How to motivate yourself to work out or get motivated to do something you know you need to do but seem to be putting off is what I hear from people so often. Most people say they make the plan, they have every intention of doing it, but when it comes to starting, they just don’t. The answer to how to get motivated to work out or do anything for that matter is….. Just Do It! Just Move! Just Start!
There are three things I recommend doing that will help you get motivated, stay motivated, and continue with your workouts or other areas in your life that you just can’t seem to get a handle on.
#1 – Plan It Put a plan to it, make a mental note of when you are going to start and just start. Better yet, put it on your calendar, write it down on paper. I promise once you get started it will be worth it. This can be said about other areas of your life as well. For example, are you really motivated to go to work everyday or were you really eager to study for the test back in college? We do these things because they need to get done, they are the means to us reaching the end goal of a healthier body, a paycheck, or a college degree. If you know your workout is planned for when your baby is napping, do it and get it done, then plan for the next day and make it happen. Even if you only get five minutes of your workout in before your baby wakes up, you will have started and it will be easier to continue once you have started.
#2 – Identify the reasons why you are doing this You need to figure out what the underlying reasons, your priorities, as to why you need to work out. Exercise is not simply for us, sometimes I need something a little more external. Often times, especially for women, we put off our own needs and put the needs of others ahead of our own, The problem with this is if we are putting off our own needs, the people around us often suffer, we are less patient, not as happy, not the best example to those around us. As I get older there are different reasons why I workout, it’s not all external for me, it is more about what will benefit my family. Yes the health aspects are a great thing, but for me, I stay motivated to work out consistently because I want to be the best mom and wife and be around for a long time. If you find it hard to find time for yourself to workout, make it about the important people in you life and do it for them.
#3 – Accountability You may need someone or something to hold you accountable, a workout partner or accountability group, that makes you show up and gives you a reason to keep up. This is exactly why I began teaching Turbo Kick classes and beginning my career in the fitness industry. As a person who struggled with weight issues for the majority of my life, I obsessed over my weight and often went to unhealthy extremes, including exercise anorexia, to lose weight. I needed to show up and teach these classes and be held accountable and most importantly, stay healthy. Turbo Kick is still one of my favorite formats to teach and my classes are still a way I hold myself accountable. You may need to find a friend that will be your workout partner, or an online group where you can support each other, anything that will get you motivated to get your workout in.
