How To Get Motivated To Work Out
If you live in Houston, TX, getting motivated to work out is hard, especially on hot days. When you’re drenched in sweat from walking down the street, working up a sweat in the gym does not sound inviting. If that thought pops up, remember that the gym is air-conditioned. People often find reasons not to exercise after a tough day at work, but it’s the best time to exercise. You’ll burn off all the stress hormones and feel better when you’ve finished. There are other ways to motivate yourself to stick with your goals.
Focus on the reason you started your fitness program.
Everyone has a reason for setting their goals. It might be as simple as clothing not fitting or looking into a full-length mirror. Identify your reason, then write it down and refer to it frequently. Maybe you want to be fit enough to play with children or grandchildren. It might be a health issue that you can improve with exercise. If you haven’t written down your goal and broken it into smaller, more quickly achieved weekly goals, do so and focus on achieving your goal each week.
Schedule your workout as you would any appointment.
You probably wouldn’t skip an appointment with your doctor or to a function where you were the guest speaker. When you put your workout in your schedule, you’re making it a priority. Working out with a friend you meet in the gym or ride with makes it even more important. It’s one reason working out with a personal trainer is so successful. They hold you accountable for your appointment with the gym.
Keep score.
Track your progress. When you track your progress, you turn your workout into a game. Track the number of reps and sets of each exercise and focus on beating your last workout. If your goal is weight loss, track your weight and your measurements at the same time each week. Don’t weigh yourself every day. Weight fluctuates daily and can be depressing or misleading. If you lose inches but not weight, it’s still a win. Muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue, so you’re building muscle that can make weight loss easier.
- Keep a photo log of your appearance. Take a picture once a week or month in the same outfit and spot. When you don’t feel like exercising, you can look back and be motivated by your progress.
- Do the one-step-at-a-time method. When you don’t feel like working out, tell yourself you’ll go to the gym, but give permission to leave if you want. Once you get there, do one set, still allowing yourself to leave. Before you know it, you’ll finish your workout.
- Focus on what you like about working out. Maybe it’s as simple as feeling in control and proud when finishing. It might be the exhilaration you feel when pushing yourself to the max.
- Make a deal with a friend who is also exercising. You give them money when you don’t exercise, and they give it to you when they don’t. See who makes the most money at the end of three months.
For more information, contact us today at Rising Fitness Gym