It’s no secret that exercise is good for your health, but often, that’s not enough to get us up of the couch. We know that exercise is good for our muscles and cardiovascular system, but did you know that exercise is also strengthens your bones? That’s one tip that helps keep me motivated to work out when I’m feeling tired or lazy, but in the winter months, I tend to need a little more inspiration.
Here are some tips I use to help motivate me to work out:
Goal setting – Whenever I’m feeling like exercise is out of the question, I know it’s time to set a goal for myself. It could be to lose that extra five pounds or to achieve a fitness goal, like running a 5k. Just having the goal gives me something to work towards. It acts as a more tangible reason to get moving than simply knowing that it’s good for my health.
Sticking to a routine – Usually, I can work out whenever the mood strikes me, or when I have free time. But, when I’m in a fitness slump, I get lazy and I somehow “can’t seem to find the time.” Of course, that’s nothing more than an excuse. To avoid making those excuses, I set a particular time each day (usually in the early morning) to accomplish my fitness goals for the day. This way, I know if it’s 8:15, I’m doing something wrong if I’m not exercising.
Having fun with the workouts – When I’m in a fitness-minded mode, I can do pretty much anything to meet my fitness goals, but whenever I’m in a slump, I dread any sort of intense workout. At these times, I’ve found it’s best to take it down a notch. Doing something is better than doing nothing at all. Plus, if you enjoy your workout, you’re much more likely to want to do it again.
It can be easy to fall into a slump. For me, and for a lot of people, it usually happens around the holidays. But, for others, it may happen during your busy season at work. For example, if you work in retail, you may stop working out on Black Friday and not get back into the groove until after New Year’s. Or, if you’re a tax accountant, your workout might gradually taper off in January and come to complete halt in February (the height of tax season). In these times, it’s especially important to have a plan for dealing with the slump. Different things work for different people, but the main thing is that you just keep moving.