Who made a New Year’s Resolution to get in shape/eat healthier/workout more/lose weight? I’m raising my hand here. I feel like I say this every year. I hit the gym, get a good workout routine down, and eat better and healthier. Then around springtime, it stops. I don’t know why but it’s as if I lose the motivation to keep going. “Why bother?” I think to myself. “I won’t be able to get in that swimsuit anyways.” Well this year, my friends, it’s different. No, really, it’s different. I have a huge goal that I want to accomplish. In 2014, I want to enter in the Boston Marathon. I have been talking about it for years now and it has always been that “something” I want to do one day. Well that time is now.
At the beginning of the year, I did a lot of research as to how to train for 5K’s, 10K’s, half marathons, etc. I’ve been looking for exercises to do other than just jogging or running. Planning better and healthier eating. Pinterest, for me, has been a great way for me to organize these ideas. The problem is, I don’t want to have to turn on my laptop every time I want to go over a workout routine. So I decided to create a motivation board. A visual that I can have to keep me on track and well, motivated. It has been a great and quick resource to keep my workouts in check. Here is how I started.
I printed out everything from my Pinterest workout board and laid them out with anything that I got out of magazines.
I put each workout into one of these categories:
- Quick Morning Workouts
- Abs
- Legs/Butt
- Strength Training
I also have one for reference guides. This includes such things as a schedule for marathon training and post running stretches. Then within the different categories I took each workout and numbered them (in no particular order).
Next I placed each workout from each category in a plastic sheet protector and taped a note card in the front that lists the category.
I then took my calendar white board and started mapping out a workout routine. I decided to do it one week at a time instead of the whole month in advance. Things tend to come up and I find it easier to just take it slow. So for me, one week at a time for planning is best.
From the picture, you can see that I have “codes” written down. Instead of trying to write each workout down, I decided to shorten them which is why I numbered the workouts in the beginning. For example, on March 4th I have “Q-2” and “S-5&6″. They stand for “Quick morning workout #2” and “Strength training #’s 5 & 6″. So when it is time for those workouts I will pull Quick morning routine #2 and Strength training #’s 5 & 6 and do those workouts.
I then hung up a cork board that I had but wasn’t using. On here is where I have pinned up my workout routines for quick and easy access. I also created a motivation “Marathon Miles Countdown”. For every mile that I add to my routine and complete, I am marking it off. I am using a cute pushpin that came with the corkboard to mark the miles. As time goes on, I see myself filling the board with more workout routines, quotes to keep me moving, and notes to inspire me.
I have this all in the corner of the office where I am keeping all of my weights, yoga ball, yoga mat, and any other fitness equipment I am sure to add. It takes up hardly any room and took all of about 30 minutes to do. And the best part, it’s organized! And because it’s organized, I want to workout.
