Are you guilty of repeatedly snoozing the alarm for your 6:00 am morning run? You’re not alone, my friend!
Let’s face it; no one likes to ruin their sleep in the morning to work up a sweat because it’s fun. You only do it to keep your body fit and healthy. But as people get busy in their daily lives, the drive and motivation to achieve fitness goals can sadly fade away. Although achieving your target may seem impossible, here’s the good news; there are certain tips and tricks that can help you get and stay motivated. Scroll down to read nine ways to keep yourself motivated to stay on top of your fitness game for good!
1. Schedule Your Workouts
As with everything else important in life, you need to schedule your workouts. Trying to cram your workouts into your schedule or delaying them until you find the time rarely ever works for anyone. Therefore, make an exercise plan for your entire week and schedule your other plans around it; make your workouts non-negotiable.
2. Define Your Goals
Before you start putting on your running shoes or laying out your yoga mat, make one thing clear: what is the final result you want to achieve, and when do you want to achieve it? It sounds simple enough, but setting smaller individual goals is always vital for working toward a larger fitness goal. Whether it’s losing weight or building muscle mass, goals will help keep your motivation up throughout the process. It might be a marathon in five months that you are training for or a favorite dress you want to be able to fit into again for a friend’s wedding; whatever your goal, it needs to be clear and precise.
3. Make Exercising Enjoyable
Working out can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Instead of sticking to the same old routine you’ve done a hundred times by now, experiment and try to find something you actually enjoy. This can be anything from walking your dog to participating in fitness challenges, doing karate, or going for a swim; whatever floats your boat. Additionally, working out in different exercise routines boosts your results. Your muscles work harder every time you challenge them, and the longer you keep up the same routine, the less challenging it becomes for your body.
4. Don’t Go “All or None”
Unfortunately, this is a trap that many people fall into; they set targets that are too rigid. Maybe you’re pushing yourself to work out at the gym for two hours every day of the week. With targets this hard to reach, it’s only a matter of time before your motivation starts to wane and you convince yourself not to work out at all. The right thing to do here is to aim for more minor accomplishments that lead up to the bigger goal. For instance, if you want to lose 20 pounds, aim to lose one pound a week as it’s a much more sustainable approach.
5. Treat Yourself
As you progress through your workout plan, you will likely notice small but positive changes in your body. When this happens, remember to reward yourself for reaching these little milestones. These rewards don’t have to be anything significant. For example, it can be as simple as going out with friends to shop or watching a movie. Moreover, make sure these ‘treats’ are not food-related to avoid acting sneaky and cheating on your diet.
6. Think Outside The Box
Who says doing only conventional exercises count as working out? It’s high time to let go of such beliefs and challenge yourself by finding new opportunities to keep your body moving. Whether it’s mowing the lawn in the summer, shoveling snow in the winter, or something more exciting, like cross-country skiing or snorkeling on vacation, everything counts. Moreover, since you are having fun, it won’t even feel like you are working out!
7. Workout To Your Favorite Tunes
Nothing lifts your mood like listening to your favorite music. Then why not add the joy of music to your workouts to make them less tedious and more fun? Create a workout playlist packed with tracks of your choice that will make you feel energized and motivated for the workout ahead.
8. Find “Your” People
When motivation starts running low, it can prove beneficial to reach out to others around you for support. Maybe you have a friend or family member who will be happy and willing to join you on your fitness journey. Or you might find that starting or joining a fitness group, whether in person or online, will motivate you to stick with it. You might even find that you get more out of exercising when you have a workout partner! Partners can sometimes push us harder than we might have been willing to push on our own.
9. Measure Results
It’s no secret that results drive people. So why not note yours down as you continue your fitness journey? Is your weight constant since last month? Are your biceps growing? Are you able to do more push-ups in one minute? All these are measurable goals that you can conveniently use to see your progress over time. Measuring how much progress you have made since you first started your routine also helps to keep you accountable. Actually seeing how much improvement you’ve made gives you the confidence to do more so you don’t fall off track quickly.
Don’t Let Anything Get in the Way of Achieving Your Fitness Goals!
One of the main reasons people give up exercising so easily is that they can’t stay motivated for the long run. Without the drive and genuine determination to achieve your goal, it’s only a matter of time before you fail. But not anymore! By incorporating our tips mentioned above into your daily routine, you’ll be able to stay motivated no matter how long your fitness journey is. Our recommendations are easy to put into practice, but only if you put in the effort and stay consistent. So don’t hesitate! Start getting the results you want right away!