Staying motivated to realize your own vision of the perfect body isn’t easy. The transformation process is made harder from a training standpoint and a motivational standpoint when there isn’t a “road map” in hand on how to get where you’d like to be. Most beginners and even a lot of amateurs don’t have a clear view of their destination, let alone the best route to getting there.
To put in the necessary effort for progress, you have to look at the plans laid out for constructing the perfect body. Establishing the way(s) in which you plan to get that outcome is motivating in itself. Giving yourself steps to follow. Establish your desired outcome and make it objectively measurable. Objectives that can be measured let you know how close you are to your intended goal. Seeing progress recorded in a training log is very motivating.
Simply trying to have a “perfect body” is very subjective. Without measurement of your approach to your notion of the meaning, you’ll be on an emotional, occasionally motivating and eventually discouraging roller coaster.
Determine your body type as this will keep your goals realistic. On the very first day of your perfect-body program, measure the circumference of your arms, waist, thighs, chest, shoulders, and neck; weigh yourself; and take photographs for later comparison.
Make a decision and stick to it. Promise yourself something like, “I will gain 6 pounds of muscle and reduce my body fat levels by 7 percent over the next 4 months.” A statement of your objective establishes exactly where you want to go. In 4 months time, your condition will be measurable; there won’t be any question of whether you achieved your goal or not. All along the way, you can evaluate your progress weekly or even daily. Entering an amateur fitness or an amateur bodybuilding contest is a great way to stay motivated as well. Doing so establishes dates, objectives, and competition. You might even make some friends and training partners out of fellow contestants. Surround yourself with people that encourage you.
While a “perfect body” is more or less undefined, gaining 6 pounds of muscle reducing body fat by 7 percent is a tangible and attainable goal. Tangible stuff is that which you are capable of understanding and evaluating; it’s real, you can measure it. It’s attainable because it’s a specific condition that can be reached. You don’t start off with a lousy physique and jump to a perfect one. It takes time and dedication.
In 4 months, you have improved with 6 pounds of added muscle and a 7 percent reduction in fat. The satisfaction of reaching a nearer term goal will provide a huge boost to your confidence and wet your appetite for the next challenge. You will believe in yourself! Then, the next goal should follow, “in 4 more months, I will gain 6 pounds of muscle and reduce body fat by 3 percent more.” As in much of life, a big success is usually the sum of many smaller successes.
The no-goal-no-plan alternative is to be full of unnecessary criticism and the daunting task of becoming perfect. Of course, you’ll feel dissatisfied with the progress you’re not measuring! How will you know when you’re “perfect?”
Deciding on wanting a “perfect body” is not enough; you need a specific understanding of what this means to you! Otherwise, you won’t appreciate your own progress and you’ll lose motivation. Set smaller, near-term goals and embrace the pressure of being on a timeline to your perfect body.
Leave a Reply