5 Ways to Increase Your Exercise Motivation
October 9th, 2008 by Christine
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It often seems like my exercise habits wax and wane with the phases of the moon. When I get on an exercise kick, I can go to the gym every day for an hour and not think twice about it. But when my schedule is hectic and there are a million better things to do with my time than hit the treadmill, getting to the gym becomes that last thing on my to-do list.
I know I’m not the only one with this problem. I hear plenty of women complain about their inability to fit exercise into their busy schedules. So how do we get an exercise routine started and, more importantly, how do we keep it going? It’s all about motivation.
Increasing Your Exercise Motivation
- Decide why exercise is important to you and write your reasons down. If you know why hitting the gym is on your agenda you’ll be less likely to talk yourself out of it. And if you’re just not feeling like getting on the treadmill or doing those crunches, you can re-read your reasons for inspiration and motivation.
- Find a buddy or join a class. Who wants to disappoint the friend waiting for you in the locker room at 5:00? Or to have to tell your classmates why you skipped again last week? Accountability can be a serious motivator. And if being accountable to a buddy isn’t motivating enough, a little friendly competition might be.
- Set small, attainable fitness goals. Whether you’re a beginning exerciser who wants to increase your activity level or you’re a regular gym rat who wants to run a marathon, you won’t magically reach your goals overnight. Start slowly, at your current fitness level, and gradually increase the time or intensity of your workouts. For example, if you’re new to running but have your sights set on that marathon, start by setting the goal to jog a single mile. Every time you reach your goals, raise the bar. Before you know it you’ll be signed up for that big race!
- Keep track of your progress. Seeing your progress on paper is a great way to stay motivated. Tracking when and how much you exercise on a graph, a checklist, or a calendar can help you set attainable goals and reach them. You’ll know exactly what you’re doing and where you can improve your performance, and you’ll be able to easily review this information and change things up if you find you’re not getting the results you want.
- Reward yourself. Kids get special treats when they do good work, and we should, too. Every time you reach one of those goals you set, reward yourself with something special. Your treat could be anything from a new song for your MP3 player to a manicure and pedicure. Make your rewards something you’ll enjoy (but preferably not food) that will motivate you to keep working toward your goals.
If you’re anything like me, exercising is not your favorite thing to do. Still, I find that if I make it a priority and keep myself motivated, the benefits of exercising far outweigh the costs of time and energy.
How do you keep your exercise motivation going?
Ami writes about her attempts to stay healthy, live a local and green life and write that Great American Novel (or something like it) at Writing: My Life.
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