8 Ways to Stay Motivated During a Workout
When you make the decision to become more active and set fitness goals, it’s easy to feel excited and motivated in the beginning. Maintaining that level of focus and dedication as time goes on can be a bit more challenging. Here are eight simple ways to help you keep up your motivation so you can achieve your fitness goals and live a healthier life.
1. Set Goals
Goal setting can help you identify what you want to get out of your workouts and how you can accomplish it. Setting both long-term and short-term goals are important. Long-term goals help you focus on the bigger picture, and short-term goals help you break things down in to more manageable steps.
2. Switch It Up
Doing the same exercises day in and day out can lead to burnout or boredom, which makes it hard to keep going and easy to give up on your fitness goals. Try incorporating different types of exercise into your routine to keep your mind and body active and engaged.
3. Plan Ahead
Life gets busy, and it can be difficult to prioritize exercise along with all your other responsibilities. If you know you have a busy week ahead, think about planning shorter, more efficient workouts that will save you time. It can be as simple as taking the dog for a short walk, doing a quick workout routine at home after work, or fitting in a HIIT workout that maximizes time and output.
4. Find an Accountability Partner
Exercising with a friend or in a group fitness class helps increase motivation and accountability. You’re more likely to stick with your plans if a friend is counting on you to be there!
5. Be Flexible
Sometimes, no matter how much planning you’ve done, a workout might not be feasible. Take it easy on yourself, and try again tomorrow. Being hard on yourself about not meeting your goals may cause you to get frustrated and abandon your fitness goals altogether.
6. Check In
Think about the way that exercise makes you feel by regularly checking in with yourself. Incorporate some breathing and mindfulness practices to help you learn body awareness. Take queues from your body on when you can push hard and when you might need to pull back and rest.
7. Do Something You Enjoy
Engaging in movements you enjoy will make you much more successful than if you are forcing yourself to do exercises you don’t like or don’t feel good on your body. It’s always a good idea to try new exercises because you might find you enjoy something that you didn’t think you would. Check out a few different classes to find which one works best for you, and if you really don’t like a particular style, skip it for something you love doing.
8. Work with a Pro
A personal trainer is a great resource for helping you stay focused and motivated. They will chat with you about your goals and help you come up with a plan that is right for you and your unique needs. Your trainer will help keep you accountable and will be cheering you on along the way. Meet with one of our qualified trainers today!
