Getting yourself to exercise can be difficult. And we all find it difficult sometimes, you’re not alone. Particularly before it has become a habit to exercise, getting yourself to get off the couch and do something strenuous is hard. On the other hand, we know that it’s necessary.
So just how exactly do you persuade yourself to go do something? Here are some tips that will help you out when you’re not feeling up to getting up…
Make a List
So you don’t want to go to the gym? Sit down and make a list of all the reasons that you should go. Be concrete. Yes, it is healthy to go, but try and think about more personal things too. What about that wedding that you’re going to in a couple of months, you want to look good, right? What about those new jeans that you just got? What about taking your kids out to play football?
There are a whole host of reasons why you’re exercising, you just need to remember what they are. As an added tip, keep hold of the list and read it again the next time you’re feeling that you can’t make it.
Think Small
If you’re feeling tired, then don’t set yourself up for a three hour workout. Just go for half an hour. Some exercise is better than none. Plus, once you start doing it, you might find that you end up exercising for far longer than your specified thirty minutes, anyway.
Enjoy It
Yes, some forms of exercise are better than others, and it’s important to have a balanced exercise programme just as it’s important to have a balanced diet. But choose things that you want to do. It might be hard to persuade yourself to go lift weights at the gym, but persuading yourself to go to your tango lesson, or your mountain climbing club is going to be much easier. If you like doing something, lack of motivation or energy really isn’t going to be a problem for you.
Group Therapy
It takes an extremely strong and willful person to be able to be self sufficient when it comes to motivation. Most of us can’t do this all by ourselves. Getting friends or family members to go out with you, or making new friends at the gym who have similar interests, can make a huge difference in your level of motivation. It turns exercise into a social occassion. If you’re really having problems, find yourself a personal trainer for a few sessions, he will certainly help to motivate you.
Cause and Effect
Remember that exercise can actually end up giving you more energy than you had to start with. Because your blood will be more oxygenated, you can end up feeling even better and less tired after a work out than you did before it. And don’t forget about all those feel good endorphins that will be swimming around in your system after a good work out. Exercise may be what causes you to feel better…
Perfect Timing
We don’t all exercise at the same time of day, we’re not all energetic at the same time of day. By timing your work out for when you as an individual are at your most energetic, you’ll have a better chance of getting it done. If you’re not a morning person, then don’t decide that you’re hitting the gym at six every morning, that’s unrealistic. On the other hand, if you are a morning person, don’t think that you’re going to work out after work every day. Choose a time that works for you.