It’s happened to all of us at one point or another. You’ve planned a workout but when the time comes, you just can’t bring yourself to drive to the gym or turn on a video for your home workout. Often, skipping workouts can lead to feelings of guilt. In some cases people may even restrict their food intake for that day because they missed their workout. With everything that’s happened in 2020, finding motivation may be even harder than ever. I’m going to outline a few ways you can increase your motivation when you don’t feel like working out.
Remember your reason
Why do you want to exercise? What are your goals? Who are you trying to set an example for? Why is it important to make it to your workout? How does exercise benefit you? Answer these questions to remember why you want to exercise in the first place. Chances are it’ll help increase your motivation to make it to your workout.
Think about how you’ll feel after
Visualize how you’ll feel when you finish your workout. Your mood will be elevated, you’ll be happy you did it even though you didn’t want to, you won’t feel guilt and you’ll be one step closer to reaching your goals. Take a moment to recall that amazing feeling after a workout. Now, go start your workout and soon you’ll feel that way.
Play your favorite workout song
Music helps pump us up during a workout but it can also help motivate us before our workouts. Put on your favorite pump-up tune to find motivation. Your body will remember how energized it makes you feel when you’re crushing your workout. Personally, I love listening to music that motivates me on my way to the gym. It helps get me in the right frame of mind and excites me for my workout.
Hire a personal trainer
This isn’t an option for everyone, so if it doesn’t apply to you, feel free to skip to the next section. However, if you want to get serious about your health but you lack motivation, hiring a personal trainer is a great option. Just knowing that you have an appointment to make will help get you to the gym even if you don’t feel like it. A trainer will also take the guesswork out of exercise by coming prepared with a plan each session. They’ll make sure you’re exercising safely and help you achieve results faster. There’s an expense to hiring a personal trainer but that expense is an investment in your health. If you’re able to afford it, it’s worth it.
Compromise
If all else fails, compromise with yourself. Come up with an alternative activity you can do. Maybe you clean your bathroom, start a task you’ve been procrastinating, settle for a shorter workout or reschedule your workout to another day. Some days, motivation is so low that your workout just isn’t going to happen. Avoid feeling guilty by coming up with ways to compromise.
It’s normal to lack motivation every now and again. But if it happens to you often, it may be a sign you need to change things up. Perhaps you’re bored with the workouts you’re doing and you need a new program. Maybe you just don’t enjoy your program and you need to try a new activity. Try finding a workout buddy or attending group exercise classes, in person or online. Consistency is the most important thing when it comes to fitness. If you can be consistent with your workouts, you will see results.
