Great Ways to Stay Motivated to Exercise

Everyone knows that staying physically active is important in keeping the body healthy. However, the intention to work out seems to remain at the bottom of most people’s to-do list. This can be due to an array of reasons including considering exercise hard, the lack of time for workouts, considering exercise a luxury, and the delayed negative effects of failure to exercise. If you have been finding it hard to get into a workout routine, hire a personal fitness trainer, and following these tips may come in handy:

Engage in Positive Self-Talk

If you consider exercise tiring and boring, have a little talk with yourself. A pep talk in a way that you are speaking to another individual tends to be more effective than speaking to yourself in the first person. This is according to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology. The findings revealed that second-person self-talk tends to strengthen both prospective and actual behavior performances more compared to first-person self-talk.

Find a Different Reason to Hit the Gym

When you lack the motivation, a good reason to hit the gym or go out for a run can be anything unrelated to fitness. While this seems counterintuitive, it may be what you need to get back on the road. Listening to a new podcast or playlist, taking photos of a scenic jogging road, or getting out of the house after working from home the entire day can all be good motivators for working out. Exercising can also be a great excuse to pass by a popular restaurant where you can reward yourself with a meal during your cheat days.

Look for a Workout Partner

When it comes to staying motivated to work out, the adage, ‘’you’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with’’ comes into play. Training with a workout buddy who is fitter than you will almost certainly motivate you to do better.

Switch Things Up

If you are not into training, consider hitting two birds with one stone by combining your exercise with an activity you enjoy doing. This is known as temptation building and it involves bundling an instantly satisfying want with a ‘should behavior’ that gives you long-term benefits but calls for the exertion of willpower.

For instance, if you like listening to podcasts for hours on end, but consider it an indulgent activity, you should consider doing so as you work out. If you love music, load up your device with your favourite songs or playlists and combine it with a productive activity like exercise. This and similar strategies have been shown to help solve motivation issues and get you into that highly needed exercise groove.

Get Competitive

According to several studies, the simple act of watching others’ running performance, be it on social medial platforms or fitness applications has been shown to boost people’s desire to perform better. So, regardless of what you have been planning to achieve, add a competitive element to your routine and it will increase your motivation.

Treat Yourself

Gaining muscles, losing weight, and getting abs are all rewards in their own right. However, they are impossible to achieve if you are not motivated to commit to your routine in the first place. So, implement a more palpable reward system like getting new workout clothes or having a cheat day meal to make yourself feel better as you gradually reap the benefits.