Having the motivation to workout is hard enough, but if you’re starting over after having baby, a long break or just starting for the first time, it can be significantly more difficult. Here are 9 tips that I have used when I’ve lost motivation in the past that I hope can help you.
If you need additional support, you can join my Virtual Fit Camp which is complete with workouts, community, and nutrition advice from industry experts!
Set a small attainable goal first: then build on it over time
Here‘s the thing, if you aren’t already working out or doing something active every day, it will be tough to sustain a daily regimen for most people. Just like many things in like – being active consistently, is more of a HABIT than it is a skill.
Habits have to develop and they take time. It’s usually better to start off “small” and build on those successes. For example: if you set the goal to work out for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week – you can work to build that habit. Then once you are doing that consistently, you can adjust as you need for your goals – maybe that turns into 4 days a week or a 45-minute workout.
If you are an Apple Watch wearer, set your goals & work to close your rings! It is amazing how motivating that can be. This is one of the easiest ways to build healthy habits – you literally have a watch that’s reminding you and keeping track throughout the day.
Schedule it like an appointment
Look at your actual life, your actual schedule. When can you realistically get a workout in? For MOST people, the biggest key to your success will be doing your workout first thing before the rest of your day gets started. If you wait until the end of the day or try to cram it into an already chaotic time of your day – you are very likely to skip it, make excuses, put it off, and just completely dread it. We are tired, maxed out, and naturally not as motivated at the end of the day.
When you schedule your workout like an appointment – you don’t miss it. You plan the rest of your day around this priority thing – this workout. It becomes a protected part of your day – which means, it actually gets done.
The more you do it, the more it becomes a habit. The more habitual it becomes – the less energy it takes to make that decision to workout, because, now, it’s just part of your routine… it’s who you are. 😉
Know what workout you are going to do ahead of time
Do not waste the time and energy trying to figure out what you are going to do for your workout as you are stepping into your workout time. You will waste time & likely your workout won’t be effective. You want to get the most out of your workout time. If you’re new to working out – just rely on someone else’s expertise to guide you!
This is exactly why I do home workouts & am obsessed with my Fit Camps. Literally, all I have to do is log in to my private app on my TV or phone, hop into my virtual library, and click play on the workout. The calendar is already created for me – workouts planned to rotate muscle groups & exercise variety so that my results are maximized. I literally do not even have to think. I can roll out of bed in my pajamas and push play if I want – push pause if I really need to for mom life – and then pick right back up where I left off. This library is like a Netflix for fitness programs and includes a virtual live class option. If I’m traveling, I just bring this with me & can workout wherever I have wifi.
Even the programming is so mixed! The variety is really amazing, so you never get bored.
This small thing is actually the biggest tip I have for you. The SIMPLICITY of it makes me consistent.
If you are going to workout at home, just set up a small space inside or in your garage with a mat, some dumbbells, and maybe some resistance loops. It’s ok to start small! That is basically what I work out with every day, even after 8 years of home workouts. Nothing fancy is required.
Set yourself up the night before
From the alarm clock to breakfast you’ll have, and even setting out your entire workout outfit ahead of time. All of these simple things make a difference. Go to bed on time, so you can wake up on time. Set your alarm and give yourself enough time in the morning to not be stressed out. Layout your workout clothes so that you just have to roll out of bed, and get dressed – zero brain power is required.
Are you going to have a smoothie for breakfast? Or maybe overnight oats? Mentally preparing it ahead of time makes your morning so smooth! Or, maybe you do intermittent fasting like me – and you don’t even have to think about breakfast until later in the day.
The major key for waking up earlier, getting a workout in at the start of your day, almost always comes back to whether you have a nighttime routine that allows you to get enough sleep. It may take some practice – but just start!
You can follow me on Insta to get an extra boost of motivation. I’m up every morning, sharing in my Stories to encourage YOU to get up and workout!
Establish a NON-FOOD related reward
Let’s say you tackle those 3 workouts a week. What will you do? It can be as simple as a pedicure, as free as a sunset beach walk, or as bougie as a new pair of sneakers or a massage. Reward yourself in a way that feels right to you. Just try to avoid having all your rewards centered around food. I’m the first person to say, have the cookie, but when you are working on health goals – you don’t want to constantly “reward” yourself with foods that go against your ultimate goal.
It can be fun to challenge yourself & uphold your exercise commitments when you have a personalized reward waiting for you.
Find a community or a workout partner
The biggest reason people quit on their exercise commitments is the lack of accountability. If you are going to run, find a running partner to meet up with a few times a month. Maybe your spouse would be up for a workout with you – if not every day, a couple of times a week. Maybe a friend would meet you on the weekends? If you can’t physically meet up – sometimes having a friend you can text is extremely helpful! You can ask them to expect a text from you Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with a picture of your apple watch post-workout, or a sweaty selfie.
My Fit Camp is a private app and the literal GAME CHANGER for me was the accountability that goes down in that app. I track my workout, daily and log my food choices, daily. I meet new friends there who are health-focused & we keep each other accountable every single day. If someone isn’t showing up – the rest of us know about it – and that makes a difference!
Tell someone about your goal of working out 3 times a week. When your kids, your husband, or your coworkers begin to ask you how your workout was, you’ll see the power of that accountability!
Accountability is a very effective tool! Use it!
Remember, this is not ALL or NOTHING
You are allowed to listen to your body and you are also allowed to be imperfect. Just because you “mess up” or miss a workout – doesn’t mean you should quit altogether. This is a lifestyle change. There are going to be seasons that are tougher than others. The beginning is usually pretty tough to develop these habits – but then there is this beautiful compound effect that happens, you keep going & keep working on building your habit, and all of a sudden, it sticks!
If you are extra sore, do a stretch workout instead of a high-intensity workout. It’s important to listen to your body. It can be tempting to say a workout doesn’t “count” unless you are lifting heavy or sweating buckets – but that isn’t true. Low-intensity workouts can be very important too. This is your health we are talking about – not just your physique.
It’s unnecessary to expect perfection, the goal is consistency.
Start looking at your nutrition
Now, for those who are just starting out – I really think you can just simply focus on workouts or increasing your activity. You don’t want to pile on all these new changes all at once. But, eventually, your nutrition is something to look at. After you have developed the simple habit of regular workouts & increasing your activity – it’s time to look at what you eat & how you feel when you eat it.
We could get very dialed in, and my Fit Camps actually do offer two amazing nutrition plans when you’re ready, but for now – I just want you to focus on a few key things when it comes to nutrition. Drink more water, eat more vegetables, reduce mindless snacking, and think about the way you feel after eating the foods that you eat. That’s it! Start there and make small intuitive adjustments.
When you are ready to dial in your nutrition even more – reach out to me, or find additional resources to help you. Do me a favor though, don’t focus on calorie counting & food restrictions. When choosing a nutrition game plan, ask yourself: “can I sustain this for the rest of my life while still enjoying my life?”
Make your workouts FUN whenever you can
This can be as simple as an awesome playlist to motivate you & keep you smiling. Maybe a new workout outfit does it for you. Like we talked about before, maybe bringing friends or family along for the day’s activity is what you need. Ask yourself, “what do I actually like to do?” Then see if you can do more of that with your workouts! It’s simple but makes a difference. Hey, if you love to dance – DO A DANCE WORKOUT!!
I hope these tips help you get started moving and feeling your best! If you have any tips that I missed, drop them in the comments below. Who knows, you might change someone’s life ;).
