Staying Motivated to Work Out

We all want to be fit, healthy and strong. But while anyone can get amped up about making changes and living a healthier life, that initial excitement and motivation can wane and put you back at square one.

Here are tried and trusted methods to keep that drive going.

1) Make Exercise Fun

Whether you go hiking with your best friend, take a spin class, or play catch with your dog in the park, you’re engaging in calorie-burning activities that are exciting and get you in the mood to keep moving. Find things that you’re psyched about and you’re much more likely to stick with them. 

2) Do It for Yourself

You’re putting in the work and reaping the benefits — those are the things that matter. If your reasoning to go to the gym is to please a guy or to get a flat belly quickly, you’re just setting yourself up for failure. Michelle Segar, PH.D, a motivation researcher at the University of Michigan says, “For most people, trying to meet someone else’s expectations or assuage guilt isn’t sustainable.” So focus on what exercise does for you instead, and use those reasons as your motivation.

3) Plan to Make It Happen

If intention was the only thing that mattered, we’d all be Olympic athletes or models, but in order to push beyond your good intentions you have to plan it out. This doesn’t have to be an intricate strategy. Just ask yourself questions about your plans: How much will you work out this week? Where will you go? Who will you go with? Consciously thinking about these things puts you in a mindset to make them happen. Plan it out on paper and reap even bigger rewards.

4) Use the Buddy System

We’re social creatures. We energize and encourage each other when going after similar goals. When you work out with someone else it also brings out your competitive side, which helps you go farther and do more with your fitness goals. This notion is also backed by a Michigan State University Study, which showed that those who worked out with a partner stuck it out 24 percent longer than those who went at it alone.

5) Talk Your Way Through It

A study published in the Perspectives on Psychological Science journal found that when people pumped themselves up with instructional self-talk phrases like “Let’s go!” their performance actually improved. Be careful, however, to stay away from judgmental phrases like “Too slow!” or forceful ones such as “Win!” which were shown in the study to be less effective.

Reference: www.knoworthy.com