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You know you need to work out, but youre having trouble
getting up the enthusiasm. How do you find motivation to exercise when you just
dont feel like getting off your butt? I ask myself this question every now and
then, and I have the feeling Im not the only one.
There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise,
actually, but these are a few that have worked for me.
* Have fun. If you hate running, dont go to the track for exercise. Find
something you like. The list of different kinds of exercises are nearly endless.
The only really important thing is to get your body moving and your heart rate
up.
* How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout.
Its a high. And I let that motivate me the next time.
* Calories burned. If you count calories (and its really one of the most
effective ways to lose weight), you know that the more you exercise, the more
calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
* How youre going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that
visualization drive you.
* Change it up. Even if you have a routine you enjoy, mix it up from time
to time. Try entirely different exercises. You can check out a tape at the
library and try yoga or kick boxing for an afternoon. This will not only keep
you interested, it will break your muscles out of their routine and help produce
better results.
* Get a buddy. Exercising with a friend introduces a positive kind of
peer pressure. You will be more likely to go to the gym if you know someone is
waiting there for you. Talking and laughing while exercising will also keep you
from being bored.
* An exercise log/graph. For some reason, writing it down is extremely
important. Really. Do it for a week and youll see what I mean.
* Get appropriate clothing. If you dont have the appropriate clothes for
the exercise, it can be irritating, uncomfortable, frustrating, or even unsafe.
If you exercise outside after dusk, be sure you have reflective clothing to
prevent traffic accidents. Also be sure the clothing looks nice; if you dont
like the way your clothing looks, you may feel uncomfortable, and less likely to
exercise.
* Pack Ahead of Time: An iPod, athletic shoes, a towel whatever. Walking
around the house trying to find stuff is a good time to lose your resolve. Put
everything together in your gym bag. When you finish working out, take out
things that need to be laundered and replace them immediately.
* Have a Goal. What do you want to achieve? Make it specific, make it
meaningful, make it obtainable. Be sure to have short-term benchmarks along the
way. Its OK to change your goals if the original plan doesnt work, but have a
goal. Regularly evaluate how you are doing on your goals.
* Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly
inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, Ill almost always read
them.
* Reward Yourself. Have a healthy reward when you reach a goal. Buy
yourself that cute pair of bike shorts. Go for a weekend hiking tri. Soak in the
sauna for your workout that day. Buy a new yoga video. Whatever works for you to
celebrate in line with your healthy lifestyle!
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