Staying Motivated to Exercise

The hardest part is walking through the doors. It’s not easy but you CAN do it!

Is your life just too hectic right now? Have you had bad experiences in the past? Do you have unrealistic expectations? These are all normal things to have, but there is still time for you to take care of yourself and get back into exercise.

In 2 weeks you will feel it, in 4 weeks others will see it, in 6 weeks you will see it. This is the general rule of thumb when it comes to your fitness results. Nothing is instantaneous. Being realistic is the first step to success. While the physical benefits of exercise can take a while to notice, the mental aspect can be much more apparent. With a noticeable boost in your stress and mood, this can be attributed to the endorphins being released in your brain. Physical activity is also known to provide better sleep for those who are active compared to those who are not.

Who wouldn’t want to sleep better, feel better, and even look better!

Let’s see where your priorities are. Is your health one of your top priorities? Do you think fitness is a chore? Thinking you don’t have any time? Well, all of those negative thoughts can be changed into positive ones. Your personal health and fitness should be pretty high on your priority list. If not, you will never stick to your goals, and will end up falling short most of the time. If you aren’t doing it for yourself, then who are you doing it for? Fitness should never be seen as a chore. In fact, just changing one word from “I have to exercise” to “I get to exercise” can change someone's perspective. Ever miss a scheduled doctor's appointment, or a night out with friends? If you answered no, then why would you miss a workout? If you find time and put it on your schedule as an appointment for yourself, you are less likely to skip it. Tip: by scheduling a workout at relatively the same time each day, you are more likely to stick to it and show up.

Some more ways to stick to working out are finding an accountability buddy, using a tracking device to see progress, keeping a variety of different exercises so that nothing is boring, and you can continue to have fun!