Breaking Out of Your Training Slump
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Feeling as if you’re in a bit of a rut is very common - even with more advanced athletes. Low motivation can happen to us all.
Sometimes it can affect every aspect of your training, eating and lifestyle.
Perhaps it’s a combination of:
Lower energy
Increased hunger
Weight gain
Reduced training motivation
More “that’ll do” thinking in the gym
These often fall into one of three buckets:
1. Accumulated fatigue or burnout
If you’ve been training hard for months, dealing with work stress, poor sleep, life changes, or simply pushing without a break, your body may be trying to force a recovery period.
Signs:
Workouts feel harder than they should.
You dread sessions you used to enjoy.
Performance stagnates or drops.
You crave more food, especially calorie-dense foods.
What helps:
Take a genuine deload week (50-70% of normal volume).
Prioritize sleep for 1-2 weeks.
Don’t judge yourself for temporarily reduced performance.
2. Lifestyle drift
Sometimes energy drops because recovery habits slowly deteriorate.
Check:
Has sleep dropped below 7-8 hours?
More alcohol?
More stress?
Less daily movement?
Eating more highly processed foods?
Spending more time indoors?
A lot of people think they’ve lost motivation when they’re actually under-recovered.
3. A physical issue worth checking
If this change has been noticeable for several weeks and feels unusual for you, consider a medical checkup.
Things that can affect energy, appetite, weight, and motivation include:
Thyroid issues
Iron deficiency
Low vitamin D
Low B12
Sleep apnea
Depression
Hormonal changes
Certain medications
If the change feels significant or persistent, it’s worth discussing with your GP and getting some blood work done.
How to get moving again immediately
The mistake many people make is waiting to feel motivated before acting.
Instead:
Lower the standard temporarily
For the next 2 weeks, stop trying to have great workouts.
Success = showing up.
For example:
If you normally do 5 exercises, do 3.
If you normally train 90 minutes, do 45.
Leave the gym feeling like you could have done more.
This rebuilds momentum without draining you further.
Create one non-negotiable
Not:
“I’m going to smash every session.”
Instead:
“I train Monday, Wednesday, Friday regardless of how motivated I feel.”
Consistency usually returns before motivation does.
Track objective markers
Write down:
Sleep hours
Body weight
Steps
Gym sessions completed
When people are in a rut, feelings become unreliable. Data helps you see whether you’re actually improving.
Reconnect with a goal
Ask yourself:
“What was I training for six months ago?”
Strength?
Physique?
Health?
Sport performance?
Sometimes the problem isn’t motivation—it’s that the original goal no longer excites you.
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