I've been weight lifting on and off since about the age of 9. Throughout my almost 30-year journey of fitness, I've learned a lot. The idea that motivation would always be there is something I struggled with for a long time. I eventually had to come to terms with the fact that motivation will not always be there. It's not something you can count on as a reliable source of fuel because there will be days when you simply don't want to work out, but you know that you have to. That's where discipline kicks in. And it's not easy to develop discipline unless you have a strong will to do it. I've created some strategies to help you build and strengthen your level of discipline when your motivational well has run dry.

Developing discipline is not for the faint of heart; it takes a lot of courage to really delve into your greatness, and it starts with building daily habits:

• Setting up your workout clothes by your bed and placing your workout shoes by the door the night prior

• Making sure you have your water jug filled up and have gas in your car the night prior if you’re going to the gym

• Charging your electronic devices that you'll be using, including your mobile device, headphones, and smartwatch (if applicable)

• Ensuring you have a pre- and post-workout meal planned ahead of time to prevent poor eating decisions

• Setting up a music playlist and reviewing your workout the night before

• Making sure you get quality sleep prior to your workout

Being able to execute these tasks is a job in itself because it requires a greater sense of mindfulness. When you have a spouse/significant other, children, family to take care of, career obligations, personal errands, etc., it can eat up a lot of your time, making it super important to organize your schedule in a way that prioritizes your health so you're able to have all your ducks in a row. I'm not asking you to neglect your other needs and priorities, but I am asking that you place great significance on your personal health as that will directly affect your life in the immediate timeframe. Here are some ways to make your personal health your priority:

• Ask for support from friends and family to help keep you accountable with your daily workouts by joining you.

• Try to do your workouts first thing in the morning or during your first opportunity of the day and treat it like a doctor's appointment. If you treat your workout sessions with this level of importance, your chance of compliance will be greater.

• Plan your meal prepping list before the next week starts so you can strategize at the grocery store and be prepared when it comes time to cook/store your food for the week.

• Be okay with saying NO when you need to so you have the time to get your workouts done. When your health is your priority, you will gain more respect for yourself.

• Opt for quick, healthy meals like rotisserie chicken from the market and a pre-made salad over impulse buys at fast food establishments.

Creating a weekly schedule for your training routine is a great start. If you know what you're going to be doing ahead of time, you'll be able to focus purely on technique and intensity instead of what exercise you'll be doing next. The best way to create a sensible workout schedule is to apply the FITTE principles of exercise. The FITTE principles describe:

• The frequency that a workout will be performed. For example, if you lead a busy life and work 8+ hours a day, working out with a minimum frequency of 3 days would be the most sensible approach.

• The intensity of a workout can be measured by checking your heart rate using your radial or carotid pulse. Movement intensity will ultimately depend on your physical goals. For beginners to exercise, I suggest starting with stabilization training, focusing on using an intensity that is 50% of your 1 rep max on a movement, using a slow, controlled eccentric movement, a pause during the isometric segment of the movement, and a quick concentric drive to finish the movement. For hypertrophy, or muscle growth, I suggest using an intensity of 75-85% of your 1 rep max on a movement. For max strength, you’ll be using an intensity of 95-100% of your 1 rep max. And for power, you’d superset your max strength movement with a plyometric/explosive movement such as medicine ball slams with an intensity of 30% of your body weight.

• The time per workout. If you are trying to focus on performing your workouts consistently, keep your routine under 60 minutes and stay practical in your approach. Your body will need ample time to recover. If you are working out efficiently during that hour session, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the exercise without excessive fatigue, which often leads to missed workouts and eventually complacency, where you stop working out altogether.

• The type of workout that you perform should correlate with your fitness goals. If you are a golf player and want to focus on your swing more, focusing on golf-specific conditioning is more effective than performing random exercises one after another just to break a sweat. The workouts you will be performing should be goal-oriented, as this helped so many clients I’ve trained stay disciplined because it’s purpose-driven and not aimless.

• In addition, your workout regimen should also be exciting. You don’t want to create an unrealistic game plan for yourself; be practical in your approach and find a way to incentivize yourself to complete these workouts by making them engaging. I love adding shadow boxing to my regimen to keep things exciting, as I have been doing traditional weight lifting for so long it can become stagnant without that extra layer to challenge my body in different ways. It also allows me to create a positive habit that will continuously challenge me, strengthening my mental discipline in the process.

However, purpose alone isn't enough; it must be paired with the discipline to act even when you don't feel like it. Discipline creates a foundation of consistent effort, ensuring that you make progress regardless of how motivated you feel at any given moment. It's the steady hand guiding you through the days when enthusiasm wanes, turning small, repetitive actions into long-term success. While motivation might spark the initial fire, it's discipline that keeps it burning steadily, propelling you forward even in the face of obstacles or fatigue. Ultimately, discipline transforms your goals into achievable realities by making progress an everyday habit, not just a fleeting burst of inspiration.I've been weight lifting on and off since about the age of 9. Throughout my almost 30-year journey of fitness, I've learned a lot. The idea that motivation would always be there is something I struggled with for a long time. I eventually had to come to terms with the fact that motivation will not always be there. It's not something you can count on as a reliable source of fuel because there will be days when you simply don't want to work out, but you know that you have to. That's where discipline kicks in. And it's not easy to develop discipline unless you have a strong will to do it. I've created some strategies to help you build and strengthen your level of discipline when your motivational well has run dry.