While I love exercise, there are days when I am just not feeling it. After a long day of work or classes, sometimes I just want to lie on the couch and binge watch netflix. On days when I’ve done nothing at all, continuing to lounge about can seem more appealing than bringing myself to work out. But as an exercise blogger, I want to practice what I preach, so I make it a priority to exercise in some way every day. This blog has been my best exercise motivation ever! However blogging isn’t my only exercise motivation, I have tons of ways to stay excited about exercise. Check out my list of exercise motivation tips to get inspired to work out!
1) Create a Workout Playlist
Put together a playlist of awesome songs that will put you in the right mood to exercise. Instead of just listening when you get to exercising, try turning it on before you start your workout. An upbeat and peppy song might be just what you need to get your energy going and get you pumped to hit the gym.
2) Keep Pics of Your Inspiration
Not to be creepy, but having a few photos of what you aspire to look like, can help you to stay motivated to work out. My former roommate once made a Victoria Secret model her wallpaper. That way every time she looked at her phone, she would get an instant reminder on why she wanted to keep up with her exercise routine. In fact, we hung a poster of Gwen Stefani’s killer abs on our wall, as an inspiration to do abs exercises every night. Checking out your fitness role models is a great way to get motivated to exercise.
3) Do Something You Actually Like
There is a mistaken notion that one of the requirements of exercise is that its supposed to be grueling torture. But guess what, it totally doesn’t. Exercise should be fun and something you enjoy. Everyone takes pleasure in different forms of physical activity, and if you find something you like, you’re much more likely to stick with it. I hate running, but put me in a dance class, take me on a hike, or put me on an elliptical and I’ll be having the time of my life. There are so many different types of exercise, so pick something you like. The important part is that you get your body moving.
4) Set Goals
Whatever type of exercise you’re into, set goals for yourself. Maybe its trimming down your mile time; lifting more weights; or being able to add an extra ten minutes to your bike ride. Find something that you can improve on and challenge yourself to accomplish it. Having a goal will challenge you to hit your workouts harder and you’ll feel great when you finally achieve it.
5) Find a Workout Buddy
Get a friend to work out with you. You’ll have a built in cheerleader, coach, and teammate to inspire you to keep up with your exercise regime. Not to mention, you’ll be excited to exercise because your workout sesh will double as a hangout
6) Check Out Your Trouble Zones
I’m all for loving my body, but I have parts that I want to get stronger and more sculpted. If you’re not feeling in the exercise mood, go check out some of your trouble zones in the mirror. You’ll be reminded of the brutal truth on why you want to do those sit ups or squats. Be careful to not bring too much self-hate though.
7) Bring Your Gym Bag to Work
The work day is done, just have to swing by the house to get your gym bag. When you get home, you’ll likely be hit by both exhaustion and a billion household chores. The result: going to work out doesn’t happen. Stash your gym bag in the car, so that you’ll be prepared to go right after work. That way your couch isn’t seducing you to come take a postwork nap.
8) Exercise In the Morning
This may only apply to morning people, but if you can get yourself to work out in the morning, you’ll get it done and over with. Not to mention you’ll be soaring on that exercise high for the rest of the day.
9) Make it Short
Promising yourself that you’ll go through an hour and a half workout, might be a little unrealistic. A super long workout can seem like an impossibly daunting task. Not to mention it will feel hard to find a big block of time to schedule exercise in. Instead promise yourself that you’ll work out for a short period of time. Even ten minutes is better than nothing. Not to mention you might be surprised that once you start, its pretty easy to keep going. Often the hardest part is just bringing yourself to start exercising.
10) Write Your Workouts Down
Keep a log of your daily workouts. Write what you’ve done, when you did it, and how great it made you feel! When you write it down you’ll feel accomplished. Plus you’ll want to see a log full of hard core entries and feel guilty when there is a missing day.
11) Schedule Your Workouts
Don’t just say you’ll work out when you have the time; make time for your workout. Just like anything else in your life, put your workout in your schedule. Better yet make sure its set as an event in your phone.That way you’ll have an annoying alarm blaring to remind you that its time to hit the gym.
12) Have Something To Look Good For
Sure, exercise is for our health, happiness, and wellness, but lets be real, we exercise to look hot. Have a reason to show off the body you’re working hard to achieve. Whether its a reunion, a vacation, or to fit into that pair of jeans that you bought that are just a tiny bit too small, its ok to have a superficial goal. Have something that you need to look hot for, and remind yourself of it when your feeling not so psyched to work out.
13) Get Sexy Gym Clothes
Splurge on those lululemon leggings! Ditch your old college T and ratty gym shorts, and buy workout clothes that make you feel good.You’ll be a lot more excited to put them on, if you feel sexy in them. Once you're dressed to work out, you might as well actually do the working out part. Not to mention if you spent the money to look this good, you better put those dollars to good use.
14) Lay your Gym Clothes out
Get your gym clothes ready the not before. If you’re lazy like me, you can always sleep in them. That way you are ready to work out before you’ve even had your morning coffee.
15) Set Goals Within Your Workout
Set small goals within your workout to stay motivated. Don’t just tell yourself to run five miles, set the goal to jog to a certain point or to finish the song. By having goals within your workout, you’ll be motivated to keep going and get distracted from the actual grueling exercise part.
16) Follow An Exercise Calendar
There are plenty of exercise calendars online or better yet make up your own! Have a preset workout routine you’re going to follow. That way when you start your workout you can get downtown to business. Plus, you’ll want to keep up with the plans you already made for yourself.
17) Join an Exercise Class
I’m from LA, which is a wonderland of new exercise fads. Barre method, spin classes, pop pilates, you name it. But no matter where you live, you can find an exercise class at a gym, studio, or even your local community center. In an exercise class, you'll have a teacher yelling at you to keep at it. Not to mention, you'll be peer pressured to work your hardest because no one want to look like the wimpy one. On a more positive note, you’ll want to go to class to catch up with the new friends you’ve made. Besides, if you've forked over cash to join the class, you won’t want to waste it, so you’ll make sure to show up for all of your sessions.
