Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out
How to Motivate Yourself to Work Out
1. Surround yourself with motivational quotes.
You can use different colors of Post-Its to stick quotes that motivate you everywhere. They will serve as constant reminders for you to get going and just do what you have to do.
You may want to visit this post and choose from 83 quotes about never giving up to find the one that best resonates with you.
2. Get a workout buddy.
Having the right person stand next to you and cheer you on as you do your sit-ups is an excellent way to get hyped up about keeping fit. A good workout buddy helps you become accountable for your progress in achieving your workout goals.
3. Think about how working out makes you feel.
When your interest in working out is flagging, envision the outcome of your exercise routine and how good you’ll feel. For most people, this is motivation enough to not throw in the towel.
Other benefits you’ll get immediately after a workout include feeling more relaxed, your brain cells are renewed, and your blood sugar levels return to normal. Now, who doesn’t want that?
4. Set reachable goals for yourself.
Sometimes we begin a workout with the intention of toning our muscles, getting rid of body fat, and having the most beach-worthy body before summer arrives. And we want to achieve these goals all at once. When we don’t immediately get the results we want, we get discouraged.
To keep yourself pumped up about getting fit, try setting small goals that you are able to do constantly. In this way, you’ll end up feeling that you’ve accomplished something every time you hit the gym or go for that run.
5. Treat yourself to some new workout clothes and equipment.
It is so easy to skip a workout because your one and only pair of yoga pants are still in the laundry. Buying yourself some new items of workout gear can make you excited to exercise.
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6. Put your workout gear in a highly visible area.
Having bought exercise clothes and gear that make you happy, the next thing to do is to place them somewhere conspicuous. Put them on a table or chair, or near the door. This way, you’ll always be reminded of your workout goals, and make them a priority.
7. Create a playlist to get you moving.
Science has shown that music that’s between 120 and 140 bpm (beats per minute) encourages us to move. Songs that contain this tempo are great for working out.
So prepare a playlist of your favorite jams. Some recommended songs include Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz, Who Knew by P!nk, and Viva La Vida by Cold Play. Get moving!
8. Tell yourself that you’ll do just a warm-up.
When you feel like skipping your workout, go through the motions of preparing for it. Tell yourself that you will just warm up and then you can go home. Chances are, after doing the warm-up, you’ll want to do one set of your workout. And then maybe another.
Tell yourself you can stop and head home after each set. Before you know it, you’ll have done the entire routine.
9. Imagine pictures of you when you don’t look your best.
We all have those photos when we don’t look our best. We wish they never existed. But since they do, you can use yours as a motivation to work out. Then you can look at those photos next time and see how far you’ve progressed in becoming a better version of yourself.
10. Choose an exercise that is fun to do.
Oftentimes, when people think of workouts, the activities that come to mind are running and weightlifting. Most people think that these exercises are hard work, so they’d rather keep to their old sedentary habits.
To keep yourself motivated to move, choose something that you have fun while doing. For some people, having a fun workout means enrolling in a flying trapeze class, doing capoeira, going through a yoga challenge, or just dancing around in the comfort of your own room.
