5 Ways To Motivate Yourself To Exercise

One of the biggest challenges I hear from people trying to lose weight, eat healthier or who just want to be more toned and fit, is lack of motivation.

When you exercise, the rewards of feeling good and losing weight become a motivator in itself. Seeing results causes a chain reaction that leads to more exercise and healthier eating. So motivating yourself becomes your motivation.

There are certainly days when working out becomes a challenge. Whether it’s my schedule or I’m feeling a little off. Sometimes I just don’t feel like it. But I know that I will feel better afterwards because I always do. Not just physically but I feel better psychologically too.

Here are 5 ways to motivate yourself to exercise:

1. Remind yourself how good you feel after a workout. Whether it’s the feel of your heart pumping, a runner’s high or the feeling of accomplishment, you always feel better after exercising.

2. Reward yourself. Allow yourself a treat after a workout. It doesn’t have to be something unhealthy. It could be a delicious protein shake or a healthy salad with shrimp and avocado. The thought of that delicious treat will not only get you out the door, it will make you work out a little bit harder too!
3. Put on a cute exercise outfit. When you look good, you feel good. If you don’t have a cute outfit reward yourself with a shopping trip. You’ll feel great as you try on the tight workout clothes after dropping a few pounds.
4. Do something you enjoy. The options are endless. If you absolutely hate running find something else. Try a yoga class or Pilates. If the you don’t like group classes and prefer working out at home, try a YouTube video. Let’s face it, if you hate it, you’re not going to do it. So find something that’s fun.
5. Visualize your goal. If it’s that bikini you want to look good in, hang it up next to your mirror where you will see it every day. Or hang a picture of an ideal fit body on your refrigerator. It will act as a motivator and encourage you to choose an apple instead of that piece of cake in the fridge.

We all have different goals and motivators. The important thing is to find whatever works for you and keep doing it. If your routine becomes boring try something new, find new music to listen to or find a friend to work out with. Just don’t quit.