As the winter months are drawing in, the motivation to get outside is diminishing… but here’s an article to help give you some tips to stay motivated.
The only way that exercise works in the long-term, is when it’s taken as a sustainable lifestyle choice. The desire to get healthy and stay that way is a driver that can last a lifetime. However good your intentions, though, sometimes it’s inevitable that your motivation will decline over time. It’s very hard to come back sometimes when you get stuck into a rut where exercise seems more like a chore than a pleasure. So, when you’re hit by a motivation slump, how do you bounce back?
Mix It Up
Everyone has a sport or an active pursuit that suits them – and whether you’re dedicated to your Saturday zumba class or you love the challenge of distance running, once you find that thing you love, exercise feels great. However, it’s quite natural to occasionally hit a plateau when the activity that you love just starts to feel a little bit harder work. When that happens, sometimes the key is simply to try something different for a while until that spark comes back. Think of something you’ve always wanted to try – finding a teacher at the RAD ballet school, learning to white water raft or even just an online Pilates challenge. Once you get moving again, it may reignite your love of your original sport, or you’ll find something you like even better – the key is to keep your brain and body engaged.
Teach Someone Else
If you’ve gotten quite good at your favourite active pursuit, why not teach it to someone else? If you have a stressed-out friend who could benefit from what you know about yoga, or you know someone wanting to start Couch to 5k when you’ve just cleared a half-marathon, why not offer them a little time? Explaining what you love about a sport to someone and watching them enjoy and develop a little is a great way of reminding yourself what you loved about it in the first place.
Create Some Entertainment
Sometimes, re-interesting yourself in a workout is all a matter of making more entertainment. Whether it’s using a Spotify workout playlists or an app like RockMyRun, the right music selection can be extremely motivating and help you to squeeze out that last mile when you feel like giving up. If you’re using a treadmill or weights at the gym, download a few episodes of your favourite show on Netflix to watch as you do your workout. You could even try gamifying your workout – with apps that have zombies chase you as you run – perfect for Halloween!
Sign Up To An Event
Reinvigorating what you do can be as simple as signing up to an event, such as a fun run – you can then have a target to aim for and raise money for a charity at the same time, which is a great motivator. You could also consider looking into a fitness break if you’re after a change of scenery. Learn a new skill like surfing, golfing or yoga at a resort dedicated to the activity and reset your wellness clock.
Do you struggle with motivation?
Do you have any tips to keep the exercise mojo?
Do work out more in the summer or winter?
Anna – what are your favorite shows on Netflix right now?
I work from home for a large bank in their risk and compliance department and I watch a LOT of streaming shows so I am always looking for new TV shows to listen to while I work in the quiet of home! 🙂
My favorite exercise is running. I love it so much and I automatically start feeling sluggish if I take more than a day off. Whenever I lose my will to exercise, I practice ‘the 2 minute rule’. I say to myself that its okay if I want to skip today, but to check it off my do-to list I need to do it for at least 2 minutes. Most of the time it lands up being a lot more than 2 minutes, but if I have some days when the energy doesn’t pop up and I really want to stop after that, I allow myself to. I’ve had some great workouts that I originally didn’t want to do, but ended up really pushing hard because the 2 minute rule. Mixing it up and make it entertaining are also really great ideas!
Saguren Redyrs recently posted…Amazing benefits of peach for skin
I’m probably the only person on the planet who exercises more in the Winter! I don’t cope well in the heat as you know. I find that if I’m enjoying the exercise that I’m doing, then I don’t lack the motivation so it is about keeping it fresh for me. That’s why I like the beachbody programs. Every workout is different and you don’t do the same one twice.
Rebecca recently posted…Holiday to Seattle, Washington 🇺🇸
I’d choose spring or autumn over winter or summer, but each season has benefits- going for a run in the cold and then having a cup of tea and a warm shower is always good.
I struggle with motivation when it comes to exercising and have been trying to think of ideas to improve it. Your ideas here are really helpful. Zombies chasing me as I run definitely got my interest! I can safely say that’s one I’ve never thought of trying, so I will be giving that one a go for sure.
Thanks for sharing a great article, it was an enjoyable read!
Sarah recently posted…Best Batting Tee Reviews and Buying Guide
Thanks a lot for sharing such a great piece of article! I found it a good helpful write-up with a good sound and explanation. Here I have seen some valuable ideas that are definitely helpful for every fitness enthusiast. Please keep sharing more updates!
Thanks for sharing such an interesting article! This article contains valuable ideas for every fitness lover. I feel refreshed and motivated after exercising in the winter morning. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.