The best laid plans don’t always pan out, and workouts are no exception. When your motivation is low, here are 7 ways you can turn it around and still get your workout in!
1. Schedule it like an appointment
Set a time in your calendar that you can’t miss. Block it off like a meeting or a doctor’s appointment. Better yet, tell people that it’s your workout slot, which will add more accountability on your end.
2. Save your favorite content for your workout
Give yourself a show that you can only watch while working out, or a podcast you can only listen to while running. Get creative! This will serve as an extra motivator when you don’t want to move but you do want to see/hear your favorite episode.
3. Enlist a buddy
This one can be tough during a pandemic, but you could meet a buddy for outdoor workouts or even zoom/FaceTime to workout together. Having a friend makes you more accountable as you don’t want to let them down, and it adds a little more fun to the occasion.
4. Follow a plan
The lower the barriers, the more likely you are to complete your workout. And the more results you see help propel you too. This is why a structured plan is so important: it helps with both. You can remove the time and space it takes to plan your workout and see improvements that make you want to keep coming back. I have lots of options, my favorite being HIIT at Home 1, 2 + 3, but feel free to reach out and see what’s the best fit for you.
5. Hire a coach
Coaches take the planning work off of your plate and hold you accountable. Not to mention, your results come quicker when working with an expert than relying on yourself to piece it all together. I’ve worked with so many people in this position, and together, we’ve built sustainable workout habits and achieved improvements in body composition, mental health and more. If changing your lifestyle is important to you, send me a message and let’s chat about working together.
6. Try different things
Experiment with morning, evening, or lunch time workouts. Try different formats (HIIT, cycling, strength training, barre, running, etc). See what sticks! Especially if you are new to working out or are feeling burnout from what you’ve been doing.
7. Start small
Workouts do not need to be long to be effective. Set a timer for 5 minutes and go for a walk or do your warmup. Often times that little momentum will keep you going! And if you still don’t feel like doing anything more after those 5 minutes, walk away. 5 minutes of activity is better than 0, and you still created a little positive momentum. Try adding a minute the next time you use this strategy and build yourself up.
Do you use any of these strategies to motivate yourself? Tell me what’s missing/what works for you in the comments!
Great advice! I love the idea of scheduling your workouts like an appointment, I’m totally going to try this technique out- I wouldn’t cancel on an important meeting or an appointment on my calendar, so I shouldn’t cancel of my scheduled workout either! One thing that really helps me stay motivated is having a gym near me that plans my workouts for me. Having pre-planned exercises takes some of the guess work out from my end!