7 Tips to Motivate Yourself to Workout

Who doesn’t want to look in great shape and feel 10 years younger? Who wouldn’t want to fit into clothes they bought a few years ago when they were much slimmer and fitter? I am sure all of us do but getting into shape requires a great deal of discipline and self-motivation. Enrolling at the gym is the easy part. How do you motivate yourself to show up every day without fail?

Staying fit is not just about looking good. It is also about staying in good health. Fitness plays a major role in preventing several lifestyle diseases. Even a 30-minute walk per day can work wonders for your health.

A fit body does wonders for your physical and mental health as well. When you are fit, you feel lighter in body and spirit and your mind is filled with positive energy. You are able to look at the world with a positive frame of mind and deliver better results at home and your workplace. It keeps you in a good mood all day and makes you feel younger and energetic.

Here are 7 tips that will help you motivate yourself to work out.

• Join the gym with a couple of friends
• Keep your phone in the living room
• Sleep with your workout clothes on
• Exercise for a cause
• Be inspired by fit people
• Make short workouts harder
• Watch while you work out

Let us see how these tips will help you stay motivated.

Join the gym with a couple of friends

Make sure you join the gym along with a couple of friends. You can egg each other on and show up every day. Push each other to turn up and don’t take No for an answer. Post your daily score on social media and encourage others to post theirs. Healthy competition is very good to keep you going. When you see your friend reaching her daily goal, you would receive the extra push to do the same.

Keep your phone in the living room

Set the alarm and leave your phone in the living room with the gym bag. When you wake up and reach the phone to turn it off, you will be reminded of what you need to do. It might help you to head out to the gym. Once you are out of bed and close to the front door, you might as well head out without going back to bed.

Sleep with your workout clothes on

If the thought of waking up and getting changed to head to the gym makes you feel lazy and tempted to procrastinate, here is a solution. Sleep with your workout clothes on. That way, you can just hop out of bed and head out to the gym. You have no more excuses. See what we did there!

Exercise for a cause

Sometimes, doing it for a worthwhile cause can keep you motivated. Whether you are a runner, a marathoner or a  walker, choosing a cause to compete for can help you get motivated. Pledge to run for cancer or Alzheimer or diabetes or anything else that you feel worthy of. There are several competitions to participate in and this will keep you fit as well. This is a wonderful technique used by thousands of people around the world to keep themselves motivated and raise awareness for a good cause.

Be inspired by fit people

When you run short of inspiration flip through Instagram and watch fit people post their pictures. Be inspired by them and try meeting your own fitness goals. There is nothing wrong with seeking inspiration from others and finding role models to look up to. After all, staying fit is an important goal and you should try to do whatever you can to meet it,

Make short workouts harder

If you are running short of time or loathe to work out for a long period, do it in short stints and make every minute count, Do more in your short workouts and push yourself harder. Fit in an intense short workout even on a busy day.

Watch while you work out

If you like watching a particular show, you can choose to synchronize your workout at the same time. That way you can get two things done without wasting time. Tell yourself that you are never watching the show without working out. You won’t even realize how time flies.

Why is a workout so important?

Working out to stay fit is important to maintain good health. It becomes more important as we grow old. Incorporating a daily fitness schedule can help you to maintain your ideal body weight and stay fit. The more weight you gain, the more time and effort it will take to get back in shape.

Should I work out even on a busy day?

Yes. On busy days, you can choose to have an intensive short workout or go for a 30-minute walk instead. It is preferable that you do not miss your workout even on a single day.

How long should I work out every day?

You should spend at least 30 minutes every day on moderate physical activity to maintain good health. If you have specific fitness goals or need to lose weight, you will have to put in more time.

Can I eat anything I want if I work out?

If you keep eating oily foods and slurping sugary drinks, your workout will not yield the desired results. If you are serious about your fitness goals you are better off maintaining a good, healthy diet. That will help you reach your ideal weight faster and help you to maintain it.

Can I drink water before / after a workout?

Yes. You can drink water before, during and after your workout. It is important to replenish the lost body fluids after a workout.

In this fast-paced and hectic life that we lead, it is important to take some time out and focus on your own fitness. With the stress of work and home responsibilities, it is easy to get frustrated and let yourself go. Over a long period of time, a sedentary lifestyle can be very damaging for your health and lead to several diseases. Instead of contracting the diseases and then working hard to control them, you are much better off preventing them by adopting an active lifestyle where staying fit is an important personal goal that needs to be achieved, no matter what.

Whether it is high cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, the first recommendation is regular exercise and maintaining ideal body weight. Staying fit is non-negotiable. You will have to figure out how to motivate yourself and achieve that daily goal. A healthy you is probably the best gift you can give yourself and your family.