5 Tips to Keep Your Motivation Running
Keeping a fitness regime is hard enough by itself sometimes, then you add in the lure of favorite television shows, time with your kids, your boss asking you to work overtime, taking care of the pets, engaging in your favorite hobby, your bowling league, the book group, the list goes on. So where’s your motivation to keep going to the gym or yoga class? Some people reading this may be veterans of the cause, but some may have never heard this type of advice, so for you newbies, here you go.
Here are 5 things you can try to keep you motivated:
1) Wear stylish clothing that makes you look awesome. Find clothes in the colors that suit you best and shapes that flatter your body type. Do you have larger-than-average feet that make you self-conscious when you wear capris? Get capris that flare at the bottom–same goes for pants.
2) Get a friend or your significant other to go with you. There are times when I’m feeling extra introverted and need a bit of a hand to hold when I go to workout in front of tons of people. Having someone go with me helps tremendously and it’s always more fun.
3) Don’t focus on weight goals-focus on activity-related or timeframe goals. Focusing on your weight goal can discourage you from heading to the gym when you feel you’re not meeting your target weights each week or month when you are instead gaining strength, endurance, and muscle tone. Additionally, exercise induces increased serotonin during exercise which is one of your “happy” chemicals that your body produces, so any negative thoughts will just counteract that serotonin and you don’t want to do that, right?
So focus on meeting a goal of working out 3 times a week or make a goal that is geared toward a certain activity, like making your goal: “to be able to do 50 crunches/day” or last one hour on the treadmill. When you meet this goal it will work with your serotonin rather than against it and you can move on to bigger and better goals.
4) Schedule your work outs. If you have a hectic life but still want to work out, schedule the time with yourself, don’t just work out “when you have time” because that time may never come. Schedule certain parts of your life AROUND your workout and make it a priority. I know, I know, it’s all a “priority,” but until you get into a routine you should put fitness near the top.
5) Exercise in a way that is enjoyable for you. No one says you have to get on that elliptical, or run 3 miles everyday, nor do they say you have to do yoga. Most people have a propensity toward certain types of exercise, so figure out what yours is, and if it’s yoga ignore all the gym people telling you how much better for you an elliptical is. Likewise with yoga people telling you how much better yoga can be for you. Because no matter which exercise is better, you won’t do it at all if you don’t enjoy it. I am personally convinced the elliptical was created by the devil himself and those people who use them are severe masochists, but that’s because I just can’t hack it. Props to those of you who can, I just prefer the gentle flow of yoga.
Here’s to your fitness success!