Workouts are hard.
If they were easy, everyone would be in perfect shape. You wouldn’t have hordes of men and women hitting the gym with their New Year’s Resolutions in mind, only to quit a few months later. You wouldn’t have people giving up and accepting that they’ll never be in shape.
We get it. Seeing to your body’s health can be brutal, unpleasant, and unenjoyable. And it’s so easy to make excuses for why you can’t work out – you’re sore, you’re tired, you’re busy with work, you’re not making any progress anyway….
You get the idea.
In the long run, it’s worth it. That’s why, with that in mind, we’d like to offer some great advice to help you stay motivated, driven, and on-track. Follow the advice here, and you might be surprised at how easy it becomes to motivate yourself.
Find The Right Motivation
First thing’s first, why are you working out?
Are you just doing it to look better ahead of beach season? So you’ll be more attractive to the opposite sex? Because somebody said you should do it?
If you’re not working out solely for your own fulfillment, you’re going to have a lot more trouble sticking to a regular workout routine. Workouts are like anything else. If you’re doing it for other people rather than yourself, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.
Workouts should be something you do for yourself. Because you want to be happier with how you look, not happier with how people perceive you. Because you want to live a longer, healthier life. Because you want to pursue your best possible self.
That aside, even if you’re working out for the right reasons, it can still be hard to give yourself that initial kick in the pants – that’s why we’d advise finding an exercise you love doing. There are hundreds of different activities that can help you shed those extra pounds and get fit, from hot yoga to hiking to biking. Keep trying new things until you find one that you enjoy, and stick with it.
You’re a lot less likely to make excuses if your workout routine is something you genuinely enjoy.
Understand Your Limits (And Your Lifestyle)
You don’t go into the gym expecting to join the world’s strongest competition after you lift your first weight. You don’t start jogging with the expectation that you’ll run a triathlon in a week. You don’t hit the gym and try to force your body to lose weight or recover at a particular rate.
Every single person’s body is different. Different foods will have different effects on us. And while, as a general rule, everyone will be able to lose weight and get in shape through proper diet and exercise, what that entails will vary from person to person.
Acknowledge the limits of your body. Acknowledge that you’ll need time to recover. Acknowledge how your workout routine will fit into your schedule, and how many times a week you can actually handle the gym.
You’ll get better as time goes on – but at least in the beginning, don’t push yourself so hard you break.
Bring A Friend Along For The Ride
One of our favorite pieces of workout advice is to find a friend who’s as motivated to get into shape as you are (more-so, preferably). Hold them accountable for not missing workouts, and make sure they do the same for you. You’d be surprised how motivating it can be to know that your workout buddy is busting their chops while you’re eating Cheetos on the couch.
Work Harder, Better, Faster, And Stronger
It’s all too easy to talk yourself out of hitting the gym – and it’s important you recognize that. Learn when you’re unmotivated, and ask yourself why you are. The problem might well be that you haven’t found the right workout or the right motivation.
And now that you’re aware of that fact, it should be that much easier to stay on track.