We all know how good regular exercise is for us, but there are still times when we will come up with a wide variety of excuses not to move and exercise.
Some people will genuinely enjoy every single minute they spend in the gym, it will be the first thing on their to-do list and they will count down the seconds, minutes and hours until they are able to don their gym gear. For other people this may be different.
There will always be occasions where there are genuine reasons we are unable to perform some physical activity that day, but most of the time we just need a little bit of motivation.
Here’s my top 10 tips and tricks to help keep you motivated throughout your fitness journey.
1. Plan/Schedule
Plan to go to the gym or perform an exercise routine on a certain day or at a certain time, rather than just go as and when you feel like it. Scheduling your exercises at the start of the week will not only ensure you are making time for your work-out but will greatly increase the chances of you actually performing the work-out.
2. Keep it varied
As much as you may like doing a certain activity, if you don’t vary it then it can get boring. You could love a certain book or movie, but reading/watching it over and over again and not trying anything else will become tiresome and you won’t look forward to the next one. Exercise is the same, try and mix things up so you don’t get bored of the same movements and look forward to trying something new, such as a new exercise routine or a new fitness class.
3. Keep a diary or download a fitness tracker app
Writing down your progress in a diary or inputting it into a fitness tracking app can be all the motivation you need. Looking at how far you have come since your first steps into the fitness world can have hugely positive effects on your motivation and one look at the last 5k time or the amount of squats you completed in a minute compared to your first attempt will show you how far you have come. It will also show you the days you exercised and the days you didn’t exercise, hopefully prompting a response and reminding you to get out, get active and get those last 500 steps in!
4. Buddy up
Working out alone can be very convenient and means it’s always on your terms, but always exercising alone means you only rely on yourself for motivation. Exercising with someone else can turn it into more of a social experience and people will tend to enjoy it more and look forward to it.
Also, working out with a friend will not only result in you motivating each other to exercises in the first place, but also motivate each other while you are exercising, and working harder than if you were on your own.
5. Remember how you felt after your last session
I like to write down how I feel after a workout every single time, even if it’s just 2 words. So, when I am low on motivation to wake up and go for a run or a workout, I pull out my workout log book and read how great I felt after completing a five-miler. You don’t even need to write this down, you can just think back to how you felt after the last time you went for a run or to the gym. This really works for me and reminds me how good I felt and makes me want to feel the same amazing feeling again!
6. Don’t think about it too much
If you start to think about it too much then you will most certainly start to think of an excuse not to exercise too. How many situations have you been in where you overthink something and then some doubt or negatively starts to creep into your mind? Well this can happen when you plan on exercising too. Your mind will start to convince you that you’re too busy, too tired or too hungry to exercise if you think about it too much. The best thing to do is to tell yourself you’re doing it, that you have no choice and the workout is happening no matter what.
7. Music can be your saviour
Try creating a work-out playlist. Listening to your favourite music whilst performing any kind of activity will increase your mood. In addition to stopping you getting bored on the treadmill for 20 minutes it can help set your tempo, increase your stamina and help synchronise your movements.
Or maybe plan to put on a podcast you’ve been wanting to listen to. This will definitely help with looking forward to your next session.
8. Set some short-term goals
Instead of just setting long-term goals such as increasing fitness, losing weight or gaining strength, set yourself some short-term goals, such as 5 exercise days per week, and each time you hit a target or a milestone then treat yourself. Rewarding yourself is a great way to keep motivated.
Be sure not to make the goals too hard that you never reach them, but also ensure they are still challenging to you.
My App has a function that allows you to create and track a variety of goals, check it out here: My App
9. Make exercise a priority
When planning your week or day, don’t put exercise at the bottom of your list. You need to eat and sleep to help stay healthy right? Of course you do, but to get/stay healthy you also need to perform some form of physical activity or exercise. Even just 30 minutes of activity a day is enough to reap the many benefits that come with physical fitness, and that 30 minutes is just 2% of your day.
Try to make time in advance. Don’t wait until you have some spare time to exercise, work it into your daily or weekly routine.
10. Dress for the occasion
If you don’t feel like exercising try and trick your mind into it. Put on your gym gear or your running clothes whilst listening to some music, even if you ‘can’t be bothered’ exercising. You’ve just taken your first step without doing anything and when in your gym gear this could instantly change how you feel, putting you in the right mood to get you moving.
The Last Takeaway… Remember why you started!
If there comes a time when you haven’t got the motivation to exercise then just ask yourself why you started in the first place. What was it that you wanted to achieve from exercising? Ask yourself if you want to start over again because you can't be bothered or didn't want to make the time to exercise.
Also think of times when you have skipped a run or a gym session and if you regretted it, more than likely you would have done. Then think back to the times you did go to the gym or for that run, and ask yourself if you regretted doing that. I can promise you that the answer will be no.
For further help with motivation drop me a message or check out my Online Personal Training Packages.
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