Life
7 Ways To Inspire Yourself To Work Out
When it comes to exercising, fitting a workout in your day can be a challenge. No matter how sure we are about becoming a yoga-loving, SoulCycle- going, early morning runner, getting the motivation to actually get up and complete your workout can prove to be difficult. With your bed right there, who really can muster up the strength to go on a three mile run when you can stay in and binge watch Netflix instead?
Maybe you blast all the upbeat music you possibly can, but sometimes, that just doesn’t do the trick. Next time you find yourself struggling to get up and hit the gym, try one of the seven following tips to help motivate yourself to workout.
Go with a friend
Not only will a friend hold you accountable for your workouts- — you wouldn’t want to ditch them, after all — but they also help make your workouts more enjoyable becuase of the social aspect. Studies have also found that working out with a buddy helps you push yourself even harder during exercise.
Get some gym clothes you love
They don’t have to be Lululemon, but having exercise clothes that you make you feel comfortable and confident will have you feeling more positive about your body and more likely to want to do good for it. Studies have even shown that wearing certain types of clothing can motivate your actions to fit what you are wearing. You’ll be more likely to workout if your outfit matches the part.
Lower your standards
While it would be great to spend two hours each day alternating between weight training and cardio, sticking to a more realistic goal will help your workouts seem less daunting and make you more willing to actually stick to them. If you can’t fit in vigorous exercise daily, even doing something more moderate like a 20 minute walk daily is beneficial for your overall health.
Put some money on it
Whether you’re putting money in a jar each time you work out or you signed up for a website that pays you each time you go to the gym and charges you when you don’t, adding financial value to your workout helps keep your progress in check and even increases the amount of times an average person works out. Studies have shown that paying people to go to the gym doubles their attendance, so find a way to hold yourself fiscally responsible for fitting in exercise
Find a workout you enjoy
Just because running burns a lot of calories doesn’t mean it’s everyone’s cup of tea. Some people enjoy more meditative workouts like yoga while others crave the more upbeat vibes of something like Zumba. If your workout is something that get’s you excited, you’ll be much less likely to skip it. Try using a service like Classpass that gives you monthly access to a variety of classes to see what strikes your fancy.
Love your body
Well it might seem that this step should come after you’ve completed your workout, but research has shown that those who appreciate their bodies and what their bodies are capable of end up working out more frequently than those who work out solely to change their body’s appearance. Focusing less on weight loss and more on doing good for your body can actually help motivate you to work out more frequently and focus less on the qualities you want to change in your body.
Reward yourself
If the actual workout itself isn’t reward enough, try giving yourself an incentive for working out by having something to look forward to when its over, such as a an hour of leisure time or a delicious, but healthy, dinner. Constantly associating working out with a good feeling can help form a habit, one that eventually won’t need an extrinsic reward.
