30 ways to motivate yourselves to exercise!

“80 percent of success is showing up.” – Woody Allen


How do you find motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like getting off your butt? I ask myself this question every now and then and I have the feeling I’m not the only one.

There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise but these are a few that have worked for me. And trust me, I have had days when I too have struggled with exercise. Most recently the things that have helped include training with my boyfriend who is a trainer, setting short term goals, reading magazines, books and websites, and rewarding myself.

READ ON AND FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE GOING THE BE THE KEY DRIVERS IN MOTIVATING YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS!!

1) How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the next time. There is nothing better than the endorphin rush after a great session in the gym.
2) Time for you. While many people make time to take care of others (kids, spouse, other family, co-workers, boss), they don’t often make time to take care of themselves. Instead, make your “you” time a priority and don’t miss that exercise appointment.
3) Calories burned. If you count calories (and it’s really one of the most effective ways to lose weight), you know that the more you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
4) Having fun. Exercise should be fun. If it isn’t, try a different kind of activity that you enjoy. As long as you’re moving it’s good for you.
5) How you’re going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you.
6) Magazines. It motivates me to read fitness magazines. I love looking at all the healthy women out there inspiring others with their stories.
7) Cover models. Sure they can be genetically freaky and probably Photo shopped to look perfect. But for some reason looking at how good a cover model looks helps motivate me to work harder.
8) Blogs. I enjoy reading blogs about people who are into running, or losing weight. It can show the ups and downs they go through, and you can learn from their experiences.
9)Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, I’ll almost always read them.
10)Forums. JOIN a forum full of like-minded or like-goaled peopled. Check in daily. It really helps.
11) Rewards. If you exercise for a few days, give yourself a reward! A week? Another reward. Do it often in the beginning.
12) Fitting into new clothes. Wanna look good in a smaller size? Work out!
13) Feeling attractive. That’s always a good motivator, as I’m sure we all know.
14) Adrenaline rush. I get a rush when I exercise. Ride that rush to complete the workout.
15) Stress relief. Wound up after a long day at the office? Get out and work off that stress. It makes a world of difference.
16) Time for contemplation. I love the quiet time of exercise for thinking about things. It is like a form of meditation for me.
17) A workout partner. Help motivate each other. On the days when you don't feel like it you will feel bad if you let your buddy down. It is a great motivator.
18) A Group Fitness class. Sign up for a class, perhaps with a friend, and you’ll be motivated to get there and work out.
19) Get a coach or trainer. Worth the money, just for the motivation.
20) An exercise log/graph. For some reason, writing it down is extremely important. Do it for a week and you’ll see what I mean.
21) Your before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come. Take pictures.
22) A 5K race or triathlon. Sign up for a fun run and you’ll be motivated to train and work towards your goal.
23) The dread of feeling “yuck” from not exercising. I hate how I feel after not exercising. So I remind myself of that when I feel tired.
24) Living long enough to see your grandchildren … and play with them.
25) The scale. It’s not motivating to weigh yourself every day as your weight fluctuates. But if you weigh yourself once a week you’ll be motivated to have it keep going down, instead of up. Combine the scale with the measuring tape, and measure your waist.
26) Reaching a goal. Set a goal for weight or your waist measurement, or a realistic running goal each week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make sure you make it easily achievable.
27) Posting it on your blog. Tell people you’re going to lose weight or exercise daily and report to them. You’ll make it happen.
28) Motivational quotes. I like to print them out or put them on my computer desktop or on my bathroom mirror.
29) Knowledge. Study up on the human body and read up on good nutrition. Why do you need someone else to tell you what you should and shouldn't be putting in your body?! It's your body so get accountable!
30) Others commenting on how good you look. When someone notices the changes in your body, it feels good. And it makes you want to work out more.

LACK OF MOTIVATION IS A WORD WE USE WHEN WE JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE IT. IT IS STILL AN EXCUSE TO ME. IF YOU WAIT FOR MOTIVATION TO HIT YOU IN THE FACE YOU MIGHT BE WAITING FOR A WHILE. DON'T WAIT, JUST DO IT!

Justine Switalla
Personal Trainer/Fitness Model
www.justineswitalla.com