Bodybuilding Motivation Tips

Bodybuilding is a lifelong lifestyle, and you need to find a way to achieve that in every way possible by increasing your motivation to stick with it.

For some people motivation comes natural, but for others, it is what separates the true bodybuilders from the "posers." Bodybuilding is a sport that requires 110 percent of your focus, if one part is lacking then your whole plan will become a failure.  If you are wanting to improve your motivation or would just like to learn why it is important, then keep reading.

Being motivated is very important in bodybuilding, only the motivated will survive and that is no lie. Bodybuilding is a sport driven by motivation. How do you keep from eating junk food while preparing for a contest? How do you keep training day after day while only seeing little to no improvement with your body? If you are serious about achieving your fitness goals, being motivated is the only way of obtaining them.

Small, steady steps will lead to progression, which will lead to results, which will increase motivation, which will again increase results, which in turn will lead to long-term change.

Here are some quick 10 tips to help you stay motivated:

1. Have a workout chart and write down when you complete a workout. Here is the exact workout calendar chart I use and recommend printing out and to use for yourself. On this chart you can use a multi colored pen to write down different workouts so you can keep it organized. The boxes are small, but simple numbers to represent the amount of weight you did for like your first work set is all you really need, and then a smaller number next to that to represent how many reps you did with that weight.  And simple things like check marks and Xs to represent cardio workouts etc..  These charts have dramatically improved my motivation to allow me to continue bodybuilding year after year.

2. Make everything convenient for yourself!  This is important! I noticed over the years what made me quit over and over again was the simple fact that things were not convenient for me.  For example I personally did not like going to the gym on a continuous basis, so I bought a weight set for my basement and I started doing all my workouts in my basement, this dramatically improved my motivation to continue working out.  But over the years I started to get less motivated even with that because with that one bench I had to setup incline bench, flat bench, sitting shoulder presses, standing squats, etc.. all with one bench set. It made me not want to go down in my basement to workout because I was too lazy to setup my "station" for the day. So after I made some money I bought 3 more weight sets and more workout equipment for my basement overtime, and now that problem is solved.  Remember workout equipment is a lifelong investment!

Eating 5+ healthy balanced meals a day can also be very inconvenient. A simple way around this for myself was to make a big pot of food and then separate them in plastic containers and then eat one of the containers every 3 hours through out the day, this decreased my food preparation time dramatically. Bottom line is use common sense and make everything convenient for you as possible!

3. Make your bodybuilding food tasty. Add condiments, spices, herbs, seasonings to your salads/meals so that you look forward to eating them. If you do not like the taste of the food you eat you will most likely quit altogether. Experiment with different foods to find the ones you like the best while still being healthy for you and your goals.

4. Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule. Going to sleep at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every day will allow you to get "stuck" in a healthy rhythm for yourself to allow you to keep doing your best.  So get an alarm clock and use it every day so you don't oversleep.

5. Don't over do anything. In other words don't think you have to workout all the time or even eat all the time. Take breaks to relax and keep your workouts short and intense to allow you to enjoy the other real aspects of life, such as having .. you know, fun!  And don't be upset if you miss a meal or a workout for a day or even a week, just get right back on it when you can. Usually a week off can be beneficial for you from time to time. And missing meals occasionally will not hurt you at all, if anything they can be very beneficial for you.  for example, I have been experimenting with fasting on water one day a week and experiencing dramatic results in my health and appearance because of it.

6. Take pictures of yourself from time to time. By doing this you can monitor the progress you make and it will allow you to see what you are doing is actually working and will motivate you to continue doing your best. If you don't want to take pictures at least spend some time looking in the mirror and admire yourself and your hard work.

7. Randomize your workouts. Don't keep doing the same workout routine week after week. Switch things up by doing different workouts to target the same muscle groups. Do different forms of cardio and eat different types of food. Sometime getting stuck in the same routine month after month year after year things start getting repetitive and will decrease your motivation to continue. By changing things around will allow different adaptations for your body to adjust to which in turn equates to more GH and testosterone production for yourself.

8. Keep things fun for yourself. Listen to the music you like when working out, go outside and go for a nice relaxing jog instead of inside on a treadmill. Workout with friends, and simply find ways to enjoy the lifestyle as a bodybuilder, because remember your in this for the long run and not a short run.

9. Don't be upset and quit if you do not increase your lifts all the time. Most of the time in my bodybuilding life, I stay at the same weights for LONG periods of time and that is completely normal.  Remember we are not taking steroids here and maintaining a good healthy, sharp, good looking appearance is what is most important, and not just "increasing" your lifts continuously. For me personally right now, I have been on a "cutting" phase for about 2 years now and do not really have a desire to bulk up anytime soon, simply because I enjoy doing cardio, I enjoy having a six pack, I enjoy not making sure I have to eat a TON of food, I enjoy the fact that my muscles are not overly huge and packed with carbs all the time. I enjoy the extra health benefits from not over eating all the time. So remember bodybuilding is about your appearance and not just how much you can lift.

Now if you have a specific goal of increasing muscle mass and weight, then that is a different matter.  In this case you will need to adjust your daily caloric intake to make sure you keep progressing. It all depends on what your goals are here!

10. Get an idol or mentors! I have found through out my life what the best motivation that can spark your bodybuilding efforts up is an idol, somebody you see in real life (and not necessarily on TV) that has a good body, you say to yourself. "man, I wish I looked like that", this can motivate you into trying harder and staying focused on a specific goal. Even you yourself can be an idol for yourself, I know that sounds strange, but after making significant gains from bodybuilding after awhile, that alone can motivate you in keep on doing your best!

Arnold Schwarzenegger is probably one of my biggest inspirations for many bodybuilders, he has probably done the best job in my opinion of getting people to start bodybuilding.