How I Can Motivate Myself to Work Out

I have to be honest with you, I am a person with a high self-motivation. Self-motivation is the force that drives you to do things. When we think you’re ready to quit something, or we just don’t know how to start something, self-motivation is what pushes us to go on.

In life, we have to Set achievable goals and work to achieve them. To accomplish that we need a positive and encouraging attitude.

While I was pregnant with my twins, I gained 56 pounds. 4 weeks after my twins were born I started to work out to lose the 20 pounds left I had to lose. My goals were to lose that weight in 2 months by doing exercise and eating healthy. I started to run every day for 1 hour per day. I have to say, I was a runner before I get pregnant and was running about 4-5 miles per day / 7 days per week.

I was desperate to get back in my clothes. The first 10 pounds was really quick to lose. The last 10 pound was difficult. I could run 30-35 miles per weeks and I was losing 1 pound and 1/2 or 2 pounds per week. It was discouraging. But, I was determinate to achieve my goal. I was looking at my favorite pair of jeans or my beautiful shift dress and it was clear I was not giving up. Finally, after 2 months of hard work I lost all the weight I gained. Then, I decided to run only 4 times per weeks and started strength training 2-3 times per week.

I have been pregnant twice and both time I did the same. The weight of the second pregnancy was more easy to lose because I gained less weight during the pregnancy. It took me 1 month and a half the second time.

How I can motivate myself to work out?

Working out is hard and take time. Start with simple goals and then progress to longer goals. Remember to make your goals achievable. Flexible goals encourage you to stay focus.

The best way to motivate yourself to work out is to find a routine you truly enjoy, so your workout doesn’t feel like work. It can be helpful to plan your workout schedule in advance. Write it down on your weekly schedule. Get notifications on your phone. Myself, I always workout at the same time of the day in the morning. I feel I have more energy in the morning. Anyway, I don’t have time at night because of the homework for my twins.

Personally, I prefer solo workouts, but for those that need a little push, scheduling regular workouts with a friend or group can make all the difference.

My husband and my friend love to use their Apple Watch as a fitness tool. The newest version of Apple watch has heart rate tracking, GPS, auto sync with cardio gym equipment, and fitness apps. This is a great tool to boost your fitness.

Whether you’re a taking the first steps toward fitness or an exercise fanatic, a good fitness program include cardio, strength training, core exercises, balance, and stretching. If your long-term effort focuses only on cardio you will lose weight, but you will also be losing muscle.

I like to workout with a personal trainer. It is addictive and you see good results. It is good to consider working with a personal trainer 2-3 times per year. That one-on-one time will help assess your current exercise routine, make recommendations for improvement or create a well-balanced workout and correct your workout mistakes.

Make sure to create a challenge every time you exercise. Use a different routine, add little more weight, rest five to 10 seconds less between sets, add more reps, or do one more set.