6 Ways to Get Motivated to Start & Maintain an Exercise Regimen

You’re feeling sluggish and unmotivated. You want to be more active because you know it’s good for you and you’ll feel better, but you just can’t seem to find the will. 

Starting to exercise is hard, and it’s okay to admit that. But there are loads of ways to find the motivation and get moving and stay moving. So, let’s look at some of those ways and get you up off the couch and moving that body.

Choose An Activity You Enjoy

When contemplating starting a new exercise regime, you need to want to genuinely do it, so choose an activity that you’ll enjoy. It’s a well-known fact that people stick with things they enjoy and give up on those they don’t. So rather than attempting to pin your exercise goals on an activity or sport that makes you miserable, follow your bliss. That’s not to say you shouldn’t try new things for the sake of giving it a go and finding a new pleasure, just that it’s easier to get going with something joyful.

Learn About Recovery

Often people start off doing physical exercise, they enjoy the actual activity only to discover it can hurt in the aftermath. By learning about recovery times and how to deal with muscles pain, you’ll be better equipped to handle it and less likely to shy away from exercising. Percussive therapy helps accelerate muscle recovery in the days after exercising and can be done at home. The handheld device (about the size of a hair drier) can relieve muscle pain and encourage the user to keep up with regular exercise.

Depending on the activity you’re undertaking, stretching to cool down is vital for keeping muscles limber and less sore. A complete yoga workout that is all stretching naturally won’t require this, but running and intense workouts will. Failure to stretch will result in muscle stiffness and reduced flexibility (among other things). Even after a gentle walk, you’ll benefit from stretching as you’ve warmed up the muscles and joints, so be sure to incorporate a suitable stretching routine in your exercise plan.

Choose A Realistic Goal

By picking a realistic goal for exercise and activity, you’re more likely to actually follow through and get started. Maybe you want to lose weight or run a half marathon? Work out what you need to do to get there in a reasonable timeframe and go from there. Breaking it down into bite-sized goals makes to final target less overwhelming. Start by trying to run a mile or two, and as your fitness builds up, gradually increase your distance until you’re ready to run that half marathon. Following a training program is an excellent way to achieve this goal.

Choose The Right Exercise For Your Goals

If you’ve decided to lose 30lbs, taking up weightlifting isn’t going to help you, whereas HIIT workouts will. You’ll also need to adapt your diet accordingly for maximum benefit. Whereas, if you’re looking for a gentle way to improve flexibility and relieve stress, taking up yoga is ideal. By matching the exercise to your goals, you’ll see actual results and be motivated to continue. 

Don’t Take On Too Much

Once you’ve decided to start being active, don’t be tempted to try and do too much too early. The initial rush will be incredible, and you’ll tell the world how wonderful you’re getting on doing two workouts a day. However, you’ll quickly burn out and stop doing anything at all, which ultimately put you back where you started, doing nothing. By starting moderately, you give yourself a chance to get comfortable exercising and make it a habit. Once you’ve done this, you can ramp up the intensity while more likely to stick with it. 

Don’t Go It Alone

Working out with a friend is a terrific way to push yourself out the door when you don’t feel like getting on the move. Not only will you knot want to let each other down, but you’ll motivate each other when either flags. A bonus is having someone you can rejoice in mutual progress and reaching your targets with. That motivational boost does wonders for getting you up and going.

Although getting started with exercise can be daunting, you can find the motivation by following the right tips for your situation. Set realistic goals and learn which activities will help you achieve them. Once you’ve started, you’ll build good habits and maintain your new exercise regime with the right strategies.