Regardless of your current fitness level, finding the motivation to exercise is one of the biggest hurdles to getting and staying fit and healthy.
When the results aren’t immediate, it can be tough to keep feeling enthusiastic about heading back to the gym and cultivating that dream physique.
Whether it’s raining outside or you’ve had a long, hard day, and the couch is just too comfy, these top tips for finding some extra motivation in your exercise routine will help you stay in shape, even when you’re not feeling it.
1. Put on your workout clothes
Simply putting on your workout clothes can help you feel more prepared and ready to exercise. Even if you plan on relaxing on the couch in your sneakers, chances are, when you’re dressed, you’ll feel much more ready to face the next challenge. Another tip here is to get your workout gear ready to go, so while you’re binging your favorite shows, those resistance bands and yoga mat in the corner of the room will guilt you into getting up… Particularly if you’re already dressed for fitness! I love keeping my resistance bands close at hand, wherever I go. You can check out the bands I use here.
2. Find a podcast or make a playlist
Working out to the beat is always a great way to help you feel more motivated to push harder and achieve more than exercising in silence. If I’m not feeling motivated, I’ll stick on my workout playlist while I get dressed to help me feel more pumped for physical activity.
Podcasts are also great motivators. Stick in your headphones and play that podcast you’ve been meaning to listen to, and your workout will just fly by! Take it a step further with an audiobook that you only listen to when you’re working out, and you’ll be excited to find out what happens next when you head out for your next workout.
3. Match it with your favorite show
In a similar vein, picking a tv show that you love and committing to only watching it when you’re on the treadmill or static bike can be a great way to boost your motivation. You’ll be surprised how quickly you associate the show with exercise and will be looking forward to your next gym visit as an opportunity to binge the next season!
4. Get your buddies involved
Studies show that exercising with friends can help you feel more motivated and achieve better results than exercising alone. What’s more, 95% of people who start a weight loss program with their buddies complete the program. Working out with your friends is great as it provides more accountability. It’s also brilliant for our mental health as it provides an excellent opportunity for socializing.
5. Remember your goals
Sometimes, the most effective way to feel more motivated to exercise is to remind yourself why you started exercising in the first place. Whether you’re dreaming of the perfect physique or you’re aiming to be a professional athlete, we all have our reasons and goals.
Sticky notes throughout the house, morning visualizations, motivational posters… All these things are great ways to keep the why at the forefront of your mind. You’ll find it much harder to crash on the couch without exercising when your reasons are staring you in the face.
6. Use social media wisely
Sure, social media can be harmful for motivation and our mental health, but when used wisely, you might find it can boost your enthusiasm for fitness. Participating in social media challenges or sharing your progress with friends and followers is a great way to introduce some accountability in your fitness regime… Plus, it allows you to share and celebrate your achievements.
7. Put it in your diary
One of the main excuses most people give for not sticking to an exercise regime is that they simply can’t find the time. Treating your workouts like any other appointment and physically writing them into your diary or calendar can help you schedule time for fitness.
8. Start small
There’s no need for you to feel like you need to commit hours every day for fitness. Even just 10 minutes of exercise can work wonders on your physical and mental health, and it’s easy to fit around your daily commitments.
The Men’s Health 7-minute Blitz program is a great starting point for people who want to boost their fitness but don’t feel like they have the time.
Routine is queen
Formulating a daily routine that makes time for exercise (even if it’s just 10 minutes a day) is the best way to feel better about working out. Stick it in your diary, invite your buddies to join you, share your progress on social media, and workout with your favorite tunes or show, and you’ll be feeling better and more motivated in no time.