Do you have a hard time sticking with your workout plan? Are there times when you are lacking in motivation? (ugly word!) All of us who are body builders or fitness buffs struggle with this from time to time. It's hard to think of stopping by the gym after a grueling day of work; it's much easier just to go home and flop down in front of the TV and zone out. It's a proven fact though that working out gives us more energy and makes us feel and sleep better.

How can you stay motivated when you feel like skipping one workout, which sometimes leads to another and another, until we quit going altogether? We know we get great benefits from exercise, not only for our physical well being but mentally, too. Here's some helpful tips to get you up and moving.

Set Goals:

It's hard to achieve success if you don't have a clear goal for yourself. Tell yourself "By next week, I want to be able to do 5 more reps". This way you have a plan to work towards and hopefully make it to the gym to meet that goal!

Don't Burn Out:

Sometimes we get so excited at how good we look and feel we work out everyday. Your body really doesn't need this; in fact, it's good to rest between workouts. 3 times a week is a good schedule. Your body needs recovery time. Most muscle injuries occur when you don't let your body rest between workouts. Working out everyday or too often can lead to burn out fast-trust me, I've seen it more than once.

Progress is a Process:

There's nothing wrong with measuring your progress, in fact you need to so you can see you are getting somewhere. If you are trying to lose fat, go ahead and measure your BMI weekly. Same for losing weight; weigh your self once a week to see those results. If you are working on building muscle, go ahead and measure your biceps. The excitement of your progress will keep you right on target with your fitness plan.

Next time you get in a rut or don't feel like like facing the gym, try out these tips. Stick with it and remember, it's Progress Not Perfection!