8 Simple Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out

For a lot of us, finding the motivation to work out can be difficult sometimes. 

After all, it’s much, much easier to stay in bed for a half hour more than to get out of bed and get your butt to the gym.

Admit it, how familiar is this scenario? You plan your workout schedule for the next four weeks and get super pumped about it. One week in and you’re doing great. You feel unstoppable!

Then comes week two. Still sticking to the plan. A bunch of stuff came up, but hey, you’re committed now! This time it’s different!

Then week three rolls around, and you find that you’re rolling around in junk food and Netflix instead. Oops.

Everybody has those days when they struggle to exercise. They’d be lying if they said they didn’t. Here are some simple things you can do to minimize your chances of falling off track again.

Find something that you enjoy

Don’t get into an activity just because it’s popular and a lot of other people are doing it. Fitness is about you and your own goals, not about following trends.

If you don’t like what you’re currently doing, try something else. And if you don’t like that, too, try something else again. Keep trying different activities until you find what you enjoy. You’re more likely to stick to a workout if it’s something that you actually like doing.

Get a workout buddy

Many people swear by the buddy system because it works. Dr. Philip M. Wilson of Brock University explains that having a workout buddy helps because “it encourages people to make connections with others who share common values and are pursuing similar goals.”

You wouldn’t want to be the one who flakes out on your friend, right?

Join group classes

If you can’t find one person to work out with, find a whole group of people to work out with. Nobody wants to be the first person to quit and leave in a group, so you will likely stick it out until the end.

A fitness group provides great energy that will keep you going when you feel like giving up. You’ll also get to make new friends.

Reward yourself

Pat yourself on the back every time you do a good job. Did you work out on the days that you said you would? Great! Give yourself a reward. Did you eat healthy all week? Bravo! That deserves another reward.   Try to stay away from food or meal rewards.  That could cause a set back.

Get social

Read blogs of people who are doing what you’re doing.  Follow social media profiles of people who inspire you. That way, every time you open your Instagram, for instance, you’re reminded of your own fitness goals. Following other people’s stories also allows you to learn from their experiences.

Save or print fitness motivational quotes

Set inspirational workout quotes as your phone and desktop wallpapers. You can also print them out and stick them in your planner, on your fridge, or wherever you will always see them.

Do just a little

On those days when you’re feeling really lazy, tell yourself that you’ll do just a little. For example, say that you’ll exercise for just 10 minutes or jog around the block only two times.

Oftentimes, you’ll find that you end up finishing your entire workout anyway. It’s a neat little trick that almost always works.

Put on your workout clothes

One study has found that simply changing into your workout clothes can motivate you into exercising. Put them on first thing in the morning or, if you want, even sleep in them the night before so you really have no excuse to not work out.

References:

https://zenhabits.net/31-ways-to-motivate-yourself-to-exercise/

http://www.prevention.com/fitness/workout-motivation-tips

https://greatist.com/move/workout-motivation-for-home-workouts

https://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/i-flexed-and-the-sleeves-fell-off?utm_term=.ux0J9629W

Author Bio

Being obsessed with running, Chau Nguyen decided to build his own blog Running Addicted, a place where people just like him can come to get the best information, tips, and gear available. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.