You know how you’re supposed to exercise, but it can be hard to find the motivation to actually do it. Maybe you have a routine in place, or maybe you need some new ideas that will help get you off the couch and into an active lifestyle. That’s where we come in! Here are our best tips for getting motivated:
Establish your goals
The first step to getting motivated for health and fitness is setting goals. This can be a daunting task if you’re not sure what your goals should be, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are some questions that can help guide you through this process:
- What are your goals? Are they short-term or long-term? Is there a specific achievement you want to achieve within six months or one year? When do you want those things by?
- How will you measure success in achieving these goals? Maybe it’s losing 10 pounds, fitting into a pair of jeans, running 5 miles without stopping, or completing 10 pushups in 60 seconds. Whatever it may be, write it down!
- Do I have a timeframe for accomplishing these goals? If so, does that feel reasonable given my current lifestyle and schedule (or lack thereof)? Will I have enough energy/time/money each day in order to meet this deadline without sacrificing my well-being during the process (and after)?
Get into the right mindset
The first thing you need to do is get into the right mindset. It’s so easy to start off motivated, but then lose steam when life gets busy or we don’t see results quickly enough. This is why it’s important that you focus on the benefits of exercise and how you will feel after exercising. For example:
- You’ll feel energized, less stressed, and more confident in yourself.
- You’ll have more energy for other activities such as work, family, and friends.
- You’ll be able to live longer if you stay healthy and active throughout your lifetime!
Take small steps
The most important thing you can do is to take small steps.
Don’t try to change everything at once, or you’ll get overwhelmed and give up before you even get started. Instead, focus on the small steps that are within your reach today. You may not be able to go for a run right now, but perhaps there’s something else that is possible: maybe all you can do today is put on some workout clothes and walk around the block once or twice. That’s still better than nothing! Think about what would work best with your current situation and see how much improvement you can make from there.
It’s also helpful to remember why it matters so much for us as individuals (and for our communities) that we do our best in health and fitness—so we’re happier! The more motivated we feel when working towards this goal, the easier it will be for us all around.
Make it a habit to exercise
If you want to get fit, it’s crucial that you make exercise a habit. And the best way to do this is by establishing routines for yourself that involve regular fitness. For example, if you like running outside and listening to music, try setting aside time on your weekends when you can go for a run without any distractions or interruptions from work or family obligations. You’ll find yourself looking forward to those times and not even realizing how much energy they’ve brought into your life until they’re gone!
Find an activity you enjoy
The most important thing to keep in mind when finding an activity that you enjoy is that if it’s not fun, you won’t stick with it. It can be tempting to try something because it seems like the right thing to do or because of what other people are doing, but if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, then none of those things will matter.
Also, don’t worry about what other people are doing. Everyone is different and has different strengths and weaknesses—so just do whatever feels right for YOU!
Finally, remember that there’s no such thing as failure. If something doesn’t work out the way you wanted it to one time, try something else! There’s always another way around any obstacle.
Practice gratitude
- Keep a gratitude journal.
- Write down three things you’re grateful for each day and review your list at the end of the week. It’s much easier to practice gratitude when you do it regularly, so set aside sometime every day to write down what you’re thankful for. You can even compile this into a book or create a gratitude jar to help keep track of everything!
- Focus on what’s important in your life right now.
It may be easy to get caught up thinking about all the things we don’t have, but it’s important not to spend too much time focusing on what we don’t have instead of appreciating all that we do. If you find yourself constantly comparing yourself with others or feeling like life isn’t fair because other people seem happier than you, try focusing on the good things in your life instead: “I have friends who love me”, “I’m healthy”, “My family means everything”.
Remember that motivation is fleeting
Motivation is a powerful force, but it’s also fleeting. Motivation isn’t something that can be relied upon long-term: it comes and goes, often without warning or reason.
The best way to ensure that you stay on track with your fitness goals is to take small steps towards them every day. You won’t get anywhere if you’re setting yourself up for failure by tackling huge projects with no plan of action in place. Instead of trying to go from zero exercise and 10 pounds overweight to running marathons and being ripped by tomorrow morning, set realistic goals that will allow you to build up slowly over time (like losing 5 pounds) so that each step along the way feels achievable (such as running half a mile). By breaking down larger tasks into smaller ones, it becomes easier for motivation to keep kicking in at just the right moments when needed—and less likely for it fades away unexpectedly when things become challenging.
You can use these tips to keep yourself motivated to exercise and be healthy
To stay motivated, you need to be realistic. You can’t expect yourself to go out and run 10 miles every day, but if your goal is simply to get up and walk around the block once a week, that’s great! Remember:
The best way to get motivated is by setting small goals for yourself. It’s easy to get discouraged when you don’t achieve them right away—remember that it takes time and effort before they become a habit. If you’re struggling with motivation, try using these tips:
- Set goals for yourself and reward yourself when you reach them.
- Find an activity you enjoy doing so much that it doesn’t feel like work.
- Focus on what’s happening in the present instead of worrying about the future (or past).
Conclusion
We hope these tips help keep you motivated to exercise and be healthy. Remember that it’s not just about how much work you do, but also how effective you are at it. And if at first, it doesn’t seem like your efforts are paying off, don’t give up – keep trying!
