How to Stay Motivated While Working Out

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By deyoncc
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Work Out

Motivation is the key to any successful workout program. What keeps you motivated will help you go the distance in reaching your goals. Here are a few easy steps to keep even the discouraged trainer, on the path towards workout success.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

determination

Step 1

Set reachable goals. Whether it’s loosing weight, toning, or perhaps even gaining weight, set your goals but make them within reach by taking baby steps. Start out with 1 pound per week, then work your way up from there. (By the way, a healthy strategy is loosing 1-2 pounds per week). Write them down and view your progress. You may want to increase or decrease your workout regiment based on the length of time you have to reach your target goal, and the amount of time you have throughout the week to exercise but don’t give up! In the initial phases of exercising, it’s normal to be less than average in attaining your goals if your body is adjusting to a new regiment.
Step 2

Group Workout

Get a workout partner. Don’t be afraid to seek help through partnership so you can motivate each other. There will be days when you won’t feel like working out, but because you know you have someone working just as hard to reach a goal, you’ll be more prone to get the job done and feel good about it afterwards. Workout partners tends to give your regiment a sense of stability knowing that you have someone counting on you.
Step 3

Do exercises you enjoy. Don’t push yourself to do crunches if you absolutely hate them. Instead, try belly dancing or holding your stomach in while doing leg lifts. If you hate running outdoors, try using a treadmill indoors. There’s always alternatives exercises and a variety of ways to work out each body part.
Step 4

All about timing. There’s only 24 hours in a day and your choices for workout times may be very limited. If you are not a morning person, don’t workout during that time. Find the time throughout the day that your energy level is high. For most, this is somewhere around midday or mid-evening. If those times doesn’t work, try exercising in short increments: 20 minutes on a cardio machine during lunch, sit-ups/crunches during breaks if you work the typical 9-5. Remember, every little bit helps and you don’t have to be in the gym to get a good workout.
Step 5

Understanding consequences. So, maybe the doctor said you need to workout a little more or perhaps you want to look good for the upcoming party or reunion. Regardless of the reason, there will be consequences if you don’t work out. Keep them in mind when you feel sluggish, hesitant, or want to bump your workout off the schedule for that day. Realizing consequences will sometimes put your motivation level in overdrive.
Step 6

Reward yourself. Where there’s consequences, there’s rewards. After you’ve worked long and hard, don’t be afraid to treat yourself. Whether it’s a slice of key-lime pie, a trip to the spa, or perhaps even a simple day off from your workout regiment, rewards helps us stay motivated. Just don’t loose focus of your goal.