene has been pretty much wiped out, how are you going to flirt with someone while ensuring social distancing? 

Feeling good on a night out with friends, knowing you have an occasion where you could be snapped in your bathing suit and being a attractive the the opposite (or same) sex are all huge motivators for working out. 

Don’t even get me started on the diet. Have we ever, globally, been in such a situation before where we have had so much access to snacks? You literally pass by the fridge or cupboards 20 times a day, sure one biscuit won’t hurt? When the weekends rolls around, you can’t go out, you’ve been doing all your own cooking all week so what better way to mark the weekend than having a takeaway on a Thursday. Maybe a bottle of wine or a 6 pack with some finger food or some snacks on a Friday night which will directly lead to another takeaway or two on a Saturday. 

Training isn’t much better. Personally something that was the highlight of my day is now something I dread. Training legs is bad enough as it is. But training legs and having to complete nearly 1000 reps in a session holding a 5kg dumbell makes it far less appealing, and in your living room of all places! 

So yeah motivation isn’t there right now. But does that mean we stop working towards our goals? Does that mean we stop trying to become the best version of ourselves? Does that mean we stop trying to become fitter, happier healthier on a daily basis?

Absolutely not. 

Now more than ever it is crucial to prioritize your health. Face facts- there is a very high chance of us contracting this virus. Your best defense against it will be having your body in a fit and healthy state to fight against it. That in itself should be a good enough reason to drag your arse through a 40 minute workout in your living room. 

Because guess what- regular exercise and a healthy diet is the best way to remain healthy. 

So yes you may not be motivated to get absolutely shredded, to build those arms or glutes but that is fine. Your health is your wealth right now. Prioritize it. Do what you have to do to remain fit and healthy. Whether going for a walk daily, going for a hike or a cycle on weekends, doing some push ups or some squats in your living room, do whatever it is you enjoy because if you enjoy it you have a much better chance of sticking to it. Eat healthy but include foods that you enjoy in moderation. 

Set goals. This could be as simple as having a step target. You might want to be able to run 5km non stop. You might still want to push yourself to drop some body fat or build some muscle because you realize this pandemic will end and things will slowly start to go back to normal. In which case you do need to put a little more structure to your training. I know someone that could help with that. 

When you have a solid goal in mind you then figure out what you need to do on a daily basis to help you to achieve that goal. Then whether you are motivated or not does not come into the equation. 

This is why I always say motivation is bulls**t. It is great when you have it of course but we simply cannot rely on motivation. 

Keep the head up this too shall pass!