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Keeping yourself motivated to Exercise

Posted By: LiveStrong on 06/25/2011

Overview

We are all aware of the importance of regular exercise, but sometimes it’s hard to get yourself motivated to actually do something physical. If the weather is bad or you're feeling less enthusiastic than usual, you may be tempted to skip your workout. Before long, this can become a habit and soon you may find that you are hardly getting any exercise or none at all. What you need is a system to help motivate yourself for exercise when you are feeling reluctant.

Self-Motivate for Exercise

Step 1

Find an exercise buddy or an accountability partner – Example: Personal Trainer. Surrounding yourself with people who are interested in fitness can be a major motivator. Make one or two friends that workout at the gym on a regular basis and start training along with them. Having a workout buddy with whom you can discuss training with can help you maintain your determination to exercise regularly.

Step 2

Remind yourself of the long-term benefits of regular exercise. Think of all the health benefits you are gaining. You are reducing your risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. You are also burning calories, which helps maintain a healthy weight. On top of all this, your physical appearance will also improve and you are reducing stress.

Step 3

Keep a progress journal. Keeping track of your progress is good for motivation because you can set yourself realistic goals and chart your progress. Each time you reach a goal, it will help boost your motivation towards the next one. As you progress, you will notice that your workouts are getting easier and your stamina and endurance is increasing. At Fitness Together Norfolk we conduct complete Fitness Assessment every 6 weeks tracking your progress.

Step 4

Make exercise a permanent part of your schedule. Stop procrastinating and putting off your workout. You must allocate a set time each day for exercise. Otherwise, you will keep putting everything else before it and find that you have little or no time. Get up an hour earlier each morning so you can work out before you go to work, or take an hour to work out before you go home each night. You'll find that exercise makes a good start to the day and can equally be a great transition between work and home at the end of the day. You need to make yourself a priority!