7 Ways to stay motivated & driven at the gym

Staying motivated and consistent with your exercise program can be a challenge. Whether it's the long hours at work, social commitments or just having a down day it can be hard. However, it's very important it is made a priority for short and long term health. Trying these seven simple ways will help get back you on track and living a healthier lifestyle.

1 Have a weekly plan and goals

Take some time to draw up a weekly exercise plan and goals sheet. Divide the week into seven days, AM/PM. Place in the times when you want to exercise, minimum 3 times per week. Then set 2-3 clear goals. A couple of good ones are "How many times you will exercise each week" and "Committing to a healthy eating plan". Put your weekly plan and goals sheet some where you are going to see often for example......Kitchen fridge, by your bed or even better, both. This way you will have a constant reminder of why exercising is priority, a great way to stay motivated.

2 Change your workout

If your training progress is slow, then boredom is sure to follow. If you find you're bored with your current workout program, then change it. There are lots of training programs that you can follow, there is no need to stick to doing the same thing day in, day out. Try something new.

3 Take it slow

One thing that can stop you from staying motivated is trying to go in from zero to hero in one hit. You will only end up sore, tired and eventually burnt out. Gradually make exercise a habit and enjoy the benefits, you will find there are many of them.

4 Do exercise you enjoy

Another big way to stay motivated is to stick to the types of exercise you enjoy you are more likely to keep it up. However, be sure to do good workout and raise the intensity every time so you get plenty of “bang for your buck”!

5 Keep a food and exercise diary

This is great tool to track your progress and keep you on track. You can refer to it from time to time to see how far you have come. It also helps to avoid overconsumption of unhealthy foods as you know you must write it in the book.

6 Get a workout buddy

Try to find a good training partner who is very serious about working out. Preferably someone who is fitter and stronger than you are so you will be motivated to do the same. A good training partner will really help you be consistent and increase the enjoyment of your workouts.

7 Schedule your workouts in advance

Make a "workout appointment" with yourself in your diary for a specific time and place. Treat this appointment the same as you would any important meeting. Ideally, it should be the same time each week. This will help build that habit. If you schedule time for your workouts in advance and stay disciplined to the plan, you're more likely to stay consistent.

Top 10 Lifting Rules!

Here's a List of Top Rules I use when I wanna gain Muscle

1. Lift Big
To grow in the gym, you have to lift big. Lifting big means going as heavy as you can with strict, form.

2. Mix Things Up
The body resists change. It prefers regimentation. To grow muscles, you need to keep your body guessing. You don't want your muscles to adapt to any exercise or routine. So mix up your routines and exercises from time to time.

3. Stick To The Basics
Too many lifters add too many different exercises for each body part. To get the most out of training, work your routine around basic compound movements like the squat, bench press, military press, barbell rows, and the like.

4. Warm up
Warming up isn't for pussies. It helps prevent injuries. It keeps you out of bed and in the gym.

5. Minimize Sets, Maximize Intensity
Some hardcore lifters do 40 sets for legs or 20 sets for arms and grow. For most of us, this is not good. Find out what works best for you.

6. Free Weights
While machines can be good for isolating muscles, free weights involve ancillary muscles and are therefore better for putting on maximum size.

7. Minimum Reps
For maximum muscle, keep reps in the 6-10 rep range.

8. Strict Form
What do you want, an impressive physique or to struggle lifting an impressive weight? Strict form is key.

9. Muscle Groups
Focus on working larger muscle groups before working smaller one.

10. Eat Right, Eat Often
Eat 5-6 meals per day. Discipline your body. It craves it. Use supplements like a meal replacement or protein powders only if you need to.

Anabolic Anamoly?

I was asked if I (ab)use Steroids because of my Email Id, AnabolicAnamoly@aol.com. I am gonna come clean. Have I used steroids? No, I have not! I chose my screen name in reference to the Anabolic Diet, not Anabolic Steroids.
So you wanna know what the Anabolic Diet is?
The Anabolic Diet is a muscle building and fat burning diet. It works quite similarly to the Anabolic Steroids, but naturally & safely. The Diet does this by manipulating your muscle building hormones. How do you do this? By eating the right combination of foods at the right time. Its easier Said than done, I know! How The Anabolic Diet Works. The Anabolic Diet works whatever your gender or age. And like any diet, it works best coupled with strength training. Here’s how your week looks like when you eat the Anabolic Diet way:

* Weekdays. Proteins, fats & veggies. Eat fatty red meat, fatty fish, whole eggs, full fat cheese, olive oil, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, …
* Weekends. Eat lots of carbs. Pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, oats, fruit, … Lower your protein & fat intake.

Example Meal Plan: No Carbs Days. Usually Monday to Friday. Eat protein & fat only, avoid carbs. For inspiration, read the Anabolic Diet food list.

* Breakfast. Whole eggs, bacon, spinach.
* Snack. Italian or french cheese.
* Lunch. Ground round, broccoli, olive oil.
* Snack. Italian or Spanish ham.
* Post Workout. Whey, olive oil.
* Dinner. Mackerel, salad, olive oil, cheese cubes.
* Pre Bed. French cheese, ground flax seeds, fish oil.


Example Meal Plan: Carbs Days. Usually Saturday & Sunday. Best is to avoid training on these days since the high carb intake tends to cause tiredness.

* Breakfast. Oats, raisins, milk.
* Snack. Lots of fruit.
* Lunch. Chicken breast, quinoa, spinach.
* Snack. Lots of fruit.
* Dinner. Whole grain pasta, tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese.
* Pre Bed. Cottage cheese, berries, ground flax seeds, fish oil.


Drawbacks of The Anabolic Diet. Your grocery bill will be higher at first and the weekends can turn into junk fests. More drawbacks of the Anabolic Diet:

* Hard for Weight Gain. The Anabolic Diet is high in fats which satiate & make you full longer. This makes gaining weight on the Anabolic Diet harder, but not impossible. GOMAD is better for weight gain.
* Complicate. You have to count calories, you’re cycling between carbs & no carbs days, food choice is tricky with all the hidden carbs, … A diet based on the 8 nutrition rules is simpler.
* No Good For Sports. Sports like rugby and MMA don’t mix well with low carb diets like the Anabolic Diet: they rely too much on carbs for energy. One solution is to use mid-week carb ups. But it’s not ideal.


Should You Do The Anabolic Diet? If you eat carbs on the days where you eat lots of saturated fat and fatty proteins, you risk obesity and diabetes. Stick to the Anabolic Diet rules or you’ll get adverse effects.

NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!!!!

It’s 2010. Your old excuses for not getting in shape won’t work. As Dr. Evil (Austin Powers) said, ZIP IT! I don’t want to hear them anymore! Read em’, then haul your excuse-less butt to the gym!

1. I have no time.
According to a story in a recent issue of Men’s Health magazine, Barack Obama works out for 45 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Obama doesn’t just play basketball either. Our president stays fit to lead with cardio and weight lifting. He also says he wishes he could train 90 minutes a day. Have you ever seen what the daily schedule of a U.S. president looks like? If the busiest man in the world can train every day for 45 minutes a day, then what’s your excuse? ZIP IT! You ain’t got one!

2. It’s too expensive.
Getting in shape certainly is expensive… if you keep wasting hundreds of dollars, month after month on worthless “miracle” weight loss pills, internal cleansing gimmicks and “magic” potions that all claim to make you slim. Deceptive advertising and slick marketing for bogus diet aids is more rampant than ever. 2010 was the year of thewu-long tea scam, the acai berry scam, and, of course, the ubiquitous “cleansing” and “detox” gimmicks . Unless you put on your critical thinking cap and learn to investigate before you invest, then you’ll get scammed by 2010’s flavor of the year as well. Your quest for those elusive “6-pack” abs will not only continue to be expensive, you’ll go broke. Walking, jogging, calisthenics and body weight exercises are FREE. If you want to know what’s really expensive, tally up the cost of legitimate expenses like natural food, gym memberships, fitness education, dumbbells and so on, and compare that to your doctor’s bill when you’re sick.

3. No one will support me.
Experts on social influence say your income will be approximately equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. Not only do I think that’s pretty darn accurate, I also believe that your health is your greatest wealth, and your physical condition will be about equal to the average of your 5 closest friends. It’s a real challenge to stay positive, focused and active when you’re surrounded by critical people and negative influences. However, in 2010, lack of support is no longer a valid excuse. Online social networking is exploding (check out Twitter and Facebook ) and more IN PERSON friendships and associations are being made from an internet connection than ever before. Training buddies can be found online. Connect with them. Mentors and coaches are easily found online. Hire them. Support forums have been around for years. Use them. No support from your current friends? Stop whining, start reaching out and go make new ones. In 2010, support partners and new friends are just a click away.

4. I can’t lose weight because of my genetics.
The marvels of modern medical and biological research are astonishing. Our top scientists have mapped the human genome! In the past few years, numerous genes linked to obesity have been discovered. However, the obesity epidemic we’re facing today has only developed over the past 50 years and genetic mutations that lead to serious obesity are extremely rare. Genetic predisposition only means that you have a tendency. It’s when the genetics meet lifestyle and environment that the genes express themselves. If you have a family history of heart disease, is it smart to smoke, eat junk, be a stressed-out, type-A maniac and a couch potato? Well of course not, and it’s the same with obesity. If you have a tendency predisposing you towards obesity, you’d better be the person doing the MOST exercise, not the least. You’d better be the person paying the MOST attention to your nutrition. You’d better be the person with the healthiest lifestyle. But unfortunately, it’s usually the opposite. Most people throw up their arms in frustration saying, “what’s the use, I was dealt a bad hand.” Sorry. That won’t fly in 2010. The latest research says genetics are a factor, but a tendency is not a destiny!

5. I don’t know how.
The lamest excuse of them all in 2010 is “I don’t know how.” NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER THEY HAVE ACTUALLY DONE IT! Ponder that for a while. You don’t need to know how at first. To get started, you only need to know WHAT… what is the goal? Setting well-formed goals is the master skill of success. Not wishy-washy resolutions that have no resolve behind them, but real goals. In writing. With emotional ooompf! As you continue to affirm, visualize and focus on your goal with clarity, belief, and expectation, your new goal or intention will be received by your subconscious. Once a goal is accepted into your subconscious mind, your brain, being a goal-seeking mechanism, will turn on your attention filters to seek out all the information you will ever need to reach your goal. It will also turn on an infallible navigation system to guide you to your goal like a torpedo to its target. As your brain guides your attention, your direction and your behavior, you will discover that today, in 2010, there is more good information, coaching and instruction available than ever before. And when you’ve activated that “success radar” in your brain by setting goals effectively, it’s not as hard to find honest, accurate and helpful HOW-TO advice as you might think. In fact, you found this webpage, so you’re doing pretty good right now, aren’t you?

No more excuses. In 2010, remember my Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle Creed: You can either make excuses or get results, but you can’t do both!