Functional fitness is challenging not just physically, but mentally. That fact becomes all the more obvious as you progress through the Open. You stop noticing improvement and feel like everyone’s getting better but you. You lose focus. You lose meaning. Then you start not showing up. This will only make matters worse, though, and once you lose that momentum, it’s hard to find it again.

It’s not uncommon for people to hit the ground running when the Open begins and gradually lose steam over the five weeks. Don’t let fitness demotivation beat you! Here’s how you can come out on top.

1. No Matter How Hard it is, Show Up

We get it: one of the earliest signs of being demotivated is not showing up or otherwise losing interest. Remember that regardless of the workout each week, discipline starts with you. Get up and show up. You have to decide if you are in it for the long run. It’s easy to find reasons not to do it — “What’s the point? I’d have to scale it anyway.” Enough excuses! The Open comes but once a year — make the most of it.

2. Never Stop Setting Goals

It’s crucial to keep striving toward little milestones to help keep you going. Don’t just aim to get your first muscle-up in the Open. Think about stringing together more kipping pull-ups or hitting depth on those thrusters every single time. If you get stuck in the trap of only having one goal, even once you hit it, you feel empty. Always be climbing the ladder, trying to be better than you were yesterday — no matter where you are in your fitness journey.

3. Deal With the WOD

We’re all guilting of picking favorites when it comes to programming. “What’s the WOD for tomorrow? Hmmm. Burpees? And lots of them?! Guess I’m going to skip tomorrow.” Here’s the problem, though: you skip an Open workout, and you’ve officially failed to complete the competition. If the workout has burpees and you hate burpees, there’s no time like the present to get over it and start conquering your weaknesses. Finish what you start.

4. Pay Attention to Your Nutrition

Depending on where you are in your journey, you may or may not have your nutrition really dialed in. If you don’t, you could be missing out on some serious gains, and the Open will highlight this weakness more than you ever thought possible. Why? Because recovery is so crucial during these five weeks, and you won’t be able to accomplish quick recovery without the right nutrition.

Start small. Maybe focus on increasing protein intake from lean meats such as chicken, turkey or fish; eat more fruits or veggies. Challenge yourself to drink more water or cut back on sugary soda. Even little changes can make a huge difference. When you feel better, you want to do better.

5. Remember to Have Fun

This could potentially be the most important part of all. If you really want to beat demotivation, you have to find a way to keep the Open fun. Do it with a group of friends. Pump up the jams. Introduce a little friendly competition amongst your gym squad. Doing the Open shouldn’t feel like a punishment — it’s supposed to make your life better! When you have fun, you want more of it. Don’t forget to smile.