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How to Stay Motivated to Work Out

July 28, 2020 |

Working out may not be the go-to pastime for a lot of people, but no one can dispute the benefits of this grueling activity. Whether you are looking to exercise to lead a healthier lifestyle or to lose weight, it can be tough to stick to it without a game plan.

You are accountable for how you treat your body, and following our tips below will hopefully change your tune about exercising.

1. Set Some Goals

Life is full of goals, big and small, whether you realize it or not. Working harder is to reach your goal of a certain level of income. Reading more books is to help you achieve the goal of gaining more knowledge. We need goals to keep us motivated.

A lot of the time, goals can be the reason why we take action. One very important key to remember when making goals is to start small. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t have your sights set on the ultimate goal, but breaking the process up into many smaller and more reachable goals, in the beginning, is a lot more realistic.

You are basically paving the way to the goal slowly but surely. If your goal is to be able to run 5k nonstop by the end of the month, increasing the distance little by little will help get you there.

Sit down and take some time to think about what your end goal is. After you have clearly identified it, you can then start to set smaller, more easily achievable goals that will help lead you there.

Every smaller milestone you accomplish along the way will give you a boost of confidence and the motivation to keep going!

two women doing yoga exercise

2. Change Your Perspective

Your attitude towards working out can make all the difference. As many self-help gurus often say, it’s all about your state of mind. The way you choose to look at something can greatly affect your mindset. So, if you dislike exercising because you fill your mind with negative thoughts beforehand, just change the narrative.

Instead of thinking, “Oh no, I have to do 5 more sets of squats.” You should be thinking, “Yes! After these 5 sets, I am that much closer to my summer body!”

Gradually, you will be able to shift your thought process into a more positive one and, at the same time making exercise a fun part of your day.

man running on a road in a forrest

3. Make it a Part of Every Day

Take some time out every day to work out. Once something consistently becomes a part of your routine, it will develop into a habit. When it gets to this point, it will take little to no effort to stick to it!

Try not to give yourself any excuses as to why you cannot take the time to workout today. Instead, a good way is to schedule your activities around working out (properly prioritized, of course).

If the day is really just too busy and you are completely wiped out after a busy day, you can make subtle changes in your life to get more movement in. For example, you can choose to bike to work instead of driving. Take the stairs instead of the elevator to even get 10 minutes of extra physical activity in. 

Most of us lead sedentary lives because our jobs require us to sit for long hours in front of a computer. A sedentary lifestyle can have a negative impact on our health after a long period. Getting up and walking around every 30 min to an hour can also help the situation.

However, if you can manage to schedule time specifically for exercising and working out, we would suggest doing it at around the same time each day. Just like sleeping and waking up at set times, this gives your body a set routine. Working out is just as important and even more so than an hour in front of the TV, so it’s important to prioritize activities correctly.

woman running in the morning

4. Find a Buddy

Sometimes the best motivation comes in the form of a buddy. You don’t even need to know this particular buddy that you have paired up with, but just knowing that you are working together towards a common goal can be a great form of encouragement.

The teroGO app is a great way to connect to people worldwide on a virtual platform. You don’t need to make sure your schedules match to exercise. It can be done at any time and any place. Participants of teroGO’s virtual races find common causes they believe in, whether it’s a run for racism or planting trees.

You can take part in it and log in your distance or hours to bring the group one step closer to the common goal. The best part is that along the way. All those involved can encourage each other through virtual high fives and sweaty selfies. Get moving because you are all in it together!

man-and-woman-doing-yoga- and meditation at home

5. Make it Fun!

What’s more fun than engaging in your favorite form of exercise within a community of sweaty changemakers determined to do good? teroGO’s app is a great way to put a fun spin on exercising! Don’t forget to change up the routine as well.

We as humans are animals that prefer variety, so switching up the form of exercise can add a sense of novelty to structured routines. If you are sick of doing sit-ups and squats, maybe add some weight training or cardio exercises into the mix.

Free movement such as dance and aerobics can be a great way to increase your lung capacity and cardio and help you burn some fat and stay healthy. Signing up for classes for activities you have never tried before, such as karate, some form of dance, or even joining a league for beginners, could be an option to give you a sense of sportsmanship.

man and woman showing a medal

Conclusion

There are so many ways to stay motivated to work out. You may be staunchly against exercise but find yourself slowly giving into this amazing and necessary form of physical movement we need to keep our bodies healthy.

It’s also important to consistently offer yourself encouragement. If you don’t make your goal for the week, don’t be too hard on yourself but do award yourself a pat on the back and breaks between sets.

Written by Jess Lin

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