Fitness blog---Motivating Yourself to Work Out

[Marissa Lily]

Today I got up and went to go work out in my living room and as I was starting the warm-up I realized I didn't want to work out. I was freezing, my muscles were all tight, I felt like quitting and I had just begun.

I made myself do it anyway. I went through my workout and I forgot that i hadn't wanted to start it. When i finished and was racking my weights I said out loud to myself, "I am glad I did that." And I really was happy I had.

Since I make part of my living by working out and sometimes even I don't want to do it, I am sure some of you have a much harder time motivating yourselves!

What can you do to motivate yourself to workout?

1. Know that you will ALWAYS feel better once you are done working out, both physically and mentally.

2. Schedule your workout into your day, you have to make time for yourself and your workout. I don't care if you have kids, husband, jobs, whatever. You are doing all of them a favor if you workout. You will feel better about yourself, be in a better mood, have more energy and be a better role model. Your kids need to grow up seeing exercise is necessary for health, not just to lose weight.

3. Put your workout clothes on when you wake up.

4. Have a friend to workout with or meet at the gym for a class.

5. Buy yourself a new pair of workout shoes, a heart rate monitor, cute gym clothes, Ipod shuffle, anything to support your workout habit.

6. Subscribe to fitness magazines.

7. Try to find something that interests you to participate in. Whether it is an interesting new class at the gym, a dance class, playing a sport with your kids, walking your dog, taking swimming lessons, there are tons of activities. They don't all cost money either. check into community centers in your town, they often have clubs you can join for like $10 a year and offer dance lessons, dance parties, etc.

8. Make your meetings with family or friends activity-based. Rather than always meeting up for drinks, movies, or dinner, call up your friend to catch up with you on a walk, go to a new salsa class with you, etc.

9. Don't dread working out, look forward to it! Positive self talk goes a long way. tell yourself you are excited to see the changes you will see, be excited about working up a good sweat, be excited about increasing your self-esteem.

10. Dr. Phil says "Fake it until you make it." Do that, just force yourself to go through the motions and you will end up not having to force yourself anymore, you will develop a habit. This is a good habit to develop.

11. Self-discipline creates character. I had a roommate who had no self-discipline, every time she worked out she barely did 35% of the workout, this was evident in every other aspect of her life. She had no self-discipline in any area. YOU have to hold yourself accountable to yourself and you will be a better person for it.

12. Keep your eyes on the prize. We all have different goals, create a realistic and attainable goal and keep that in mind, it will help motivate you when you aren't in the mood.

13. Like Nike says, "just do it"!

[Bad Wolf]

Great post. Good music is a must, I find - it can make the difference between great and so-so. It's so true that when you make yourself do it ("I'll work out for 20 mins. and if I want to quit, I can.") you finish feeling much better about yourself and everything else.

[Josie Raven]

Love it, great advice! I go through #1 practically ever day, I hate going to the gym but once I'm there I feel great! I just loaded some of my fav workout songs to my iPhone (#5) and I think I'll do #6 cuz that is a great idea that never occured to me.

[Vivien V]

Great one! - printing it out - :)

[Delyssia LaBelle {Madam}]

great tips hun! i allways feel better after i work out, and having abuddy allways helps motivate me.

[Game Photography Edinburgh.]

Just what I needed!