Introduction
It can be easy to lose the motivation to exercise regularly. We’re busy and sometimes don’t see the benefits of our workout routine. But if you don’t stay motivated, it’s easy to lose steam and stop exercising altogether. So how do we keep ourselves on track? Here are some tips from my own experience:
You need to see the benefits.
If you want to stay motivated, it’s important that you can see how working out will benefit your health and life in general. When we’re feeling good about ourselves and our bodies, it makes getting out of bed easier. If there aren’t any immediate rewards for our efforts–like seeing results or feeling better physically–we may feel less inclined to continue exercising.
Think about the time spent exercising.
When you’re trying to stay motivated to exercise, it’s easy to forget how much time you spend exercising. While this may not seem like a big deal, it’s an important factor in keeping your motivation up. The more time we spend exercising, the more likely we are to continue doing so because we feel like our efforts are paying off.
It’s also important to consider what kind of schedule you have available and how much flexibility there is in your life when deciding whether or not to make changes in where and when you exercise during the week (if any). If all else fails–if after talking about these things with friends or family members who understand better than anyone else what makes them tick–it’s okay if they tell themselves “it’ll never happen.” But remember: If nothing else works for someone then nothing will work!
Take small steps.
To stay motivated, it’s important to not get overwhelmed by your goal. Instead of setting the bar too high, take it one step at a time and see how far you can go before you need to take another step. If you’re new to exercise and have never exercised before, try starting with something that is easy for you: biking around the block or walking up flights of stairs (both are great ways to get started!). If this feels like too much work after just one week, then scale back on intensity until it feels manageable again–and remember that there will always be more opportunities in life than we can possibly imagine!
Don’t become discouraged if things don’t go according to plan right away; remember that there is always room for improvement! Set small goals every day so that even when things aren’t going according to plan–whether due to weather conditions or other factors–you still feel like taking action towards reaching those larger goals down the road.”
Stay accountable.
- Find a friend to exercise with. Working out with someone else is the best way to stay motivated, especially if you’re new to working out or haven’t yet found an exercise routine that works for you.
- Join a group fitness class. Group classes often have instructors who are experts at helping people achieve their goals, so they can offer expert advice on how to make sure that they stay on track while exercising regularly.
- Get a trainer or personal trainer (if needed). If there isn’t already one in your area who specializes in working with people who want to get into shape but don’t know where to start or how much effort will be required of them throughout the process, consider hiring one yourself! They’ll be able make sure that everything goes smoothly while also offering guidance on what exercises should be done next week when it comes time again…
Exercise regularly
The best way to stay motivated is by exercising regularly, as it will make you feel better and be able to continue with your healthy lifestyle.
To help you stay motivated, here are some tips on what exercises work best for different people:
Create a vision board.
A vision board is a collection of images that represent what you want to achieve and remind yourself of your goals. Choose images that inspire, motivate and help keep a positive attitude going when you’re feeling down on yourself.
You can make your own vision board or buy one from an art store or website like Amazon. Keep it hanging somewhere where it will be seen often–in the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom would be good places!
Create a calendar.
One of the best ways to stay motivated is by creating a calendar. You can use an online calendar, or you can make a physical one on paper, but either way it’s important that you keep track of what’s going on in your life.
When we’re trying to stick with something like exercise or eating healthy food (or anything), we tend to think about all sorts of things that might distract us from our goal of reaching it consistently over time. For example: “I want to lose weight but my husband loves cheeseburgers too much! How do I get him out of his comfort zone?” Or perhaps: “I’m struggling with my own health right now so how am I going to fit exercise into my schedule?” These are both valid concerns–but they shouldn’t keep you from doing what needs done!
Make it fun.
You’ll stay motivated if you make exercise fun. For example, try a new class or type of exercise or location. If you don’t enjoy running in the cold, then find a place where it’s warm and run outside!
If running is not your thing, try yoga or Pilates instead–you’ll feel great afterwards!
Modify your routine.
You can modify your routine to fit the time and space you have available. If you’re trying to do something new, maybe it’s easier for you to start by putting together a list of exercises that you’d like to try and then take it from there.
If your schedule is tight, find ways to make exercise part of other activities in your day: if it’s getting dark out when I get home from work, I’ll go for a walk around our neighborhood instead of doing my usual workout routine (which involves running outside).
If someone is helping me with my physical fitness goals but I’m not sure how long they’ll be around or where they might end up next year–I keep them close by!
Be realistic about your goals and challenges.
The first thing you should do is to be realistic about your goals and challenges. Don’t expect to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks, or become a marathon runner in 3 months. It’s not going to happen! If you can’t even walk up a flight of stairs without becoming winded, then don’t expect yourself to run 26 miles right off the bat–especially when there are so many other things that could derail your progress before then.
If someone tells you they’ve been running 5 miles every day for two years now (and they do look great), then think carefully about whether it might be worth considering joining their club as well. After all, if this person has stuck with it long enough, there’s probably something special about how they manage their time each day that makes going out on those runs possible–and if not those people themselves (or maybe even just one friend), maybe another person who was willing…
Conclusion
Exercise is good for you, but it can be hard to stick with. I know that from personal experience: I’ve been trying to exercise regularly for about a decade now, and as much as I love walking and yoga, they don’t always fit into my schedule or life. And if you don’t have the motivation needed to work out regularly on your own (or maybe even at all), these tips might help get you back on track.
