There are days when we don’t feel like working out, let alone get out of bed. Whether you typically try to work out in the early morning before heading off to work or later in the evening, the following are five quick ways to help you stay motivated to move.
5 Quick Ways to Get Pumped
- Plan it out-We are champions at coming up with excuses for why we didn’t work out. Avoid the guilt that is often associated with skipping workouts by planning your workouts in advance. For example, every day, people hire personal trainers; and these personal trainers then come up with schedules that tell their clients what to do. If you’re unsure what sorts of workouts are best suited to your fitness goals, do a little legwork and research. Head to your local library or ask friends who are already in good shape what they do to maintain their physique. Use your own research to help tailor a plan that works for you, and then write it down and follow it! You’ll end up saving yourself a ton of money.
- Create a playlist-While I do not advocate running or exercising outdoors with music in your ears, it is perfectly acceptable to plug in your iPod at the gym. A great way to ensure that you stay pumped during your workouts at the gym is to spend a little time compiling a “workout playlist”. Choose songs from your favorite artists (no matter how embarrassing) and crank up the volume to help you stay motivated while you’re on the elliptical 🙂
- Wind down the day- by reading a book, watching television or doing some other sort of non-exercise-related activity. Adequate sleep is so incredibly important to your overall health, which is why you should set aside time to do things that will relax you and prepare you for sleep. Meditation is a great example of this.
- Avoid the temptation- to work out too late at night. As a general rule of thumb, your last workout should be completed no longer than 3 hours prior to when you are ready to lay down to go to bed. Part of the reason for this is that when you engage in physical activity, you rev up the energy level in your body, which can make it incredibly difficult to settle down for sleep.
- Mix it up- by doing some cross-training. So what if you don’t feel like running one day. Skipping one or even two days won’t kill you. But if you are really in a slump where the very thought of going for a run is the last thing you want to do, why not try something different. Many runners out there engage in some form of cross-training such as swimming, cycling, soccer or some other sporty activity. The point is to participate in some activity that challenges you physically. Not only will your running benefit from it, but so will your body as your muscles will be challenged in new, refreshing ways.
The whole idea of motivation is a trap. Forget motivation. Just do it. Exercise, lose weight, test your blood sugar, or whatever. Do it without motivation. And then, guess what? After you start doing the thing, that’s when the motivation comes and makes it easy for you to keep on doing it. -John Maxwell