Working out on a regular basis is a great for all aspects of our health. We know that. Yet, lack of motivation is something that keeps many people from sticking to their workout goals. Here, I’m going to share 10 simple ways that will help you get motivated to workout.
1. Listen To Music
I don’t know about you but my workouts are sub-par with the right music to keep me going. It doesn’t matter what type of music you listen to so long as it’s something that you enjoy and gives you that extra push when you need it the most. Music can be an incredible motivator – I mean, who doesn’t get inspired by working out to the song from Rocky?
In fact, a study in the journal Ergonomics showed that fast, loud music enhances exercise performance on the treadmill via increased running speed and improved heart rate.
2. Follow A Proven Program
Having a workout program and sticking with it is a great way to stay motivated, because your roadmap is laid out for you. So long as you follow the proven plan, you should see results much faster than you would if you tried figuring things out on your own. And the sooner you see results, the more motivated you get.
3. Train With A Buddy
A study in the American Journal of Health Behavior found that exercising outdoors with a friend was perceived as more enjoyable and resulted in less stress and tension than doing so alone.
Ideally, you want to choose a training partner who will force you to “raise your game” since you become who you surround yourself with. Someone is already motivated and has proven success working out can do wonders for your motivation and long term.
4. Get Social Support
It just makes sense that being surrounded by a group of like-minded people who can encourage and support you will do wonders for your motivation to workout, as well as the results you attain.
Sadly, very often the people closest to us are not supportive of our health goals. That’s why you need to outside of them to find a group that shares your enthusiasm and drive to make exercise a regular part of your life, even if it’s something as simple as online group or forum.
One study found that an Internet weight loss community played a prominent role in participants’ weight loss efforts citing things like encouragement and motivation as the most prominent reasons members frequented and benefited from the group.
5. Declare Your Goals Publicly
I’m not going to talk about the importance of setting goals. You need to have a destination. However, keeping it to yourself is playing it safe. If you truly want to reach your goals then tell someone about your goal(s). A friend or a family member can help you stick to it.
Besides, knowing that someone knows creates an expectation that will obligate you to fulfilling it. While you’re at it, declare your goal publicly on social media and post a before picture and ask your friends/followers to make sure you don’t fall off track.
6. Acknowledge The Small Wins
We humans are pretty tough on ourselves. I believe this stems from the fact that we’re always trying to be perfect. However, perfect doesn’t exist, thus pursuing can only lead to feeling miserable.
If you want to feel more confident and more motivated to exercise regularly, then you need to acknowledge the small wins along the way. Don’t wait for the scale to show that you’ve lost 10 pounds. Instead, focus on rewarding the actions that you’re in full control of.
For instance, celebrate the fact that you worked out, that you did 2 more push-ups than your last workout, or that you kept going when all you wanted to do was stop. Keep tab of these little successes by writing them down at the end of each day.
Over time, you’ll have hundreds, if not thousands, of great successes that will have contributed to increasing confidence and motivation to keep you moving forward. After all, working out regularly is less about motivation than it is about momentum.
7. Do What You Love
Here’s something to think about: you don’t have to workout in a gym if you don’t want to. If you don’t look forward to it, then you certainly won’t be motivated to exercise, right? If you love running, then go for a run. If you love working out at home, then do that. If you’d rather play your favorite sport, then enjoy it to the fullest.
At the end of the day, the goal is to simply make regular activity more consistent in your life. And you’ll honestly be better off doing things you enjoy more regularly then dreading that one gym workout each week.
8. Keep Your Eye On The Prize
Above all, remember why you are working out the first place. Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to fit into those skinny jeans? Do you want to feel healthier? Get intimate your ultimate prize and your goal will draw you in.
To take it one step further, ask yourself “Why?” after your goals. Why do you want to lose weight? Most often, it’s to feel a certain way. So keep asking “why?” until you get to the TRUE motivation underlying why regular exercise is a must for you.
9. Chunk It Down
Perhaps I should have mentioned this first but chunking down what you feel you need to do will help prevent overwhelm and make regular exercise that much more enjoyable. Don’t worry about the entire workout ahead. Just focus on getting your shoes on. Then, focus on your warm-up, then one exercise at a time. Stay present and enjoy each step of the process. Chances are, at the end of the day, you’ll fall in love with the process of working out more than the actual goal you’re looking to achieve.