Sep 09
9
25 ways to motivate your workout
You workout, you get tired and sore. Maybe, you don’t get on a regular workout schedule, or your schedule falls apart. Or, you cheat on your eating plan, get frustrated and give up.
Whatever the cause, we lose motivation and our dreams of a 6-pack disappear in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. It’s going to happen, I know because its happened to me and trust me, it happens to everyone else too.
Here are a few tips to get you motivated, or if you lost your motivation how to get it back:
1. Get a workout/exercise partner (This is a big one)
2. Share your goals with everyone around you
3. Pick out a new set of gym clothes or a new DVD
4. Set your clothes/equip out where you see them everyday
5. Take a moment in the morning to review your goals for that day
6. Post a picture of what you want to look like on the fridge
7. Post a picture of what you don’t want to like on the fridge
8. Plan one indulgence day every week: no exercise, no diet
9. Form a walking, running, biking group with the neighbors
10. Only look at the scale once a week or less (harder than it sounds)
11. Define several smaller goals to aim for like 5 pull-ups, or a 10 minute mile
12. No time sensitive goals “I will lose XX lbs by such and such a date”
13. Invest in a personal trainer
14. Changes in your life are a great time to change up your workout too!
15. Ask your spouse for help (I know this can be a tough one, but its critical)
16. Build a fitness website (It’s working for me!)
17. Try a new gym
18. Make it a game and engage the kids in it
19. Reward your good behavior with some healthy treats
20. Buy a pair of pants you want to fit into and place them somewhere conspicuous
21. As the marines say “Pain is weakness leaving the body!”
22. Ditch the forms of exercising you hate, find something you enjoy
23. Remember, this isn’t a onetime deal, but a lifestyle change
24. Like hospitals are there for the sick, gyms are there for those trying to get healthy
25. Don’t think of exercising as mandatory work, it’s a chance for you to spend time on yourself
In regards to number 25, it’s not just some warm fuzzy, it is a solid truth. Understand that exercising isn’t punishing or abusing yourself, it’s an opportunity to step away from your crazy day to focus solely on yourself. It’s a chance for you to improve how you look and feel, not just physically, but mentally as well.