I get a lot of emails from readers, and honestly – it’s one of the best parts about the internet – interacting with my readers and clients without meeting them in person and continuing to help motivate and guide them to reach their flat stomach goals.

Well, I recently received an email in response to my last article about Why Women Need to Lift Weights in the Gym. Here’s what she said….

Hey Melissa!
Thanks for the great articles and info on your site – it’s really helped me get back in the gym. Lifting weights used to be my big fear, however, now I’m having a problem staying dedicated to my routine. I’ve learned to eat healthy and clean and I’ve lost some weight.  But, it’s not enough – I want a flat stomach, I want to lose more weight.
I’m motivated and I know what to do in the gym but I can’t seem to stay focused or dedicated to my workout.  I’ll go to the gym for a few days and then won’t feel like going one day and then I don’t go back for days.  I don’t know what I need to do to get focused because I’m starting to get frustrated at my ‘ditzy ways’ with the gym.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help
Monica

I know Monica is not alone. Personally, I have struggled with the same issues of dedication and focus as sometimes life comes at you fast and from angles you are least expecting it too.  If you’re not 100% motivated or dedicated to working out, it makes getting there and achieving your goals that much harder.

Today, we’re going to solve Monica’s problem (and yours) and we’re going to make the commitment and stay dedicated to our goals and fitness plan…

First, answer these three quick questions:

1) Why are you working out?
2) What are your fitness goals?
3) Do you like working out?

The answers to these three questions are connected and I’ll show you how here…

#1 – Why are you working out?

If your answer is ‘because I have too’ – if I was grading this answer as a paper – I’d give you a D! Not enough information and that truly does not tell me WHY you are working out – do you have to because you ‘feel’ like you have to or do you ‘have’ to for health reasons? WHY are you working out?

If you don’t know why you are heading to the gym every day before or after work –t hen why bother going? Maybe you workout because you truly enjoy it – AWESOME – now from here we create your fitness goals of what you want your body to look like, feel like, and be like.  You may workout because it is necessary for your health – from there you create your flat stomach goals.

*Being Dedicate + a No Pain No Gain Attitude has gotten Ava Cowen to THIS level*

However, if you are working out because you feel like you have too – then we have a problem that needs fixing.  My first question is – What or who around you is making you feel like you ‘have’ to work out? Yes the benefits, of working out, are but you shouldn’t feel like you HAVE to do it – you make your own decisions everyday – you control what you want to do – don’t let anyone else make you feel like you ‘have’ to do something – we’ll continue this one in number three.

#2 – What are your fitness goals?

I’ve heard many people respond to this question by saying – wait I need goals when I work out? WOAH!! Stop right there – like question one – if you have no purpose for what you are doing – then why are you doing it? You are wasting your time!

When setting up productive goals – you need to set up long term goals, and then the short term goals that will help you get there. Like Monica mentioned – she wants a flat stomach – well – if you don’t have the dedication daily – you’re not going to get there (sorry for the hard truth!) How can we fix this?

First, make getting a flat stomach by X date your long term goal. Make the commitment, put the date on your calendar in pen, sign up for the show, the race, and the climb, whatever it is. Now you’re committed – hopefully the date is a few months in advance – and from here you set up your flat stomach workout to help you reach that goal – you are committed and know what you are working for.

Since we sometimes get distracted by life and all that is around us, it is also important to set short term goals along the way – I want to lift x amount of weight by this day, I want to run X amount of miles in X time by this day, etc. Short term goals; have to be accomplished to get you to the big picture in the end. Even set up daily and weekly goals. The more goals you set up for yourself the greater commitment you make to yourself and the more dedication you have because you want to achieve those goals. No one wants to set themselves up for failure – only success. Goal setting helps you reach that success – and what is better than being successful? Knowing you reached your goals is one of the most exciting steps in the process.

#3 – Do you like working out?

If you answered NO WAY JOSE to this question – I want to know why you are doing it then. Why are you forcing yourself to do something you don’t want too? This question relates back to number one – why are you working out if you absolutely hate it! If you don’t like walking on the treadmill – find another way of doing cardio that you like – there are TONS of options.

If you don’t like going to the gym and lifting weights in front of all those big meat heads – find a private trainer, or studio that you can work out in. There are SO many options out there – find one. If you are a fitness fanatic (like myself) then awesome! But now it’s time to figure out WHY you are working out and from there make a plan and make your time in the gym effective towards some ultimate goal.

One more tip – Tell someone what your goals are. Email me – melissa@womensabworkout.com – and tell me what your goals are – I’d love to know. When you tell someone, they help to hold you accountable and they can help keep you going.

Now it’s time to be dedicated to you – no more excuses as to why you don’t have the six pack you want, why you don’t fit into your ‘skinny’ jeans – the time for you to do it now. Exercise is exercise. Make the commitment, stay dedicated, and focused and you can do it. And let me know what you’re working towards – I’d love to know and we can work together to make sure you get there!