We all know we should exercise regularly, but getting fit is a lot of hard work and it’s not always easy to get motivated – it can often be far more tempting to sit and watch TV, go online, read a book or even take a nap instead of going to the gym, going for a run or playing sports. However, if we want to be as fit and healthy as possible, exercise is vital and we need to be motivated. With that in mind, here are some of the ways you can stay motivated on your fitness journey.
Set clear goals
One of the most effective ways to stay motivated and get better is to set clear, achievable goals – the achievable part is extremely important, as if you set goals that are too difficult to achieve, you will lack motivation and actually have opposite effect.
Having vague goals like getting fit or losing weight is a good start, but you need to be much more specific if you want to be as motivated as you need to be, so you’ll need to define what “getting fit” is. it’s also how much weight you want to lose. You will then need to break these larger goals down into smaller steps – each time you achieve one of these steps, you will know that you are closer to your end goal and this will motivate you to do more.
Why do you do it?
Another great way to stay motivated when it comes to your fitness journey is to think about why you’re doing it – some people call this finding your why. Whatever your reason for wanting to get in shape, it can be the perfect motivation to keep going as long as you keep it in mind when you train or exercise.
The great thing is that there are no rules about why you should get better, so your why can really be what you want – whether it’s improving your health, boosting your confidencesetting a positive example for loved ones or just feeling better in your own skin, working with your why in the mind can really make a big difference and help you keep going even when things are tough and you’d rather be doing something else.
Mix it up
Something that can often cause a problem when it comes to your motivation is getting bored – doing the same type of exercise over and over again may seem like a good idea, but it really isn’t. First, this is not the right way to exercise because if you only do one form of exercise, only one area of your body will be healthy. Second, it’s boring and monotonous, so you won’t be motivated to do it every day or every other day.
Try different types of workouts, give new sports a try, join different fitness classes, and generally change things up so you’re in a different place or exercising different parts of your body. When you experiment with different exercises, you will not only prevent yourself from getting bored, but you will also be able to keep your mind and body busy, and this will give you better results.
Find a support system
If you really want to be motivated, surrounding yourself with like-minded people who share your fitness goals and can celebrate your victories, no matter how small, is a great option as they will be able to provide you with invaluable support and motivation. You might find yourself a workout buddy, a supportive friend or relative, or even an online community where you can chat about things that are struggling for you and ways you’ve overcome your challenges, such as using supplementsfor example.
The thing to remember in your fitness journey is that having someone to share your successes, struggles and – most importantly – your progress with can help keep you accountable and motivated to move forward, while if you don’t there was someone checking in with you, this may not happen.
Plan your workouts
It’s easy to make your workouts much less of a priority than they should be, telling yourself they’re not that important and that other things need to be done first. However, if you want to keep going and stay motivated, that’s not how it works – instead, you need to make your workouts more important and treat them like any other vital appointment that you simply can’t miss. Schedule them into your calendar at the beginning of each week and always make sure you do what you need to do and don’t miss them, just like any other commitment you might have.
When you make your exercise time a non-negotiable part of your schedule, you’re less likely to skip it, even if you’re busy or not feeling very motivated – you wouldn’t miss any other kind of appointment if you felt like it, so why would you when it comes to time at the gym or working out at home with an online fitness video, for example?
Visualize success
Another good idea is to visualize success when it comes to your workouts, so make sure you take some time each day to think about how you’ll feel when you’ve achieved your fitness goals and imagine how you’ll look and feel when you do. reach goals and the fitness level you are working towards.
This visualization technique can help boost your motivation because you’ll feel excited about achieving your goals and getting to the point where your imagination and real life meet – it’s something that will keep you focused on what you want. you work out and The closer your reality and your fantasy results get, the more motivated you’ll be on your fitness journey.
Reward yourself
It’s also a good idea to set up a reward system to celebrate your progress and keep yourself motivated. So when you reach your next milestone, treat yourself to something special that will help you feel good about what you’ve accomplished and that won’t undo any of your hard work (treating yourself to junk food, for example, not a great idea).
Some of the things you could reward yourself with include a new workout outfit, a massage, or a healthy meal you’ll actually enjoy. When you have something to look forward to, you’ll have extra motivation to reach it.