Need to Exercise? No Motivation? 6 Ways to Get Moving

I’ve had stints in my life when I’ve consistently worked out and then I’ve had periods of time when I didn’t. Thankfully I’m currently experiencing the former. I know how hard it can be to get started, and I need a ton of help to stay on track!

So, here are some quick, helpful tips to help you get the workout done!

1. Get Inspired
I love following fitness accounts on Instagram! It’s so cool to see other women putting in hard work and achieving their goals, and it helps motivate me to want to reach my goals. Everyone has to start somewhere, and seeing others make progress is so inspiring!

2. Make a Playlist
What songs pump you up? What music makes you feel energetic, invincible, and excited? Put all of those songs onto a specific playlist and continue to add to it to keep things fresh! Music can be a huge motivator when you feel fatigued and exhausted.

3. State Your Goals
Are you interested in a weekly yoga class? Do you want to hit the gym three days a week? Do you want to be able to do 20 pushups in a row without pausing to gasp for air? (I’m still working on that one myself.) You won’t find the time to work out if you don’t know what you want to work on during that time. There’s an old cliché that if you “fail to plan, you plan to fail.” No goals are achieved accidentally (unfortunately), and you won’t suddenly find yourself reaching your goals if you don’t create a plan. What steps do you need to take in order to reach your goals? One of my current goals is to run a 5k, so my plan is to run three days a week using an app called Couch to 5K.

4. Evaluate Your Schedule
Once you have your goal and your plan, the next step is to look at your schedule and see what periods of time you might already have free. Maybe instead of heading straight home to crash after work, you can swing by the gym for a half hour and then come home to watch Netflix. Many of us already have enough hours in the day to work in exercise routines; we just need some intentional effort to get there. For me, I know I’ll never wake up early to exercise, so I stop by the park on my way home from work to squeeze in my runs.

5. Seek Accountability
Everything is better with good company, even once a week! I’ve been trying to run with my friend and coworker once a week after being at the office together, and it’s some extra motivation for me to follow through. Chances are you know someone that wants to start some good habits and needs some accountability too!

6. Just Do It
All the planning and prep won’t amount to anything if you don’t put it into practice! You’ve got the motivation, inspiration, a goal, a schedule, and accountability—now you just need you. You have the tools you need to succeed; it’s time to use them. Starting a new habit is the hardest part, but once you get going the whole journey becomes exciting.

The next time you’re struggling to get yourself moving, I hope you’ll think of this list and that it helps you get out there and get started!

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You’ll also like 6 Practical Tips When You Want to Get Healthy, Grit and Grace in Hot Pink Spandex, How to Lose the Scale and Walk Lighter, 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Nutrition, Why You Need to Try Ginger, the Magic Spice, and 5 Easy Ways to Maintain Your Health.
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