Although it would be wonderful if we all enjoyed working out at any given time of the day, the reality is that while there are some people who look forward to exercising several times a week, there are also others who see it more like a “necessary evil” that will help us to either shed a few pounds or to get our bodies into better condition. If you’re someone who can relate to looking at your sneakers or workout gear putting you in a panic, here are five ways to get motivated when you don’t feel like working out so that it can see more like “fun” and less like “work”.
Hire a trainer. There are a few reasons why hiring a trainer is a great thing to do. One is that they are skilled in knowing how to get you the kind of results that you want. Another is that they can offer you some at-home tips that are proven and effective. And still another is that they can push you when you don’t feel very inspired. So, if you know that you need a bit of help, get a trainer. It will be one of the best things that you’ve ever done.
Get an accountability partner. If you have a tight budget, there is another kind of “support approach” that you can take and that is to get an accountability partner. It’s simply someone, a friend or even someone you see at the gym every time you go in, that you can work out with a couple of days a week and also a supportive ear you can call if you’re feeling discouraged or even if you have some good news to share about reaching a particular weight loss goal.
Alternate exercise programs. Sometimes people don’t feel very motivated to work out and it’s simply because they are bored. For instance, if all that you’ve been doing is walking on a stair climber for as long as you can remember, how about switching up your routine a bit? Try swimming, joining a dance class or maybe try taking a yoga class. Changing up your routine can help get you excited about exercising again.
Purchase some clothes in the size that you want to be. If you’re doing a lot of working out strictly to get down to a certain size, something that an instructor at a place like Fitness 19 would probably tell you to do in order to get some fitness motivation is to purchase some clothes in that size. That way, you can tell yourself “I didn’t buy those clothes just to look at- I need to get my body back into shape” and that will act as an incentive to keep moving forward towards your fitness goals.
Reward yourself afterwards. When you do make the commitment to “push past your feelings” and actually work out even when you don’t feel like it, that kind of focus and determination deserves some kind of reward. You want to make sure that it’s not a reward that is counterproductive, like eating a whole pizza or a gallon of ice cream, but it’s OK to tell yourself something like “If I work out all week, I’m going to get a mani-pedi or treat myself to a couple of movies.” By psyching yourself up with rewards, you can stay motivated and before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to working out again and again.