Finding Motivation for Your Workouts
On any given social media platform, it won't take long until you encounter a 'fitfluencer' who claims to have the key to unlocking your workout motivation. Advice ranges from "habit stacking" to "working out with friends," but it may often leave you feeling more confused than motivated.
The good news is that maintaining motivation to exercise can be achieved with just three simple steps. Exercise psychologists and psychotherapists have distilled this complex process down to three basic principles.
Finding the motivation to workout may currently seem as challenging as finding the perfect match on a dating app. However, by the time you finish this piece, you'll have a clear understanding of how to motivate yourself to exercise in three simple steps.
Firstly, consider the lifestyle you envision for yourself in 10, 20, or 30 years time. Then, ask yourself 'How can maintaining a good health and wellness routine help me attain that future life?'
Regardless of whether you see yourself climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with your better half, constructing a sustainable home with your partners, or simply playing with your grandkids, the reality is that regular exercise can provide the strength, mobility, and cardiovascular fitness required for such lifestyles.
Establishing an exercise regimen can guide you towards better health, according to Sharon Gam, PhD, CSCS, an exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning coach. “The key is determining your 'Big Why' for improving your fitness and health over the long term."
Recalling the many health benefits of regular exercise could also inspire you, suggests Katherine Williams, CPT, a certified trainer and integrative health practitioner with ThriveWell. Regular exercise aids in weight control, reduces blood pressure, manages stress, improves cardiovascular health, and enhances mood overall.
With your long-term goal set, it's time to determine a short-term goal, advises Gam. “This goal should be tangible and something you wish to accomplish within a manageable timeframe."
Depending on your specific fitness leanings, goals can range from achieving certain strength gains, losing weight, participating in a set number of competitions, running a specific race, or simply increasing your gym visits. Once you've sketched an outline of your goal, the next step is to fill in all the finer details.
“You should strive to create a SMART goal, as opposed to a general one,” suggests Rebecca Capps, LMFT, licensed psychotherapist, mindset coach, and founder of Mind Body Thrive.
If you're not familiar with the term, SMART represents goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART goals provide a structured approach to goal attainment.
Those who workout consistently do so because they enjoy the exercise they're engaged in, according to Gam. Interestingly, many frequent exercisers may not be particularly motivated.
“It requires a great deal of mental strength and energy to force yourself to do something you despise,” she says. This sort of strategy is bound to fail eventually as your willpower exhausts.
On the other hand, it doesn’t require much willpower, motivation, or discipline to pursue an activity you genuinely enjoy," she adds.
If no specific type of exercise springs to mind, experiment until you find one you like. Upon finding the right exercise type or workout environment, build your exercise routine around this preference. In the future, you can enrich your routine with strength, mobility, or cardiovascular training as needed.
For example, if you find you love yoga and start doing it thrice a week, you might decide to incorporate one day of heart rate training. If you prefer treadmill workouts, you could supplement your routine with a weekly visit to the weight room or use free weights at home.
Ensure that enjoyment remains at the center of your routine, says Gam. “While you may not relish every aspect of the additional exercises, finding at least one or two enjoyable elements can ensure that you keep coming back."
