I know I’m not the only one when I say it is so hard to find the motivation to exercise sometimes. Some days, you want to run a mile or do 50 burpees, but other days the motivation to even get off the sofa isn’t there. There are so many instances where it can be easy to feel like this, and it’s ok to fall off the bandwagon from time to time; but it’s getting back onto it that can be very difficult. I, today, want to share with you my top tips for helping to motivate you to exercise.
Find out what exercise does for you.
To help get to the root of your problem, consider the reasons why you exercise. It’s easy to assume we do it just to get fitter or to lose weight, but without considering why else we do it, it can sometimes feel like a chore.
I do exercise because it means I can focus on something outside of sometimes mentally stressful situations. I also do it because of the feeling I get when I achieve something I have been working towards. Without reminding yourself occasionally, it can be easy to forget why you do it. Reminding yourself of these reasons can help to reinvigorate your motivations in doing exercise.
What are yours? They could be any multitude of reasons other than mine. Find your drive.
Re-consider what types of exercise works for you.
For years, I kept thinking running was the best type of exercise for me, so I kept trying to focus on getting my steps in. Eventually, I began to lose my motivation to exercise and for ages I kept thinking it was my fault, or my mindset. I realised that maybe running wasn’t for me - and that’s ok! I needed to consider what types of exercise worked for me.
You don’t have to go running, why don’t you try going to the gym instead? Or Dancing! Don’t limit yourself, when you don’t enjoy something - find something you do!
Fit exercise into your daily life.
I don’t know about you, but I love to meet friends and family now that lockdown measures are easing. Meeting a friend on a Sunday afternoon for a coffee is simple enough, but why not turn events like this into a reason for exercise? Why not grab the coffee to go, and walk a few laps around the park? Fitting exercise in when you can in moments like this definitely helps to give a serotonin boost, and helps to reintroduce exercise slowly into your routine.
Additionally, if your schedule allows it, add in extra exercise into seemingly everyday tasks. Need to go to the shopping centre? Try parking further away from the entrance and walking more around the shops. It might seem small, but adding this in makes all the difference in the long run. Sometimes you need to use a little energy to create energy.