How to Talk Yourself into the Gym and Sticking with Your Nutrition Plan

I feel like sharing a big secret- most people suck at sticking to training consistently OR sticking to a nutrition plan. Almost everyone in the industry I know personally, along with VERY fit friends, struggle more with one or the other. Nobody finds this stuff "easy". So let yourself off the hook! Feel better? Good!

With that being said, there is probably a hack, or trick, that might help you get better at the things you struggle with. Some of these tricks were game changers for me.

The following was a post from a dear Venus Vet friend, Laura:

I did NOT want to work-out today... Today is a "talk myself into it" day.
Here is how I talk myself into it:

1. I still bring all my work-out clothes to the office. I can stare at them all day long, if I want.
2. I have to go to the gym. I tell myself I need only spend "20 minutes" there....but it is non-negotiable that I have to go.
3. When I get to the gym, I tell myself "you only need to do 2 sets of each exercise"....this isn't true, as I am supposed to do 3, but I give myself PERMISSION to only do 2 sets.
4. When I get onto the first exercise, I talk myself into doing 3 sets of it. And I do that for each subsequent exercise.
5. By the end, I have spent 50-60 minutes in the gym, and I give myself PERMISSION to stay 10 more minutes for a nice stretch.

BOOM! Lifting done and I have talked myself through it. The "talking through it" expends energy....the "after glow" is ALWAYS worth that extra effort to get it done.

I think the previous is outstanding advice for anyone who struggles with getting their training done.

Here are a couple of other suggestions that I will add as a first thing in the morning gym goer:

• Sleep in your gym clothes
• Place your alarm in a place that you have to get OUT of bed to turn off.

Do you have any other tricks or hacks that gets you to the gym?


This got me thinking about diet/macro/nutritional hacks and tips. Here are a few of mine:

• Treats/trigger foods are best out of sight- in a pantry instead of on the counter and in a box instead of glass.
• I cannot tell myself anything is off limits, that ends in overdoing it for me later. I can plan X amount in and stick that amount. I can stick to that amount way more often than not. 
• If a surprise treat shows up at the house or work (for example, today a student brought my favorite brownies with nuts for me!) I re-arrange to budget it in.  A couple of brownies took the place of my protein bar snack today. Ideal? No. But lots better than overeating now or really overdoing it tomorrow by not having some today. Also on that note, I plate off a treat from the break room and cover it for later. That leaves me from feeling like I have to have whatever right now, which is a fear of missing out. It sounds dumb writing it out, but many struggle with FOMO.
• I feel most secure with a plan- overall for the week's meals and then planning out the day's specific amounts in MFP. Some people are the opposite, they rebel from a plan. Ideally, we trust ourselves to make the best choice in whatever situation- plan or no plan. I am learning and growing in self trust to make the best choices without a plan.
• Most of the time, I would rather trade breakfast for a dessert. I like most of my calories starting about 5 pm. So most days is a smaller lunch, protein bar snack (<200 cals), larger dinner, and dessert.
• Walking or coffee/hot tea will delay my hunger and cut cravings.
• I need plenty of veggies/fruit and lots of protein in relation to carbs and fats to feel my best.
• Drinking plenty of fluids helps me to look and feel my best. I try to have a big drink with me at all times or else I will not drink enough.
• If I am not paying attention to my intake, my natural tendency is to overeat. It is what it is.

What are your nutritional hacks and tips?