Motivation is key to getting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, it’s so difficult to find sometimes. Sometimes, it’s just near impossible to find the motivation to set foot through those gym doors. You’ve found every reason possible to not get a workout in but you know deep down that those are all just flimsy excuses and you still feel a little guilty in the end.
When you are starting to feel like you just can’t bring yourself to get a workout in, here are some strategies that might help get you over the hump.
*Follow the 10 minute rule – Make a deal with yourself that you’ll workout for 10 minutes and if after 10 minutes you’re still…insert excuse here…, then go home. Nine times out of ten, you’ll stay and finish the workout because you’ll start to feel better. That one time that you don’t make it through…well…you probably wouldn’t have a good workout anyway because there’s probably something bigger going with your body like an illness or injury.
*Make a list – Lists are great motivators. Make a list of all the positives that come from working out regularly. You feel better about yourself. You have more energy. You have less pain…etc. Then post that list somewhere prominent in your home. When you start to give yourself all the reasons why you can’t go to the gym today, take a look at your list. Those reasons will trump any excuse you have to not go and you’ll find yourself lacing up the sneakers.
*Set a goal - Humans need to be working toward something. Set a goal for a set number of times a week you can realistically get into the gym. Three times a week is a good start for most people. Now, establish a reward for yourself if you achieve your goal (NOT food). Maybe for the ladies it’s a manicure or guys, how about 9 holes at the end of the week. Track your progress on a calendar and celebrate with your reward when you achieve it. Keep pushing yourself to go further. If you did it for one week, now, don’t reward yourself until you do it two or three weeks in a row. Before you know it, you’ve formed a habit that you don’t want to break.
We all have our struggles with forming and keeping healthy habits. The key is to have a plan in place before you hit the potholes. That way you’re prepared to deal with them and overcome them successfully.
