Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
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10 Top Ways of Getting Motivation to Exercise

Making the decision to exercise and get fit can often the easiest part of losing weight. It is a few weeks down the road when the excitement is gone and the process has become grueling that it can become easy to forget the promise you made to yourself. Believe it or not this is a scientific fact, proven by research that shows 50% of people that start a new exercise regime give up within the first month and another 25% will quit within three months.

You don’t have to be part of that 75%, you can be in the elite 25%. There are a few simple things you can do to help you find the motivation to exercise, get in shape and achieve the body you have always wanted.

Tip One: Figure Out Why You Exercise

The reason that you decided to start exercising can have a dramatic impact on whether or not you stick with it. You may be exercising “to lose weight”, but what other other positive reasons do you have – or COULD you have for exercising? Increased energy? Releasing stress? How good you feel after your workout? Being a positive role model to your kids?

Tip Two: Get a Workout Buddy

Sometimes the most motivating factor in working out is having that one person there working out with you that pushes you to stick with it. When that last mile of the run seems impossible, your buddy is the one telling you that you can do it. It also gives you a little competition; healthy competition is good for everyone.

Tip Three: Set an Exercise Time

When you are doing something for yourself, it’s important to make sure you have time set aside for it each day. Just like you go to work from 9 to 5, you can work out from 6 to 7 – for example. Having a time set aside for makes it far easier.

Tip Four:  Set Goals

Yes, setting goals are important and setting the right goals are vital to your continued motivation to exercise. You need to be realistic. Don’t just focus on longer term goals like losing 20 pounds, because that is going to take time and waiting to see those results can be frustrating. Instead focus on fitting into your clothes comfortably, or getting into that new dress or suit for that big event that is coming up.

Tip Five: Eat Right

Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand. It is really difficult to work out after eating a Big Mac and fries… or half a bag of Cheetos. Your body goes, “Yeah right!” Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, pick lean proteins or plant proteins to help keep you feeling satisfied. Your carbohydrates should come from complex sources and they should be whole grain.

Tip Six:  Keep a Journal

This is a favorite tip, not because it makes you keep track of what you are doing, but it shows you how far you have come. Remember when you started working out, how hard it was to get through 5 push-ups… and today 7 weeks later you can do 20 pushups with no problem! It’s all about the progress.

Tip Seven: Reward Yourself!

If you are taking the time to work out reward yourself! Buy that new outfit or those new shoes. You can reward yourself with a bubble bath. Splurge and have that small light latte.

Tip Eight: Take Pictures!

Yes, take pictures of yourself. Sometimes when you look in the mirror you don’t see how far you have come. If you have something to look at and compare you can smile at the big difference there is in you.

Tip Nine: Read!

Yes, reading up on the latest exercise trends or the positive impacts exercise has on the body, inside and out, can be motivational.

Tip Ten:  Pick an Exercise You Like

There is no point in doing an exercise routine that you don’t like. You won’t stick with it. If you don’t like aerobics don’t do them. Yes, cardiovascular activity is important, but that can come from running, swimming, jumping rope and so on. Pick activities that you actuallyenjoy doing, and you’ll no longer struggle to motivate yourself to exercise. If its something you love doing, why would you not want to do it? Find ways of exercising that you enjoy, and the motivation will come easily.

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