Five Tips for Staying Motivated

We are halfway through the month of January and halfway through my Nike Training Club January Challenge. I hope you are all staying strong with your goals and pushing through the tough times. (It's not too late to join my challenge either, for more information, see my previous blog post here). Often I lose focus halfway through a training cycle or plan and have to work hard to motivate myself to continue. When I need to find my motivation I have a few tips and tricks that work for me. 

Top Five Motivational Tips:

• Make a schedule. Write down your workout plan for the week. Schedule it into your day. I set reminders in my phone if I am having a hard time making it to the gym. Treat it like a business meeting and don't allow yourself to skip out. 

• Recruit a workout buddy. I am always recruiting friends to come to the gym with me or come on a run. Often it's the start of a fitness program for them too. It's a win-win for both of us. You'll be more likely to show up for a workout if you know someone is waiting for you.

• Don't be afraid to fail. I often don't want to try a new class or workout because I don't want to look bad. Let's face it - everyone starts somewhere and no one is perfect when they start out. So  don't be afraid to take a chance. 

• Set a goal and make a plan to achieve it. Set check points and reward yourself when you reach each mini-goal. Get a massage when you lose five pounds, treat yourself to new workout clothes after you complete your goal race. Make sure your rewards are positive and keep you on track. A three scoop ice-cream cone is probably not a good reward. 

• Create a social support group. Declare your goal on Twitter or Instagram and follow people with like-minded goals that motivate and inspire you. Post progress photos and do weekly check-ins. 

My progress photo I posted to Instagram to keep me accountable for January.

Bottom line - find what works for you. You might need to test out different tricks to keep you motivated but find what works and stick with it! This month I have been focusing on stretching and yoga sessions. Instagram and Twitter have really helped me stay motivated and the support group I have built is phenomenal. Stay motivated, stick with your goals and if you need an extra push, I'm here to help. 

How I Seized the Solstice

I hope you are enjoying your weekend! I had a great time this weekend mixing up my workouts and participating in the Athleta Seize the Solstice event at the Roseville Galleria store. Athleta was celebrating the beginning of summer by holding a live yoga event in Times Square and included their stores in this event by offering free yoga classes and the opportunity to come home with a brand new yoga mat to commemorate the event and improve your practice. I enjoyed the hour long free class that started my day off right. Following that I won a yoga mat in the drawing held in-store. Athleta also provided water, fruit and snacks for after the event. One lucky lady won a new yoga outfit! Athleta is always offering amazing free classes, training and opportunities for women to achieve athletic success. If you haven't checked them out yet stop by your local store or check them out online at athleta.com.

On Saturday I went for a short run around the sidewalks of Roseville. I have been getting over a cold so it was a short run, but it felt so good to be out and about! I loved breathing in the fresh morning air and breaking in my Nike Flyknit running shoes. The color is perfect for summer as it pops brightly in the sun. I have the Hood to Coast Relay coming up in just two months, so I have to start training hard for this event. I also need to build a base for my third marathon in October! Lots of training is in my future. 

The tennis season is in full swing and Wimbledon begins tomorrow! I am so excited to start watching this event. The grass courts of Wimbledon are my favorite to watch. It may be the clean cut lawns or the traditions that make Wimbledon great. Whatever the reason, someday I hope to be able to attend the Wimbledon event and experience it first hand! Until then, I will be working for the Sacramento Capitals World TeamTennis season again and getting used to the tournament world. I love working in their social media department and watching the matches. The energy on the court is amazing! This year, in Sacramento we will have Grand Slam champions the Bryan Brothers playing on our courts! Top American players Sam Querrey and Mardy Fish will also play. It is going to be such a fun season! If you are in Sacramento in July I hope you come out to experience the matches!

If you have been following me on Instagram you have seen the photos I have been posting to the daily Instagram challenge from espnW. Today I got a little creative with their vitamin photo challenge! I am about a month into the challenge and have really enjoyed posting the daily photos and going out of my comfort zone. If you haven't joined yet you should check out their Instagram and Twitter feed and get on board! You could win daily prizes and be entered to win grand prize at the end, which is a trip to the US Open tennis tournament! I would love this prize! What are you waiting for? Start posting your photos today and inspire others!

Happy training!