What Motivates You?

     Whether its music,  a quote, a picture or even just some motivation from family and friends there are tons of ways that people motivate themselves.  Above I have mentioned the most common, but what about the things that people never think about?

The Mirror or Pictures - Nothing motivates me more then putting in days, weeks, and months of hard work to see lines and cuts where muscle is popping in the mirror/pictures that I did not notice the week before.  It is such an amazing feel to know that you worked your arse off and its finally showing.

The Scale - You can not for one second tell me that jumping on that scale and see the numbers decreasing isn't one of the most satisfying feelings after a long week of workouts, its  one of the easiest at home ways that you can track for yourself if things are going right.  Personally I would much rather track my body fat but using calipers on myself is not always very accurate and finding someone that is good at using them is sometimes very difficult, so for me its a weekly weigh in every Sunday morning, this is the not the end all be all of my success but I use it for tracking purposes.  **Now I know what some of you are going to say, your going to say that this can also be something that deflates you, and your right.  You need to take the scale for what it is, and that's a box with numbers.  You do not know if you burned off or muscle when you step on it, I put mine in front of the mirror and stare and critique what I see in the mirror before I even bother looking down, and if I see something new I am happy!  No matter if you lose 2/10ths of a pound or 5lbs at the end of the day its still moving in the right direction and not the wrong!

Lifting Heavier - Sometimes you set goals for yourself and you do not even realize that you are improving in some other area.  There are weeks that I do not see huge results on the scale or in the mirror, but what I may see is an increase in my strength in another area.  For example, since I started cutting (using a ketosis diet) I have noticed my energy levels drop in the gym, my lifts dropped and it was something I had to accept considering I was not replenishing my glycogen levels regularly.  My max bench press before I started this diet was about 235lbs (I am by no means a power lifter).  Since I started this diet, my bench deceased to a level I was embarrassed about before, 155lbs.  Over the last few months I have seen this increase slightly on a week to week basis to where I am now back up to 185lbs (drug free).  I am sure some of this was my body adjusting to no carbs but to see this increase and feel strong again has made me feel great.

At the end of the day you have to find what truly motivates you.  Losing weight should not be the only thing that keeps you going and keeps you motivated.

So let me ask you.  What motivates you?

Holiday Eating

     The holidays are always the hardest time of the year to adhere to a healthy eating lifestyle.  With over sized portions and desserts on top of desserts it is very easy to over indulge and even completely fall of the wagon.
     Here are some tips to avoid over eating while still being able to enjoy yourself.

Drink Plenty of Water - Everyone always hears to fill yourself up on water before you start eating, so I will not go to much in depth on this one.  Basically if your bellies full you are less likely to eat past being full.

Load Up On Veggies, Protein - Veggies and proteins tend to fill you up more then any carbs or fats will, and they are also healthier options.  Protein is the hardest macronutrient to break down so your body will be working double time to break it down, therefore burning more calories (this is why most "diets" are high in protein).  I do want to caution against any serious over indulgences of proteins since they are so hard to breakdown they can cause havoc on your organs over the long run.  Filling up on veggies and proteins is much better then plowing through a whole box or bag of candies.

Stop Stressing Over the Scale - The holidays are not exactly the best times to worry about what you weigh.  Being under the high pressure of family and friends who are encouraging you to eat, are going to be tough enough as it is, and eating a little something you enjoy is not going to kill you, just keep everything in moderation and the next time you step on the scale, just remember what you ate that week and stay the course and keep pushing forward.  Make sure not to let one week or a few days completely throw you off for the weeks after.

Plan Your Cheat Meal For the Holiday - This is what I do, if i know there is a holiday coming up and I know I am planning for a cheat meal right around that time (I usually do mine on Saturday/Sundays) I will extend it to the holiday for this Easter it worked out perfectly since it falls on a Sunday but for lets just say July 4th it falls on a Wednesday, I will actually push my cheat meal a few days further and plan it for the 4th.  This way I am staying on course and pushing myself the extra couple of days to wait really pays off when I do weigh in.

     No matter what happens on the holidays do not let it throw you off your game, remember that everyone falls, its how many times your willing to get back up that matters the most!  Keep pushing forward no matter what happens, and keep in mind that tomorrow, today will be in the past!'

Happy Easter Everyone!