Personal trainer tips: Why motivation isn’t enough to stay on track

Personal trainer Samantha Bluemel on the real secret to sticking to fitness goals. Set solid routines and daily habits Photo / Supplied

Personal trainer Samantha Bluemel dismisses the myth that motivation alone drives success, advocating for micro goals, routines, and habits.

We started this series off with a true but disappointing statement on New Year’s resolutions: most tend to fail. This, I believe comes down to a false belief that motivation is the secret sauce to success. Some people must just be more motivated than others, right? Wrong.

For all of us, motivation comes and goes. It could be sparked by the collective energy around dates like January 1, those moments you’re suddenly clear on what you want out of life, or a powerful experience that suddenly offers a new perspective.

But as our initial surge of motivation inevitably fades, other priorities vying for attention become that much louder. Why do I want to commit to X, Y, Z anyway, when there’s plenty of other enjoyable things I can have right now instead?

When it comes to achieving goals or (to apply my own advice) creating positive lifestyle changes that stick, we need so much more than motivation. We need micro goals, routines and daily habits that take over when your mood just isn’t one for prioritising our health and longevity.

With a focus on creating a solid fitness routine, here are a few ways I keep myself on track week-to-week.

Get organised

I hate to sound like a boring broken record banging on about something as un-sexy as organisation. But getting and staying organised for your week ahead is the number one tip I have for staying on track, even when your motivation levels dip.

Start on a Sunday by assessing the following work days. What does your calendar look like and how many commitments do you have on? Then think realistically about the time you have to dedicate to your fitness and wellbeing practices, and what you need to have organised in order to see these through. I tend to run through a check-list every week:

• Workouts and wellbeing appointments booked into the diary
• Meal plan written and grocery shopping done
• Lunches and snacks prepped ahead of time
• Workout gear washed and packed ready to go the night before any workout
• Check in with my workout buddy to make sure we’re aligned on our schedule
• A quick micro goal outline for the week (x workouts, x home cooked meals, x self-care appointments)

Do what you enjoy

Finding yourself filled with dread every time your workout bookings roll around? Then either you haven’t yet found the exercise modality that works for you or it’s time for a change. It’s a completely natural feeling for anyone, no matter your experience level. Boredom kills, as does intensity levels that aren’t right for you, movement patterns that feel awkward or workouts that you simply don’t enjoy (get me in a dance class and you’ll see actual footage of a fish out of water).

If this is where you’re at, I suggest switching things up and trying something different. There are infinite ways to exercise, and switching to a new form adds an educational element as you learn new movement patterns. You could also consider booking an organised event to add a new layer of motivation. Having something on the horizon is an excellent way to spark your training fever - ever entered a running, swimming or triathlon event? This could be your time.

Don't hesitate to switch things up or try new forms of exercise to keep things fresh and exciting. Photo / 123rf

Think about your ‘why’

When you look back at your decision to commit to a new lifestyle, what were your reasons for doing so? Those reasons will start to feel less important over time without a regular check-in to refocus on what matters to you. Your brain is always going to want to steer you back into the familiar comfort of your old routine, and keeping your “why” front of mind is essential for sticking it out when things feel challenging.

I find fast and easy daily journaling to be the most powerful tool for change whenever I am focused on creating a new lifestyle habit. You don’t need to commit to writing pages every day to get the benefits out of this practice - just a quick two-question check in each morning over coffee can do the trick. What are you focused on today? What are you grateful for? Try an app like 5 Minute Journal for daily prompts and other helpful tips.

Meet up with a buddy

I’m often surprised when I pause to look around at the gym and find the majority of people there working out solo. My favourite way to train is with a buddy. It turns a solo workout into a social activity that I look forward to nearly every day. We chat the whole time, support each other through the hard parts and motivate each other to turn up, even when we don’t want to.

Finding a gym that fosters a supportive community is equally as rewarding to be a part of. This can be difficult to find at the big box type gyms with large open weight floors, but smaller, group training focused studios will often have an awesome group vibe that you can easily become a part of. Turning up each day knowing you’ve got friends waiting for you is highly worth the initial (sometimes awkward feeling) time investment.

A supportive gym community is invaluable, especially in smaller, group-focused training studios fostering a sense of camaraderie. Photo / 123rf

Fall Back on Your Habits

And of course, after weeks of discussing the power of habit building, this is where they really show their value. Sometimes, no matter what, your desire to workout just isn’t going to be there. And that’s okay. Motivation is a fickle beast that comes and goes as easily as the rest of our emotions. But solidly formed habits that you can fall back on without thinking are the secret hack to making your lifestyle work for you long into the future, no matter the mood you’re in.

Get this right and your neural pathways are going to prompt you to lace up your shoes at the usual time, come what may. Personal trainers are in the same boat - we don’t always want to get up at the crack of dawn and head to the gym, or go for that end-of-day run. But being in the habit of doing so regardless of those negative voices is what makes fitness sustainable and achievable long term.

Samantha Bluemel is a personal trainer and the founder of new Ponsonby fitness studio Mode, which opens in March. The 2024 Transformation series continues next week. Previously in this series: how to set wellbeing goals that actually work; how to change your habits and set yourself up for a successful year of health; how to take an honest look at your well-being, how to start working out, why nutrition is the most important part of well-being, and how to build lasting fitness and wellbeing habits for a longer life.