5 Ways to Stay Motivated on Your Fitness Journey

Macys-Plus-Active-LoveBrownSugar-Facebook

So here we are, officially in spring 2016 and summer will be knocking down our door in less than a few months.  Most of you who know about my health journey, know that I’ve come a long way on my quest to being my optimal fit self. I went from a major weight-loss journey to be eligible for organ donation to my Dad, to then receiving word that despite my efforts, my health could still be seriously at risk if I didn’t get healthier and stay healthy. There have been a lot of emotional ups and downs, but with that comes a long list of tips and tricks that I’ve accumulated that I hope will help some of you. Whether you’re doing this to lose weight, to maintain your health or just to look good, you can take something from this. Here are 5 ways to stay motivated on your fitness journey, that I hope inspire you all to keep going:

1. Find an accountability partner.

One MAJOR KEY (insert key emoji) to success is accountability. Who else knows that you’re on the path to better fitness? Have you told your momma so she can hide the mac and cheese when you come over for dinner? Have you told your boss so she won’t order a family-style lunch for your team that you can’t partake in? It’s important that the people around you know that you’re doing it AND that you identify at least one person who is going to support and encourage you.

Macys-Plus-Active-LoveBrownSugar-Instagram

2. Wear fly fitness gear.

When you look good, you feel good. I can’t think of anywhere I need more confidence than in the gym. When I’m staring at myself in the mirror trying to get through reps or run that extra mile, it always helps if I can say “Girl you look good, keep it up!” I partnered up with Macy’s to show off one of the many fitness ‘fits I snagged from their Ideology Plus collection, available exclusively at Macy’s. It has hints of pink, has a fresh cityscape print and fits like a glove! Finding workout gear that fits well and is equally as cute is really hard when you have curves. I’m glad Macy’s is addressing the need for girls with curves who want to get fit and look cute.

Leggings & Top: Ideology Plus, available exclusively at Macy’s.

Ideology-Plus-leggings

3. Set attainable goals.

What often leads to my frustration with working out is not seeing results fast enough. At the end of the day, lasting changes take time. If you set yourself up with lofty goals, it’s a recipe for disaster. You’ll often feel down on yourself because you didn’t meet them instead of proud and empowered that you tried. So your best bet is to set goals that are not easy – but possible. Set yourself up for success.

4. Prep like your life depended on it.

Speaking of the idea of success, I’m sure you’ve heard the adage “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Preparation is really key when it comes to following a healthy regimen and fighting temptation. For every day that I’m scheduled to work out, I set my workout clothes and sneakers out the night before so that when I wake up it’s the first thing I see. It becomes an environmental trigger that signals it’s time for me to work out. With my nutrition, I’ve become conscious of the fact that my biggest mistakes happen when I’m out and about and caught without pre-made meals. So to combat that I try to prep as much as possible up front. It remedies the temptation because I don’t even have to the think about what I’m going to eat – it’s already there.

no-finish-line

5. Forget about the “finish line”.

One of my biggest mistakes along the journey to optimal fitness is assuming there’s a finish line or a definite end to the journey. People who have committed to making this a lifestyle know that it literally is a life-long commitment and it takes proper adjustment to your entire life daily. So even after you’ve lost the weight you desire, even after you can successfully fit into the dress, it doesn’t stop there. You have to keep it up!

What about you? Can you share any motivating tips for living a healthier lifestyle?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Macy’s through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated to write a post about Macy’s, all opinions above are my own.

Christina Brown

Lifestyle influencer and digital mompreneur Christina S. Brown is a New York native, LA resident, and the founder of LoveBrownSugar.com and BrownGirlsLove. She's an award-winning storyteller, a motivational speaker and an advocate for confident millennial black women.