You wake up in the morning, it’s cold outside, and the last thing you want to do is go for your morning run. You tell yourself you will get back to your exercise program tomorrow.
OR…
You haven’t even started an exercise routine. You know you probably should, but you don’t have the time. That’s what you tell yourself anyway. You probably have other excuses. Perhaps you don’t have the money to go to the gym. You have too many other commitments. And your Netflix watchlist isn’t going to watch itself. Excuses excuses excuses.
BUT…
You know, and we know, that your attitude is just wrong. You know that exercise is good for you. You know that you need to care for your future health. You know that something needs to be done to motivate you, even when you struggle to motivate yourself.
SO HOW CAN YOU DO IT?
Here are three ways to improve your motivation.
- Look in the mirror. Are you happy with what you see? Are there signs of flab on your once perfectly formed body? Has your face become riddled with the effects of stress? If you don’t like your reflection, then let that be a motivating factor. Exercise has both physical and mental health benefits. You will feel better both inside and out, and that reflection in the mirror will eventually pose a better reflection for you to look at when you do get yourself into a consistent exercise routine.
- Invest in new workout clothes. What you wear can have an enormous effect on the way you feel, in both a physical and a psychological sense. Wearing an old pair of sneakers to go running in, and donning that decades-old tracksuit, are two surefire ways to kill your motivation. You wouldn’t want to be seen dead in either, for starters, and they are probably uncomfortable to wear anyway. Do yourself a favor and consider spending money on a new outfit. A new pair of trainers fitted with biopods – check out www.biopods.com – will enhance your look and give you added comfort. A new tracksuit can be fashionable, so you will have the incentive to put it in the morning if looking good is important to you. If you love shopping anyway, investing in new workout clothes will offer you more benefits than yet another new pair of shoes or a handbag!
- Find a workout partner. Whether it’s a family member or a friend, find somebody who will workout with you. This might be somebody who will take part in the activities you are involved in, or it may simply be somebody who will stand back and cheer you on from the sidelines. Your workout partner will encourage you to be better. They will stop you from giving up. They can provide friendly banter to up the enjoyment factor. And if they do exercise with you, they can also be a source of healthy competition. Going it alone can be tough, especially if you can’t motivate yourself, so find that person who will be a motivating factor to help you keep going, even when you can’t be bothered.
So, there you have it. Three ways to motivate yourself to exercise, and to improve your overall health. What are you waiting for? Stop reading now, and start making a plan to get into a fitness program. We wish you every success.
