5 ways to fight the mid-challenge blues

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the halfway point of Gunnar X Centr! Sticking with your fitness goals takes some real commitment. But at this midway point you may also be feeling daunted by this final push ahead... or just plain tired of it all.

You might have started out with so much energy and excitement, smashed out an extra set each workout, prepped your meals with care and precision, but now? You just want to sleep in and skip the exercise. Maybe you’ve started scrolling through the other Centr recipes that don’t appear in your planner, yearning for some pasta or a few more daily snacks.

Rather than beating yourself up about it, remember you’re only human and we all need a little help sometimes to stay on track. Here are five tips to help you pick up momentum again and beat the blues that are holding you back.

1. Revisit, renew, reaffirm

The first step is to sit down and figure out how you’re really feeling. Maybe you’re disheartened because you’re not seeing the results you expected, or you’ve had some setbacks, or you just feel tired of it all. Whatever the reason, if you feel like giving up, you should revisit your goals and remind yourself why you’re doing this. Can you still reach that goal if you give up now? Chances are the answer is no. Getting back some perspective will help you recover your motivation. Just think about how great it will feel when you’ve achieved your goals, and re-commit to yourself.

2. Enjoy mini rewards

Gunnar X Centr is not a punishment – it’s an opportunity for you to do your best with one of the best in the biz! Acknowledge your hard work and everything you’ve achieved in making it this far. Set some weekly rewards for the rest of the journey that you can enjoy once you’ve hit all your targets for that week. It could be a day at the beach, a movie date or even a well-earned massage (bonus: that will feel amazing for your hard-working muscles, too.) Sticking to the Gunnar X Centr program means steering clear of food rewards, but you can still treat yourself with activities and gifts. You deserve it.

3. Remember endorphins

The endorphin rush is real and it feels amazing. One minute you’re struggling, then suddenly you’re smashing through the workout, going harder and faster and finishing up with a big grin on your face. But it’s also easy to forget about the good times when you’re staring down those burpees and your muscles are still whimpering from yesterday. Your body will only release endorphins in response to exertion and the stress of exercise – when it’s pushed out of its comfortable state and into real, sustained effort. That means putting in the hard work to get there.

If you need an extra bit of help, try telling yourself, ‘I’ll just do the warm-up and that’s it’. Once your body is all warmed up, it will feel silly to cut the workout short – plus you’ll have the endorphin rush to look forward to. Just remember how great it feels, take a deep breath and dive into your exercise. You won’t regret it.

4. Look hard at your excuses

Really examine the reasons you’re giving yourself for slipping during the challenge and try to find solutions. Do you really not have time for a quick workout? Can you adapt today’s workout for home if you can’t get to the gym? If you don’t have the exact ingredients for tonight’s planner dinner, does that really justify ordering pizza? Are you actually too tired to exercise, or can you power through another set?

Of course, if you really are over-fatigued, that’s important to recognise – we don’t want you to hurt yourself. That’s why it’s important to figure out whether you’re actually at risk or just making excuses. If they are just excuses, the good news is you can address them and take back control.

5. Try changing things up

You might just be stuck in a rut, feeling bored with the ‘same old same old’. Try shaking up your routine a little. If you’ve been doing your Gunnar workouts out in the afternoon, try doing tackling them first thing in the morning instead. Maybe your current playlist isn’t working for you – find a fresh sound (might we suggest the Gunnar X Centr playlist?). Try a different jogging route or cardio machine for your high-intensity burst. Rope in a friend – not only will you have more fun, you’ll push each other to train harder. Even just trying a different herbal tea or post-workout snack might be a little boost to keep you interested.