While I’m a big fan of fitness, there are times when I do not want to exercise, even when I know I should.
Let’s accept it, after a long day of work, sitting on the couch to watch TV or connect to the internet for a while may sound like something much more attractive than heading to a crowded gym.
Exercising in the mornings, although it is something very beneficial, is not often an option of preference for most working women.
So how can I do to feel motivated after a long day of work to exercise if you are not a fan of physical conditioning and sometimes you just hate the pure idea of exercise?
Well, that’s a good question, and one that I think about very often.
If you really do not like to exercise, or you need a change in your way of thinking, it’s time to start increasing your motivation to exercise.
If you know you need to exercise, but sometimes what you lack is motivation, then try to carry out these 5 simple tricks that can make a big difference.
1. Take your exercise clothes to work
The night before you go to work, pack a gym bag with all the clothes you need, then take the bag with you to work (or just put all the things in your bag).
The effect of wearing the clothes of exercising with you to work is very powerful in the subconscious of your mind, that way you can go straight to the gym from work.
The moment you get home from work and sit on the couch, there’s no turning back!
If your gym is in your residence, or home, avoid sitting before you go to do your training.
Ideally, the moment you get home, go change, and then go to the gym.
You have to create a habit.
You do not want to give yourself the time to commit to a deep internal monologue about whether or not you should do your training.
2. Organize your workouts
Sometimes I put my workouts on my calendar and treat them as if they were an important business meeting that I cannot miss.
By having them on my calendar for the week, I am thinking about them and mentally I am preparing to do my training.
This also helps to make exercising a priority.
My schedule is unpredictable and lacks structure, so this is very helpful for me.
Ideally, I try to train at the same time of the day and the same days to make exercise a habit, but again, just watching the workouts written on your calendar can be very useful.
3. Take a class in the gym or get a partner
Exercising with other people can help make you feel motivated to exercise.
When you are alone, you really need that intrinsic motivation, but exercising with a group of people will help you to demand much more from yourself.
If you are already enrolled in a gym, try to sign up in a couple of classes as strength training for the whole body, or boxing, if they offer it.
Another option is to get a gym partner who trains with you, can be a work colleague, your partner, or a friend.
Group support is very, very powerful.
4. Create a rule
I have an established rule that no matter what madness happens in my life, I’m not going to exercise less than 3 times in a week.
This means that I cannot be more than 2 days without exercising (I almost start to get nervous).
I think that the absolutely minimum allowed should be to exercise at least 2 times a week for 30 minutes.
You are not going to “try” to do your training, or you are going to say that “you should” exercise, you “must” exercise!
If you are a professional and hard-working woman, you are sitting on your backside consuming yourself if you do not exercise. That is a harsh reality.
Your body is designed to move, not to sit in a chair looking at a computer all day long.
5. Reward yourself
Maybe it could be going to see a movie at the cinema, buying a new clothes to go to the gym, or a massage, rewarding yourself for training can help keep you motivated.
While you can certainly reward yourself with certain tastes without having exercised, the reward feels much better and you feel better deserved after a good workout.
If any of these tips has worked for you, or if you have another tip that you would like to share about methods or strategies that help you stay motivated, please leave a comment.
