Getting Motivated to Workout

Staying motivated to exercise can be tricky sometimes.  Today is all about getting motivated to workout.

I’m a bit of a workout junkie. I love how powerful I feel from strength training routine, how calm I feel from a yoga practice, and how energized I feel after a run or spinning workout. Exercises is my number one stress reliever and it is important to me that I get to fit it into my schedule regularly.

But, every so often I’ll find myself in a workout slump. I’ll skip exercising for a day, and then two, and then three. . . and then I find myself glued to the sofa with no energy and no motivation to get up and out.

Once you’ve taken a hiatus from exercising it can be tough to get back into the groove.

Here are some of the ways that I get myself motivated after a workout slump:

Start Small
Go for a short walk after dinner, do a few crunches or push-ups while you watch TV, or go through a few sun salutations before bed. Just do one small thing today and maybe you’ll be inspired to do more tomorrow.

Try Something New or Develop a New Training Plan
Not everyone has to run a half-marathon or love practicing yoga. Not every workout has to be done in a gym. Try something new — a dance class, rowing, cross country skiing — and maybe you’ll find something you love that feels less like chore.

If you love your workouts already, then putting together a brand spankin’ new training plan is a great motivator to get back into the workout groove.

. . .and while you’re at it. . .

Ditch What You Hate
If you can’t stand running, then don’t do it.
If you can’t wake up early to exercise, then don’t do it.
If the thought of doing a Jillian Michaels DVD makes you shudder, then don’t do it.

There’s no point in sticking with something that you hate doing because you’ll never want to work out that way. Once you’ve found a new activity that you love then forget about everything that you can’t stand doing.

Make a New Playlist
Nothing helps me run farther and faster than a brand new playlist. Sometimes I’ll even sing along out loud or throw my hands up in the air. True Story.

Find a Partner
…and get together regularly for a workout that you both enjoy. A workout buddy will make you accountable. You wouldn’t stand up a friend, would you?

Set a Schedule, but be Flexible
Scheduling time in your week to workout will eliminate the stress of having to “find time for exercise”. Be sure to schedule your workouts at a time that you will be most likely to do them. If you hate waking up early, then exercise later in the day. No excuses.

But of course, life happens and sometimes workouts must be missed. Set aside more time than you need each week to exercise so that if you miss a workout you can make it up later.