It is great to have good intentions when it comes to exercise. But when you don’t follow through on those intentions, you will never reap the benefits that exercise can have for you. Over the past year and a half I’ve been increasing the amount of exercise I’ve been doing each week. But I know that finding the motivation to pull yourself away from doing something else and start exercising can be difficult. Still, there are plenty of things that you can do to get yourself motivated. Below are a few ways to motivate yourself to exercise to help to get you into this healthy habit!
Set small goals
The fitness goals that you set yourself shouldn’t be big unreachable goals or goals that will take you a long time to reach. You could set yourself one long term goal. However, you should have small, reachable goals that you can meet in the run-up to the big goal. That way, it will help you to stay motivated because you will be able to see and track the progress that you have been making. Don’t start running with the goal of a marathon! Start with a 5K!
Create an exercise playlist
Creating a workout playlist full of music that you love! It can help to boost your energy and motivation to get going. It is something that you can regularly update with new songs that you hear and like so that it never gets dull. Investing in a pair of wireless headphones that you can link to your phone and your computer easily will mean that you don’t have to worry about getting tangled up with wires when you are working out. When I got a pair it made such a difference! I used to hate running with them because I would accidentally pull them out of my ears, but wireless ones are really nice. There is also plenty of advice online, such as https://setapp.com/how-to/connect-bluetooth-headphones-to-mac, which will help you to link up all your devices.
Invest in workout clothes
Having good quality clothes that you wear specifically for working out will help you to stay motivated. You could invest in work out clothes that are fun and brightly colored, or more neutral and basic. Do whatever will make you excited to put them on so that you can get going. There are so many fun workout clothing brands that make cute options that aren’t going to drain your bank account and have fun details. The most important detail is that they help to support you and wick away sweat.
As well as workout clothes, you may wish to finish off your outfit with a wearable fitness tracker. The Apple Watch series 6 features revealed that it can now do more than ever, so could be an option for you to consider if you’re interested in the very latest technology for tracking your workouts.
Go to group classes
Many people find it hard to stay motivated when working out alone. This is why it can be easier to go to group classes. It could be that you find a friend to do workouts with. You go to the classes that are put on by the gym. It is nice to have people that you can look over to for a smile or grimace when it starts to get more difficult. I hadn’t worked out with anyone for many years, but joining a local run club has made a huge difference. It’s helped me increase my endurance and decrease my pace when running. I get so many great suggestions and have formed amazing friendships.
Keep things varied
Doing the same type of exercise all the time can get boring, and if you are bored, you are less likely to want to go and workout. It’s also not good for your body and could make you more susceptible to injury. I run 3 days a week, lift weights 2 days, go to a spin class 1 day, and do the elliptical 2 days. If your exercise of choice is running, have several different routes that you go on for a change of scenery . Maybe add in some speed work. If you prefer to go to group classes, keep trying out new ones. It is okay to continue doing something you love. Finding ways to keep it new and fresh will help you to feel motivated.
Hope these ways to motivate yourself to exercise help you to get started with a new habit or to continue your already established one!
