“I’m just not motivated,” this is the most popular excuse among our premier fitness solutions clients. They often make plans to exercise but, when it comes time to do it, they find a hundred other things they suddenly must do (i.e. rearrange the furniture, organize the closet, etc.).

My premier fitness solutions trainers hear this excuse most frequently when it is dealing with a client that wants to lose weight. Staying motivated to lose weight and exercise is tough. In fact, the hardest part, according to most individuals that visit premier fitness solutions say it is usually “getting started”.

So, why does exercise seem great until we actually have to do it? Perhaps it really is motivation that makes it so difficult? If this is true, maybe figuring out what motivation is can help these individuals. Is it an action? Perhaps it’s a feeling? Could it be a little of both?

According to Webster “that which gives purpose and direction to behavior.” By this definition, individuals need something to drive them to exercise, something to get them going. So where does that ’something’ come from? For athletes, it may come from the desire to compete or to be the best. For many, it could be simply to be healthy. Through countless consultations, my trainers at premier fitness solutions find it is just losing weight is the primary goal, however, is that enough to motivate them? If you looked at the current obesity problem in the United States that would most definitely be a no!

With our clients at premier fitness solutions the biggest problem with motivation is that many of them believe it’s something that will come to them if they wait long enough; that someday they’ll wake up and everything will click and they will be ready to exercise. I truly believe that the sooner they realize that motivation is something they create, not something they need to wait for, the better off they will be.

My trainers at premier fitness solutions often ask when clients will get excited about exercise. Unfortunately I can’t give them the answer; it is truly different for everyone. For most, just deciding to exercise makes them feel good, almost as if they have already done something. Following through with that decision is what causes all the problems. Motivation tends to disappear when it is time to actually exercise. I hear this from potential clients at premier fitness solutions all the time and realize I need to focus their attention on what is important to them. When they realize that the decision to exercise is important, but following through with exercise is ultimately most important.

In my eyes motivation comes from different places — it’s not based on how we feel or even something we have to wait around for. It’s something we create for ourselves.

Many times just starting and getting a little bit of momentum will take you a long way. So start from now, from wherever you are, with whatever you have. Taking that action and gaining momentum will be key in helping you get to your goals, whatever they may be. Don’t wait for tomorrow, the key is to start now.

Jamie Philippi is a Personal Trainer Algonquin Illinois and Co-Founder of Premier Fitness Solutions in Algonquin – They specialize in helping Clients Get the Body They Deserve In the Time They Actually Have through Targeted Total Body Training. To learn more about how you can get into incredible shape visit http://www.premierfitnessolutions.com