There’s always a surge of excitement and motivation when starting a new workout program. It’s easy to envision reaching your goals. But have you ever noticed that feeling is fleeting? Weeks go by, and you notice you feel more energized, you’re sleeping better, and your clothes fit great. However, life continues to be busy, and fitting a workout in starts to feel more daunting. You tell yourself it’s okay to miss one, two, three, four days of working out. You’ve already made so much progress, it can’t hurt… until it turns into weeks of getting off track.
Losing that initial motivation, we get when we first start a fitness program is a big reason many of us stop working out consistently. Motivation is not a constant. It’s something that needs cultivating along the way, and these simple tweaks can help increase your workout motivation to keep you on track and enjoying the journey.
Why Finding Workout Motivation Helps Keep Us On Track
Motivation is what makes lofty goals feel in reach. It’s what gets you out of bed in the morning, excited to start one more day closer to reaching them. Your level of motivation is so closely related to your behaviors that it can predict enhanced learning, performance, creativity, optimal development, and psychological wellness.
Studies have even shown that finding intrinsic motivation is more powerful in creating exercise coherence than rewards. Why? You become intrinsically motivated to work out when you find it interesting or satisfying. In other words, you get some sort of pleasure from breaking a sweat. And, when you find something gratifying or enjoyable, dopamine and serotonin, the happy hormones, light up the pleasure centers in your brain. When your mind expects this reaction from a habit, you feel more naturally motivated to continue it.
Common Reasons We Run Out of Motivation
You always have the ability to find motivation. But some days, it’s easier to muster than others. On the days where you feel like you “just can’t,” take a look at what else is going on in your world… and your mind. Our thoughts create our reality, and they have the power to create (and hinder) motivation. We create stories around how hard a workout may feel, our ability to do it, and doubt around actually reaching our goals. These thoughts reduce your commitment to your goals. You have the power to change them!
7 Simple Tweaks to Increase Workout Motivation
#1 Make a List of All The Positive Outcomes
Our mind has a bias towards the negative. If you were to write down all the negative thoughts you have each day, you’d be stunned (go ahead, try it!). Replacing these thoughts with positive ones will get you from the couch to pressing play on your favorite FitOn workouts. Start changing your internal dialogue by writing down all the positive outcomes of getting your workout in. Don’t just think about them — having a visual list will send your brain stronger cues to get up and get moving.
#2 Show Yourself Some Grace
We all have days where we just don’t feel like ourselves. Contrary to common belief, beating yourself up over not feeling motivated will not get you to work out. Speaking nicely to yourself, like how you would to a best friend, will solidify the trust between your conscious and subconscious psyche, giving you the space to find more peace and get excited about your next workout.
#3 Get Outside to Clear Your Mind
If you’re feeling tired or overwhelmed, sometimes a little fresh air is all we need to feel motivated. Just stepping outside, feeling a breeze, and taking in your surroundings can give you a boost of energy. Even better, make it into a quick walk to get your blood pumping and ready to crush the rest of the day.
#4 Live By The 10-minute Rule
Tell yourself you’ll just exercise for 10-minutes. Many people find that once they get moving, they don’t want to stop. It’s like your body just needed a little reminder of how good it feels to work out.
#5 Think in Terms of “Future You”
How will “future you” feel if you workout? If you don’t? Thinking about the end result can motivate you to stick to your fitness goals. Many athletes use visualization to get them pumped and in a good mindset to perform. You can use this same tactic to imagine how amazing you will feel after getting a sweat on.
#6 Keep Yourself Hydrated and Fueled
Nothing kills your vibes quicker than being hungry or dehydrated. Make sure to keep a water bottle with you throughout the day, so you stay hydrated and eat regular, balanced meals to keep your engine running.
#7 Celebrate Your Wins, Even The Small Ones!
Every time you take a moment to celebrate what you’ve accomplished, you send happy vibes to your brain, and it remembers that. The more you feed it with positive affirmations for doing an action, the more likely it’s going to motivate you to take that action again.
Workouts To Keep You Motivated
The easiest way to stay motivated to work out is to find routines you love or at least don’t hate. Yes, you can fall in love with your workouts. Promise! The FitOn app has options for everyone: Pilates, strength training, barre, HIIT, kickboxing, yoga, circuits, and stretch videos. If you haven’t joined the FitOn community yet, sign up for free and find the workouts that motivate you to keep pressing play!
