You hear your alarm churning, reminding you to hit the gym. But instead of committing to the action, you find yourself finishing a jar of chocolate ice cream with a remote TV in hand. Even if you have managed to drag yourself to the gym, you begin to wonder if this is really needed. Where have all the motivations gone?
While engaging in healthy self-talk can be effective before a workout, there are other tried-and-true methods to help you stay motivated throughout the whole session. Whether it is a quick morning jog or a 30-minutes exercise routine, here are some ways to get you flared up!
1. Know Your Fitness Goal
Setting a goal is nothing out of the ordinary but is frequently overlooked. You would be surprised to learn that many go to the gym or participate in exercise programs with no clear vision in mind. Yet, if you think about your daily tasks, no matter how trivial, there is usually a goal at the end.
The same logic can be applied to physical fitness. The best form of motivation is to have a layout of your goal written down somewhere you can see every day. Short-term goals like running five miles a day will provide you with an instant aim to focus on, whereas long-term goals will keep you grounded and motivated in the long run.
2. Surround Yourself with Likeminded People
Most of us fail to realize that we are the five people we spend the most time with. Their actions influence every part of our lives, and we will begin to act and think like them. Here is a piece of an African proverb that might change the way you think “If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.”
Take this as an example; we are more likely to enjoy dancing if we see our closest peers or family members do it daily. Similarly, if we surround ourselves with people who share our passion for exercise, we are more likely to engage and enjoy our workout routine. The like-mindedness will fuel your energy and get you pumped up for your next exercise regime.
3. Track Your Progress
Setting a fitness goal is only the beginning of the process. Expect a bumpy ride if your goal is to get fitter, gain muscle, lose weight, or simply maintain your current workout level. You, like many others, will lose sight of your goal or lose motivation mid-way if you fail to track your progress on your best laptop.
Keeping a record of your fitness progress will allow you to identify flaws in your routine. In addition, this will enable you to reform and adjust the exercise method. Not only that, but it will keep you devoted to your plan as it reminds you of how far you have come and eradicates any thoughts of giving up.
4. Have a Collection of Playlist
Listening to inspirational podcasts is an excellent start to rekindle your fitness commitment. Many podcasts are produced the same way television shows are- a collection of episodes culminating in a season finale. You will be just as excited to hear the latest episode as you are to see the new series of Stranger Things.
If you are not into podcasts, jamming to music from your Bluetooth speaker can also fire up your fitness groove. Music stimulates a “rhythm response,” which means you will feel compelled to move in time with the beat of the music. It also distracts you from muscle pain and fatigue. So, be sure to save a pre-list of songs the next time you are hitting the gym.
5. Keep It Varied
You do not want yourself to fall into the loop of mindless action. Imagine reading the same book every day, all year round, or even watching the same movie day in and day out. Wouldn’t that be repetitive and boring?
If you find yourself dreading your next workout, it is time to shake things up. Make it a weekly goal to try a new movement to keep yourself from getting bored. Try cardio over pilates, yoga over skipping, and strides over jogging. Do whatever that makes your boat sail as long as it keeps you from thinking, ‘Oh no, not this again.’
Motivating yourself is difficult. In fact, most of the time, it is the only thing keeping you from going to the gym. However, keep in mind that motivation comes from a melting pot of different sources. So, it is foolish to expect a surge of motivation to come without doing anything to stimulate it.
Suppose you find yourself struggling to lose weight or failing to get in shape. Then, it is about time to start taking account of your life and incorporate the tips above. Whatever it is, at the end of the day, the final decision is yours to make. So, choose well!
If you need help with motivation check out our personal training service.
