Finding the motivation or discipline to workout can be really hard. The truth is that we all usually start very really well. For most people, the motivation to go to the gym begins at the start of the year. But that push to exercise slowly declines and then you end up back to the start again. There is no issue with starting and failing. There issue is giving up. So in this post I will discuss some practical tips on how to stay motivated to workout.
Why people lose motivation workout
There are several reasons why people lose motivation to workout. For start, most people get pumped to workout at the beginning of the year as part of their ‘new years resolution’. But the issue is that when people start going the gym, they forget that it is a commitment.
For one, most people go to the gym in groups or make commitments with other people. There is not issue with going to the gym with your friends. If anything it can make it more encouraging and fun. The loss of motivation to workout or go to the gym stems from the lack of personal commitment and discipline. It is okay to go to the gym with other people, you just have to make it personal to you. If your friends decide not to go, what would that mean for you? Those are the little things that make people lose motivation to workout.
The goal is to gradually shift your motivation to discipline. Motivation is easy to lose as depends on the things that anchor it. If you only work out when you are motivated. It means that there are times when you simply wont do it because are not motivated enough for it. There are times when you feel lazy, tired, and not bothered to exercise. I’m not talking about necessary rest days here; I am talking about just giving up on it. So, let us look at how to stay motivated to workout.
5 Ways to Stay motivated to Workout
1. Let your Health be the Foundation.
Your physical and mental health should be the foundation by which you workout, exercise, or engage in any kind of fitness. The most underrated reason for why people work out is health and fitness. Most of the time we take exercise seriously when presented with a problem or want to lose weight. These are all valid reasons for someone to start working out. This is because it isn’t a hidden truth that exercise has many health benefits.
The saying goes ‘health is wealth’. Therefore, to stay motivated to workout we need to make health and fitness the foundation. Remember that being physically active is just one of the many ways that someone can improve their physical and mental health. But it should come as no surprise that exercise is important and beneficial.
Reasons why Exercise is Beneficial
Let us get into the reasons why you should use health and fitness as a motivator to workout. According to the NHS people who exercise regularly have a lower chance of developing many long-term conditions such as:
- Heart Disease
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Stroke
Physical Activity according to NHS can also help with:
- Self Esteem
- Sleep Quality
- Stress
- Depression.
With no doubt, health and fitness is a great foundation to use as a way to discipline and motivate yourself to workout. There are different ways that someone can get physically active. This can range from going to the gym, home workouts, or brisk walks. There are different exercises that people engage in like running, walking, swimming or simply playing football with your friends. Finding the right things for you is important to help you stay motivated, healthy, and able to reach your goals.
If you have not exercised for some time, have any medical conditions or concerns make sure to consult your GP.
2. Aim to be Stronger
Another way that you can stay motivated to work out is by aiming to become stronger and flexible. According to NHS guidelines, strength and flexibility exercises will help you to increase muscle strength.
There are many benefits of strength and flexibility exercises such as helping to:
- Maintain Bone Density
- Improve Balance
- Improve Posture
- Reduce Joint Pain
- Increase Muscle
- Reduce Aches
Strength/weight training is also great for people who are aiming grow their glutes, chest, back, shoulders and many more.
3. Set Goals
Setting goals is another way that will motivate and discipline you to exercise. When people take things seriously, they usually demonstrate this by creating a plan or developing a strategy.
The same goes with making the decision to exercise more each week. I know that a written plan or strategy would be especially necessary for those who need physical activity if overweight or have health conditions that require this. But the discipline to exercise is something that we all require. Which is why I started off by giving reasons why most of us, if capable, need to exercise. Yes, people may have different goals at the gym. But ultimately achieving health and fitness through exercise should be the goal.
So to succeed at staying motivated and disciplined to work out, setting goals is key. But is vital to set yourself clear cut achievable goals. To be able to set achievable goals getting advice from your GP, finding a personal trainer, or working out with a friend are some of the things that can help. As mentioned though, make sure to consult your GP if you have any medical conditions or concerns. Whether you are older or younger exercise is very beneficial and should be something that you engage in.
4. Make it Fun
To stay motivated to workout it is important that you make it a fun and an exciting thing to do. There are so many ways that you can do this. Which will help you stay motivated and be at the top of your game. Exercise does not have to be something that is boring.
If you work from home or your lifestyle is sedentary. One way that you can make exercise interesting is by taking regular walks during the week. However to make this fun make sure you have a nice music playlist, podcast, Message, or audio book with you.
Top Tip: Find a podcast or audio book that you only listen to when you do your workout. That way you will be motivated to make sure that you workout so you can listen to that podcast, book or that show.
This top tip applies to your home, gym workouts or your regular walks. Make sure you either have something that you listen too or watch only when working out. Also great to make sure you mix up your exercise routines so that they don’t get repetitive. It helps to also change up your environment.
5. Prioritise Rest Days
For a lot of people when they get into the regiment of exercising, they often forget to rest. It is good to challenge yourself the best way that you can at the gym or when doing your workouts. But is it absolutely necessary that you allow yourself to have rest days. Especially if you are lifting weights and doing intense cardio. Your body and muscles need to recover.
The Body Coach notes that when you skip rest days it can lead to longer spells of injury. In addition to this, when you work out tired: physically and mentally it can lead bad form or tripping and stumbling. All of this would not be beneficial to you long term. So make it a priority to rest if you want to stay motivated to work out.
O’L Takeaway
Exercise is good for you physically and mentally. It is important that we prioritise our health and fitness through physical activity. These are some tips on how to stay motivated to work out. Remember that the biggest motivator should be to improve your health. Long term this can have many benefits for you as shown in NHS website.
More information on exercise and fitness, can be found on the NHS Website here.
The information and other content provided in this blog, website or in any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
