5 Things that Will Help with Exercise Motivation

Whether it’s Daylight Saving time, yet another snowfall, or simply the stars not aligning, your workout motivation is nowhere to be found. We so feel you. In fact, just about everyone experiences this at least here and there. That doesn’t mean it’s time for you to pull the covers up to your neck and watch six hours of Netflix (although, hey, this is fine every once in a while). There are steps you can take to get your mojo back. Need some fitspo?

exercise motivation

Read on for five things that will help with exercise motivation:

1. Find Your Sweaty Soulmate

Everything is more fun when you do it with a friend (or lover!), and exercising is no different. Find a like-minded pal and head to the gym, yoga class, Crossfit, Orange Theory, or whatever it is that floats your boat while getting you that bombastic bootie. Even personal trainers will often offer deals for group training sessions, so there are no excuses there. And let’s face it—unless you were born without a competitive bone in your body, working out with a friend will help you to push yourself that much further. The other thing about finding your fitness friend is that you will be held accountable. When that alarm goes off and you’re thinking of going auto pilot by pressing snooze, knowing your pal is waiting for you is (or should be) enough to get you up and at ‘em. “I’m so bummed I got up and exercised,” said no one ever. So just do it, okay?

2. Find Your Fitness Fancy (or Fancy Fitness)

And by that, we mean that you might want to think about working out in something other than that old “Frankie Goes to Hollywood” t-shirt and your sweats from 1992. You don’t have to be at the height of fashion by any means, but there’s something to be said for feeling good about yourself inside and out. That’s why many often recommend that people who work from home fight the urge to stay in pajamas. One thing you can do to increase that exercise motivation is to buy new gear. Yoga pants and a shirt that fits you well in all the right places are great, but you can also think about buying some new equipment to get you pumped up. If you want to get out and surf more, take that money you’ve been saving and buy that board or wetsuit you’ve been eyeing. that will get you off that wing chair and into the waves.

3. Pump up the Jam

Have you ever noticed your favorite workout classes are the ones with music that motivates? Find a gym or studio that plays your most beloved tunes. If you’re more of the independent fitness type, create your own set list on iTunes or Pandora. There’s nothing like your favorite anthem on blast to get you over that workout hump.

4. Find Something That Gets Results

Working out can be great for increasing energy levels and decreasing stress, but when it comes down to it, most of us are doing it for weight loss or at least weight maintenance. So if that workout you’ve been doing for years isn’t cutting it and you can’t afford that tummy tuck after all, try something else. There’s nothing more motivating than putting on your jeans from college only to find that—gasp!—they fit. The thing about this is you need to find something you enjoy, as this will ensure that you’ll actually go. So whether it’s Zumba, Fitwall, or you’ve discovered the major health benefits of yoga, a workout you dig will pay major dividends.

5. Try Some Morning Mania

A lot of people hit the gym post-work, and that’s all well and good if they actually make it there. The problem with this is that so many things can get in the way, including a super tempting impromptu happy hour, fatigue, and perhaps having to work longer than you anticipated. It might be a tough transition but many people who move their workouts to the morning find that they not only are more consistent, but they also get other benefits like increased energy and maintaining a healthy weight. The early bird gets the worm and hopefully a super svelte bod.

Found yourself in a fitness funk? Don’t panic, as we’ve all been there. Try something (or everything) from this list and you’ll be flying high again in no time.

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