We all know around weeks 4-6, a little mental hurdle pops up during ANY new regime. You're feeling a little bit unmotivated, a little bit bored, a little bit meh.. and trust me, I know this feeling 150%.
So what should you do when this happens?
🎉 SHAKE. THINGS. UP. 🎉
So here are my 6 BIG TIPS on how you can mix up your routine to feel MOTIVATED and FAB again on your journey!
TIP 1: Wake Up Earlier!
No snoozing your alarm. Get up and get active earlier! Whether that's a workout first thing in the morning, or a neighbour hood walk while the sun rises.. you would not BELIEVE how good it will feel for your motivation!
And if being physically active first thing in the morning isn't for you.. that's okay! Try being mentally active instead! Have a morning cup of coffee or tea while the sun rises, read for half an hour before you get ready for work, anything you like! Sometimes the mind just needs a change of scenery or routine. Whether you're being active, or just taking some me-time in the morning, it will set up your whole day in a positive frame of mind and you will absolutely love it!!
As well as waking up earlier, do your absolute best to get out of bed BEFORE you scroll through your phone (because we all know the deep hole you can fall into of watching peoples stories or aimlessly scrolling....1 hour later you're still doing it!) so jumping out of bed, getting changed and THEN you can check your phone.
TIP 2: Try New Meals
By this point you have probably picked your most comfortable-to-prep meals and have likely found yourself in a meal-prep rut. Like sometimes I go WEEKS really loving tuna.. so I end up with majority of my meals including tuna. Which is completely fine (ps. garlic and chilli tuna mixed is LIFE), but then I wonder why I get bored after 3-4 weeks of it hahaha!
You could be doing it without even realising it!! Are majority of your meals chicken, over other types of protein? Are you favouring a specific salad recipe because its easy and familiar? Are all your snacks protein balls because you made them in week 1 and you know they're tasty? Familiar territory is SUPER easy, but it can get BORING without even realising it's the reason why you're feeling bored! We are only human.. once we find a recipe we LOVE, we tend to stick to it.. But my suggestion? Let's mix it uuupppp! Try planning at least 1 day a week to try something completely out of your comfort zone. Your routine and motivation levels will thank you for it later.. and who knows, you may fall in love with a new recipe!!
TIP 3: Change Your Workouts
If you're not enjoying your workouts or feeling a bit bored by them, now's a good time to try something new! You don't have to change your workout schedule every day, but once or twice a week try something completely new! You may even find you enjoy something you never knew you did! There are so many yoga studios, pilates studios or HIIT gyms that offer a low-cost (or even sometimes free!) trial period where you can try out their classes! Ask a friend to come along with you for an added bonus, or go solo and join in with people embarking on their own fitness journeys!
Or if group-fitness isn't your thing, something as simple as scheduling a new environment for your workout could do the trick! A walk around the neighbourhood, a beach-walk in the morning or in the afternoon, a visit to a local park or grassed area for a solo BARE Lean workout... it could make all the difference to your mindset around your routine!
TIP 4: Prepare, Be Organised and Re-Focus!
This is a thing you can ABSOLUTELY control! Prepare and organise your meals for the week, and seriously become best friends with your freezer to help you get ahead of your nutrition plan! If you're feeling a little lack of motivation in the kitchen and meal prep in containers is your thing.. get some new prep containers (if you're an organised QUEEEEEN, colour coordinate those bad boys!) and JUST WATCH how ORGANISED and BOSS you feel to jump into a new week of healthy eating! I swear it's like the equivalent of buying new activewear or downloading a new playlist 😂💪🏼
Making an effort to re-focus is something that can be SO powerful too! TRY THIS! When you wake up in the morning, SAY to yourself 3 times what your goals and intentions are for the day ahead. Things like 'I will make choices to look after my body today' 'I will be kind with my thoughts today' 'I will go into today happy and motivated to make positive decisions!'. Physically saying or writing down a goal of ours in the morning makes us feel more committed to seeing it through! To the brain, thinking something, and saying something are 2 different things... we naturally don't like to do things that are OPPOSITE to what we say.. so verbally committing to our goals can really work to re-focus!! 😊
TIP 5: Be More Active In Your Day
We all know exercise releases endorphins to make you feel happier and more motivated, so why not take every op to get yourself moving or doing something other than sitting! There are SO MANY WAYS to increase your daily exercise. Some of which include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, park further from your office and walk, or even walk to work! Stand at your desk rather than sit. Walk to get your lunch, or walk around the block after you’ve eaten lunch. Do a little dance while you're doing the housework - it all counts!! Any way that you can get your body moving and releasing those feel-good endorphins!
TIP 6: Challenge Yourself With Something NEW!
There is seriously NO BETTER WAY to mix up your routine than by getting involved in a fresh new challenge! Have you signed up for our BARE 6 Week Challenge yet?! Because nothing says 'motivation' like knowing you can win 1 of 7 HUGE prizes just for being on your journey to reaching your goals! It all going down on November 2nd and you are SO invited!! Find all the details here!
I can't wait to see you all smashing some SERIOUS goals!
Leah x