Demotivater [Fitness]

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Why isn't George St Pierre everyone's personal fitness motivator?



No, seriously. GSP is a monster.

I got into a conversation with Abdullah [of The Order] about what it is that motivates us where our fitness goals are concerned. Here are mine:

1) Mostly sportswear ads. It takes less less than 2 minutes - the average length of a sports drink or sportswear ad - to get me all pumped up for a grueling hour of workout. It doesn't matter if it's a video of guys or girls working out, just seeing these people choreographed to work out reminds me of the kind of work it takes to get to where I want to be.

If I'm honest to myself, of course the music, the make up and the videography has a lot to do with it. How can you resist the temptation of believing you look just as glamorous and "locked in" as these people when you're working out? Go get a few overpriced Nike shirts and shoes, while you're at it. Yay consumerism.

Hey, if it helps you get fit, don't knock it.

GSP, for instance, whom I first encountered through one of my many forays into the sportswear ads section of the internet (yeah, sorry guys who were impressed that I knew who GSP was, it wasn't because I was the cool girl who appreciated UFC), got me looking into the technicalities of good training. This is important, I think, especially when you work out alone (without a trainer) like I do for the most part.

2) Workout buddies. I don't have any that I actually work out with, but having a group of people who are also into getting fit certainly pushes me. I see them and their progress, and I report my own progress (or lack thereof) to them, and it feels good. It keeps me on my toes, and adds (the necessary!) pressure of not letting them down. Like Alcoholics Anonymous. But good-er.

3) Hot guys. Seriously. I don't want to be the fat one in the relationship. Only a matter of time before this guy or this guy asks me out. Shut up.

4) Clothes. I'm not that into fashion, but I sometimes like shopping for clothes. And if finding clothes that fit well doesn't move you to work harder, IT SHOULD. Well-fitting clothes = better chances of #3 above happening.

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While it's pretty much a cakewalk to motivate me, it's just as easy to de-motivate me. For instance:

1) Too much praise. It's nice to get praised for looking better, I love it. Except I've noticed when too many people do so, I get lazy. I'm all FUCK YEAH LET'S CELEBRATE WITH BURGERS COZ I RULE THE WORLD.

No, really. It's bad. For me.

2) Spontaneity. I'm kinda obsessed with planning. Just a bit. I can truly say that whatever progress I've had in the past year is largely due to the fact that I scheduled every single one of my workouts as a "priority meeting". When it happens that something comes up that was not in my calendar, and it takes away my priority meeting time, I basically give up and stop working out for a full week. Okay, a full month.

I've found that publicizing my fitness goals (mostly to friends and family) helps in this area, as most of them really bully me into a) not being neurotic about my planning habit, and b) not accepting invites that are not worth giving up my workout for.

Disclaimer: I'm obsessed with planning, not with actually following them.

3) Winning a bet. This is directly related to #1 above. It's clear by now that positive reinforcement doesn't work for me. I've been in weight-loss bets that I've won, and they have seriously cramped my style. Actually, come to think of it, even the bets I've lost have demotivated me.

I remand that to "bets". All bets. ALL BETS ARE BAD FOR ME.


So yes, there. What moves you?

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