Motivation? Where are you?
Often, we ask ourselves why we pursue such an unforgiving sport. Our muscles ache, our moods are unpredictable, we can't seem to lose weight fast enough for a show, and we feel alone.
Ice cream is calling, and we are close to picking up the phone—or a spoon.
I felt this way last fall. Post-competition blues hit me harder than ever. Training seemed meaningless. But then the opportunity of a lifetime came along: I was asked to present awards at the 2008 Olympia.
Backstage, the air was electric! Smelling the Pro Tan and seeing the stage lit up was intoxicating. I was drunk on excitement!
I watched each athlete in utter awe and admiration. I studied their movements, their energy and their presence. In those precious moments, I fell in love with competing all over again.
My happiest memory from the Olympia was presenting the Fitness Olympia award to the incredible Jen Hendershott.
When her name was called, I felt like I had won! She embodies fitness and is an incredible athlete, one who I look up to.
Now I secretly romanticize about competing in fitness. But I'll save that for another post.
Standing on that stage with so many of my heroes, I learned that you can't always find inspiration in the gym. So if your regimen is getting you down, go out there and get inspired!
Go to a local show or watch a video of a competitor you admire on Bodybuilding.com to get your mindset in the right space.
Or maybe you've already found your own special source of inspiration.
So tell me, what motivates you?
I also get inspired by some of the great athletes we see in the pages of magazines on stage, standing proud but I also get inspired by a trainer I know who likes to post messages that inspire and one of my favorites started like this «don``t lower your expectations to meet your performance, intensify your performance to meet your expectations. Decide what you want and go for it."
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