How To Be Motivated To Workout: The Simple Way

Fitness is important, even more so in these hard times. You can’t afford to neglect your health–you need to take care of yourself and those you love. A healthy lifestyle is an essential part of achieving fitness. Having a daily balanced diet and a good workout routine helps you get fit. Still, a workout is no child’s play. It takes energy, time, effort, and perseverance. You need to be patient enough to keep going even when you don’t feel like it. It’s definitely worth it in the end, though! 

What Really Is A Workout?

Workouts are designed to boost your overall health. They exercise your body and, in the process, contribute to your physical and mental wellbeing. By definition, a workout is any form of exercise or bodily activity that enhances or maintains good health and fitness. It can be done for various purposes: health improvement, physical skills-honing, social activities, and a lot more. 

A workout depends on many different factors such as a person’s physique, fitness needs, and health goals. Flexibility, speed, power, coordination, and balance are also considered. An ideal workout is one where you work all of the muscle groups in your body. It includes four essential components. Mobility, strength, cardio, and rest. You can ask for a professional’s advice in order to know which kind of workout is best for you.

The Many Benefits Of Exercising 

Moving your body is great for both your physical and mental health. Exercising those muscles helps release good chemicals in your system that make your brain and body healthy. Endorphins, for one, reduce your perception of pain and lift your mood. Working out helps you reduce weight, stay away from diseases (heart disease, cancer, etc.), improve your brain function, improve your sleep and sexual health, and increase your chances of living longer, above all else.    

Workout Facts

It’s easier to motivate yourself to work out when you keep in mind the benefits and facts. Workouts offer many good things for anyone who commits to them. These are some:

• Simple exercise (e.g. walking, dancing, running) burns calories. That’s right! You don’t always have to do something intense just to lose excess fat or calories. In fact, simply cleaning the house is enough sometimes!
• Workouts improve memory. It’s scientifically proven. Moving your body can make you less forgetful. If you tend to misplace your keys, working out may do you good–with a balanced diet of course!
• Exercise improves brain performance. Sharpened memory, reduced inflammation, better cognitive function, etc. When you work out, your brain surely loves you for it.
• More muscle mass means more fat-burning. You don’t need to gain more muscle than you actually need. However, having enough-or more if you want or can-helps you get rid of fat even as you rest.
• Working out prevents ageing. Another proven fact. Because of all the great things working out does to you, you get the benefit of ageing more slowly. Moreover, you get to live a healthier life!
• You get sick less often when you exercise regularly. Again, the wonder of working out is what it offers you: good health. A stronger body and immune system makes you more resistant to illness.
• You’re more productive when you work out. You feel so good (and your body’s in a good condition) that you can’t help being more productive. You feel like you can accomplish a lot.
• Exercising makes your skin look good. Your chemicals work for you and you release dirt and harmful toxins. As a result, you get a healthy body and healthy skin!
• You get better sleep after a session. You’re in a great physical and mental state and you’re a bit tired. The perfect formula for a good night’s sleep.
• Working out boosts your self-confidence. Your brain and body are at their best, so you feel more confident. If you already are, then expect an extra dose of self-confidence!
• Regular exercise promotes stronger bones. Yes, add that to the list–a healthier heart, improved brain function…the list goes on!
• Workouts are more effective when you time when you eat. When you eat properly and at the right times, you get more benefits. For example, having four hours or more in between meals.
• Exercise gives you energy. The more active you are, the more energy you have for the day! You can take on your tasks and more.
• You get a sharper immune system when you workout. You gain a stronger immune system that protects you from physical and mental difficulties.
• Short bursts of intense exercise is just as effective. If you don’t have enough time to work out, a quick but intense session will definitely do!
• Scheduling your rest days helps you meet fitness goals. Taking a break is just as important as working out. Your body needs time to repair itself and be ready for your next session!

Some people already get exhausted just hearing the term workout. They think of vigorous exercise with much sweating and a tired body with aches and pains. While that may be true, that’s not all there is to workouts. In fact, not every kind paints the same picture. Workouts can be fun and rewarding too! Here are simple ways on how to be motivated to workout: 

Among Hundreds Of Workouts, Which One Is Right For You? 

There are tons of workout types out there. From the easiest to the most challenging, the list keeps growing to cater to every personal need and preference. However, you don’t have to try each one you find to know what’s right for you. It doesn’t matter if it’s popular or not, or who does it. The right workout for you is whichever answers your own needs best. Does the workout help you achieve your goals (weight loss, weight gain, proper fitness, etc.)? Does it go well with your physical or mental capability? The best workout for you will not compromise your condition no matter how effective it is. 

Doing the right workout will also motivate you more compared to just doing any other exercise. Choose one that’s right for your age, physical and mental capacity, fitness goals, schedule, and other related important factors.  

Get Your Source Of Inspiration

When you’re inspired, you’re more motivated to exercise. It’s hard to do any workout if you’re not a hundred percent committed. For instance, having a person or a specific goal as your motivation can make working out seem much easier. Think of it as training. Daily training is a whole lot better when someone or something motivates you. Ask a loved one, a fitness instructor, or a coach to train you. That person has to know what they are doing. They can only teach you what they know. They should also be able to lead you without going too hard on you.

Make Good Overall Health Your Motivation

It’s a natural human desire to be healthy. Good health means being in a good condition and having good quality of life. No one will refuse a sound body and mind. We all want to get the best overall health we can possibly get. Nothing can motivate you to work out more than good health. Who doesn’t want to be both physically and mentally well? You look and feel great, plus you’re capable of doing more!

Have Someone Help Motivate You

Old but still true, two heads are better than one. If you find it hard to do something, a friend can give you a hand. Let another person help motivate you when you feel like you don’t want to work out anymore. A loved one or someone you trust can help keep you motivated and get back on track. They can remind you of your goals and cheer you on.

S-t-a-y Motivated

It takes time. You’ll get used to your workout habits and you’ll reach your goals sooner than you think. If you keep your focus and keep moving. It’s a daily thing. Just take it one day at a time. When you feel tempted to give up, look at how far you’ve come. You can’t let all your hard work go to waste. Remember that it’s even harder to go back to square one after you decide to stop. What’s more, your fitness goals are worth every sweat. Becoming your healthier self surpasses every toilsome step you had to make to get there. Commit to your training. You are training yourself for better health and a better life, after all.  

Reward Yourself

You don’t have to torture yourself when you workout. Yes, discipline is a must, but that doesn’t mean you need to wear yourself out just to be fit. Real fitness is about achieving overall health and wellness. Pushing yourself and your body too much will never do you any good. It will only harm your physical and mental state. After a successful week of a few workouts, treat yourself. You can indulge in your favorite food you didn’t have during the week (just don’t overdo it!), or buy yourself a nice shirt. You can totally rock new, slimmer outfits once you’ve reached your goal!

Workout Tips

We’ve gathered a few helpful tips-that are actually proven to work-for your workout. See which one is best for you:

• Listen to some music – a good workout playlist will keep you going. Play your favorite tracks or whatever hypes you up!
• Do breathing exercises – your body needs enough oxygen to help you work out. Breathing exercises will prepare your muscles and your whole body for activity.
• Don’t forget stretches and warm-ups – these are important. Stretching and warm-ups won’t only prepare your body, but also prevent injury. Do stretches before and after a session.
• Get enough rest and sleep – healing time is essential for both your body and your mind.
• Drink lots of water – water is vital, even more in strenuous physical activities. It refuels you and replenishes nutrients you lose.
• Do intervals – interval training is alternating short bursts (about 30 seconds) of intense activity with longer intervals (about 1 to 2 minutes) of less intense activity. Try it if it seems more appealing or helpful to you.  
• Build good posture – having good posture makes you more capable of working out properly, plus, it’s important for your body.
• Take a day off between weightlifting sessions – if you’re lifting weights, don’t forget to take a break from it. Rest and healing for your body is a must.
• Do simple, alternative activities if you can’t workout – there will be days when you feel really lazy or too tired to move. Don’t worry, you can do something easier instead. Clean your room or go for a short walk. It counts too!
• Keep a workout diary – keeping track of your progress will help with your motivation as you move toward your goals.
• Don’t lose control – you can’t afford to zone out especially once you’ve gained momentum. Giving in for one second can lead to giving up altogether.
• Don’t let momentary pain get to you – pain is normal. As they say, “No pain, no gain”. Let it run its course.
• Switch up your routine every now and then – repeating the same workout routine everytime can be tedious. Trying something new when you need to.
• Do it like you mean it – not to sound dramatic, but put your heart in your workout. Only then can you make the most out of your session.
• Never do a workout you hate – it’s much harder to motivate yourself when you’re not all in. As much as a good workout is necessary, a good one you like is better.
• Go easy on yourself – you’ll reach your fitness goals more if you don’t force it. Going beyond your limit can be detrimental.

You don’t have to be a pro or a saint at working out. Don’t expect too much from yourself. Just do what you can. You know your body more than anyone else, so you’ll know when to try harder or take a pause. Don’t let anything make you lose sight of your main goal. If you aim to get stronger, then you don’t need to get a perfectly toned body. If it’s fitness, then you don’t have to strive to follow an intense workout routine.

Here are three quotes you can look at every time you’re about to begin your workout (you can tape it on your mirror or hang it on a wall):

“The body achieves what the mind believes.”

“What seems impossible today will one day become your warm-up

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

– Jim Ryun

Working out is fun! It can be hard, but it’s very rewarding. No matter what your fitness goal is, always remember that working out your body is good for your overall health. Above all, doing it consistently will lead to wellness. A sound body and a sound mind. Something we, as humans, need. Complete wellness is a real prize we must treasure. In these trying times, we can still do our best to achieve that both for ourselves and for those important to us. Being well enables us to play our role more effectively and live life more fully.