How to motivate yourself to exercise and eat healthy?
If you are bored or stuck, feel like giving up or can’t commit or follow through on your commitment to exercise, it’s time to approach exercise in new ways!
I hear over and over from friends and family:
“I need motivation to exercise!”
“How can I motivate myself to exercise?”
"What are the best ways to motivate yourself to exercise?”
A large part of my job as a Physiotherapist is how to motivate a client to exercise.
Motivation strategies for exercise are the most important factor in success for my clients. Without motivation, sadly the perfect program fails! It is very frustrating for the Physio or trainer who knows the program is effective, but the results can’t happen unless they can motivate their client.
I recommend you start by questioning what motivates you and how can we improve your motivation?
How to motivate yourself to exercise
At times we need a different approach to solving a problem.
Ask yourself, “Why am I not motivated to exercise?”
Sometimes just getting started might be the problem.
A different approach might give you a new perspective and more energy.
Start small then build as your confidence grows.
Exercise Motivation Techniques
What motivates and excites you?
Think about what you enjoy as a different approach to exercise, and how you can incorporate this into your exercise routine.
Do you prefer to be outside than in the gym? Are you not motivated to go to the gym?
Do you thrive and feel inspired in a natural environment?
Walk, run, ride, hike, ride a bike, or swim. Explore.
Do you prefer quiet?
Try exercising at home, yoga, swimming or walking rather than a gym environment.
Do you prefer to be social?
Group exercise like Cross Fit or circuit training.
Do you prefer quiet solitary time?
Exercise at home or outdoors.
Do you prefer music and dance to running, cycling or swimming?
Put on your favourite song and dance at home alone or with family or friends.
Try ‘Just Dance’ on UTube or download the app. We had so much fun learning these moves with our family during lock down!
Join a local dance class in the genre you love most.
You’ll be amazed how much you sweat, have fun and achieve your steps goal!
Are you struggling with how to motivate yourself to exercise after work?
Look at how you could adjust your schedule and perhaps get to bed earlier so you have had enough sleep to get up early and exercise before work.
If you can’t get up early and exercise before work, could you workout at lunch time to lift your energy, avoiding the mid afternoon slump in energy, when it’s hard to motivate.
If the only time you have to exercise is after work make sure you are energised with a mid afternoon high protein snack.
Plan to exercise with a friend so it is fun and time passes quickly.
Join a class at a specific time which is fun with great music, a bubbly instructor and some friendly participants.
If you don’t feel like socialising, plan to listen to and audiobook or podcast that you enjoy while you hit the gym, walk or run.
If you enjoy movies or are hooked on a series, watch Netflix on the stair master. Just don’t fall off!
What motivates you to achieve results?
Do you need a challenge to motivate you?
Book a challenge, a fun run, triathlon or walk to motivate you.
Pick a physical challenge that motivates you.
A pull up, a handstand, the splits, learn to skip.
Are you unsure what to do and want to follow an instructor?
Try a group fitness session, a personal trainer, exercise physiologist or pilates instructor.
Are you still confused and have more specific questions like:
"How many different exercises should I do in a workout?”
“Should I do the same program repeatedly or vary or alternate programs?”
“When should I progress?”
“How often should an athlete train?”
You can seek assistance from a Physiotherapist, exercise physiologist or personal trainer to provide a specific program based on your needs, drawing on their training and experience with clients.
Do you live remotely or simply prefer to exercise at home?
Try an online program or engage a personal trainer who is mobile and will visit you in your own home.
Are you unsure what to do for the best, as you feel pain and are worried about the proper exercise technique or correct exercise, best for you?
Enlist the help of a Physiotherapist, pilates teacher or exercise physiologist to help you.
Did you know that if you enlist services from a qualified practitioner to assist you, most private health funds will provide rebates for their services to support you to make healthy lifestyle changes, to avoid long term expensive health treatments?
Once you have figured out yourself the best ways to motivate yourself to workout, commit and mark your workouts in your diary before the start of each week.
Once you start and keep the routine for a few weeks, it will become habit and you will feel worse not exercising!
Do you need help figuring out a new approach to motivate you?
Apply for your FREE physical assessment to establish your start point and receive your results broken down for you to PLAN a NEW APPROACH to MOTIVATE YOU
Click the link above to GET STARTED NOW!
Please comment below your thoughts, concerns and personal experiences, or message me if you need more help.
Emma 😊
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