We’ve always heard that the key to succeeding is “putting your mind to it.” If you don’t passionately want something, there’s a pretty good chance that you won’t get it. This theory applies for fitness and weight loss goals too, and it’s the reason why the majority of people who make these kinds of New Years Resolutions ultimately fail. There’s a disconnect between what we want to look like, and what our plan is to make the vision of being Jessica Alba’s body double a reality.
As someone who works out religiously 5-6 times per week, I can confidently tell you that it doesn’t just happen without effort. Sure, I genuinely like to exercise, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not just as difficult for me to muster up the willpower to drag my butt to the gym, as anyone else. You can make 2009 the year that you stick to your fitness resolution, and to help you, I’m going to share my tried-and-true willpower tips.
Here are five easy ways to motivate yourself to exercise:
1. If you’re more of a morning workout person, either wear your workout clothes to sleep or lay them out so you can quickly throw them on in the morning. I wear my exercise stuff to sleep if I’m waking up super-early, so it’s one less reason not to get my butt out of bed in the morning.
2. If you have a job and like to exercise after work, take your gear with you to work and change at the end of your work day. Then, go directly to the gym or wherever you plan to exercise. If you go back to your dorm or apartment first, you’re very likely to start vegging out on the couch.
3. Buy cute workout clothes! This definitely works for me, and gives me a reason to want to go to the gym! These are a few of my favorite places to buy exercise clothes:
- Lululemon - especially their pants; expensive, but worth it! (the crops shown at right are Lululemon groove tie crops)
- Marshalls or TJ Maxx - great selection, and you’ll still have money for next semester’s books
- Old Navy - sometimes you can find good deals here
- Forever 21 - great for cheap tank tops
4. Sign up for a race or other athletic event. You’ll be forced to stick to a training routine. For a list of races, check out Runner’s World’s Race Finder.
5. Find a friend to train with or join a gym and commit to taking aerobics classes. I take 3-4 aerobics classes each week with a friend, and I treat them like a class or appointment. After you’ve consistently gone to aerobics for several weeks, you’ll make friends in the class, which will also help you to stay motivated!
Good luck! Leave a comment below if you have other motivational ideas!
Photo courtesy of stylewatchblog
January 6th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Great ideas to stay motivated! These are very helpful tips!Talking with the “newbies” at the gym and the ones that are just starting out.They all seem to have this in common. They are having a difficult time staying motivated and are not able to visualize there goal of losing weight and getting in shape. Another way to stay motivated is to look at other peoples success stories. Here are some great ones that I came across.
http://bodybuildingandyou.blogspot.com/
January 8th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Lots of colleges offer physical education classes which are graded pass/fail, so you fail if you don’t show up. Grades are a big incentive for me haha. Also, physical education classes are free to take, so you could learn karate or modern dance for free. Oh or you could join intramurals and make some new friends!
One great motivator is doing an activity you love, I mean working out does not have to suck.
January 9th, 2009 at 10:26 am
So true April! Phys Ed classes are the best…at PSU, even though they aren’t graded pass/fail, basically as long as you’re there and trying, you’re likely to get an “A”. I took “Jogging” and Ice Skating- both were awesome!
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I keep fit with milk everyday.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:11 am
There are some great ideas there but do you really wear your workout clothes to bed in the summer months, ain’t it hot!!
stepometer.co.uk