You already know that there are health benefits of working out.  Whether your workout program is designed for fitness or for weight loss, there are many bonuses: Mood enhancement, increased metabolism, fighting osteoporosis, lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease, and the list goes on.  But, exercise is a long-term endeavor.  A “marathon not a sprint,” if you will.  How do you fight boredom and stay motivated day in and day out?  Today, we are talking about six ways to stay motivated in your workout program.

  • Set Goals

If you are working towards something, you are much more likely to be motivated to stick with your workout program.  There are all different kinds of goals you can set.  The more specific you are, the better.  You might pre-register for a 10k and train to be ready for that date on the calendar.  Or pick a weekend to finally tackle that hiking trail with the beautiful view.  Or be able to do a certain number of push-ups in a row by a certain date.  Some choose an exact weight loss goal, but remember to take into account that muscle is denser than fat. If you are building muscle, the number on the scale is not an indicator of your overall fitness.

The point is that picking a specific goal and timeline for achieving it allows you to be clearer about your weekly goals, your progress, and ultimately to have the satisfaction of achieving it.  Once you accomplish that goal, you can set an even bigger one!

  • Find a Buddy

Having a workout partner can make your workouts more enjoyable.  Also, it creates more accountability for you.  If there is a day when one of you is not feeling up to the workout, the other can help to push you and remind you why you wanted to work out in the first place.  If you have signed up for a fitness class, a club, or a gym on your own, you might find that it helps you to forge a friendship with someone who goes there around the same time of day to keep you both motivated to maintain your workout program.

Some people find it helps to up the ante with your buddy and set a penalty for missed workouts or a reward for achievements.

  • Generate Peer Pressure

If you do not have a buddy or a group working out with you, there are still ways to build community and accountability into your workout program.  Use social media to become part of a fitness group online.  Find a group that has regular check-ins to encourage everyone to stay on track.  Or, tell your friends your goal.  It can be all too easy to give up on a goal or skip a practice when you are the only one who knows about it.  By telling your friends, you are opening up the door for them to check in with you about your progress.  If you need extra incentive, try sharing information with them publicly on a consistent basis, so that your own documentation encourages you to stay on pace with your workout program.

  • Make It a Habit

The more ingrained the habit of working out is for you, the more you will be inclined to do it.  There are many ways to turn working out into a consistent pattern.  The most obvious is to have a clear workout schedule.  Will you work out mornings, lunchtime, or evenings?  Will you jog home from work every Monday/Wednesday/Friday?  Will you focus on certain types of exercises on particular days of the week?

Another way to make exercise a habit is to make it as easy as possible to get ready for it.  When you finish a workout, leave your gear out in an easy to reach, easy to see place.  The next time you need to exercise, it will be right there ready for you to grab and go.

  • Reward Yourself

Finding little ways to reward yourself after workouts or at the end of a full week of staying on track can be a great way to incentivize consistency.  If you work out with a buddy, you can celebrate with a weekly reward.  Or, if you like the idea of having a positive incentive but don’t want to reward yourself, try connecting with a charity.  You can create a fund for successful weeks, and this could even be something that you communicate to your friends on social media to get them involved in giving while you get healthy.  If good health is not reward enough, tangible rewards may help you to feel motivated in your workout program.

  • Mix It Up

Finally, if you are the type of person who needs variation more than consistency, there are all kinds of solutions available to you.  You can change up the exercises you do on monthly, weekly, or daily basis.  You can reward yourself by buying a new item of workout gear at regular intervals.  You can tweak your workout playlist every week.  You can fight boredom by finding ways to make your workouts feel fresh and new as often as needed.

Everyone has days when it feels like it is just too hard to workout.  It is easy to come up with all types of excuses to get off track.  These are just six ways we can think of to feel more motivated to keep following your workout program.

Plus, we have a fitness community in the works.  If you are interested to learn more as information becomes available, contact us at buzz@VisitBeWell.com.  And if you want to know more about the link between exercise and happiness, and how your workouts can lift your mood, read here!