How To Get Motivated to Workout

There are times when I have driven to the gym and I have just sat in my car trying to find that motivation to workout.

Have you ever felt like this?

Maybe you have driven to the gym and gone no further,

Maybe you have got home and sat down and stayed there for the rest of the evening.

Commercial gyms are pretty boring places for me.

I know that seems crazy, coming from a personal trainer…

But when you’re tired & busy, food becomes an easier fix for comfort than exercise.

Trouble is, food provides the feel-good, followed by the weight gain when eaten in excess.

Especially if its the wrong food.

Typically, it would be the easy to over-eat starchy/ sugary foods which also stick to your hips and drop your energy levels.

Making you slow and sluggish.

Meanwhile, exercise which provides that feel-good feeling. makes you  feel like you are able to take on the world!

Something all busy professionals, and parents want & need!

So here’s the hack I use with myself and my clients to get motivated to workout, when I really don’t feel like it.

First you need a trigger. 

This is something to reminds you to workout.

This can be something as simple as putting your trainers next to your bed where you will see them when you wake up.

Or, putting your gym kit in the boot of your car, where you will see it after work.

Or setting a reminder on your phone.

whatever works for you.

However I find most people struggle because they simply don’t know why they want to workout.

Sure you may think “to lose weight and tone up”, which is fine.

but does that even motivate you?

WHY is that important to you? what will it allow you to do?

here are a few examples…

To keep up with my kids

To inspire my kids to be healthy

To run a 5km race

To enjoy an activity without feeling I am going to die

To get back into that wardrobe of lovely clothes

To buy clothes I want to buy, NOT clothes that fit.

Any of those ring a bell?

By being clear on WHY you want to improve your health helps you with HOW to do it (including working out).

You can remind yourself of it when you are struggling. Simple remember why this is important to you and don’t take no for an answer!

Next, you visualise what you want to achieve

Close your eyes and visualise the routine of DOING IT.

Picture yourself doing the exercises, feeling the burn, getting the pump.

Visualising REALLY does work.

It’s why top CEO’s and athletes rely on it for success.

and how I have been able to help professional athletes and the general public get the results they crave.

Finally, Reward Yourself

you need to identify a reward that you will give yourself if you complete the workout. If you don’t workout, you don’t get the reward.

The brain LOVES to complete patterns.

I.e. Put on trainers + workout = reward.

So the more you visualise it, the more you will have the urge to complete the pattern.

I can back that up with science, but let’s keep this brief.

“See it to BE it”

Naturally without requiring will-power you will feel an urge to go workout.

Now that doesn’t have to be rewarding yourself with some crap food because you worked out

What would be the point of putting yourself through a workout only to refuel your body with poor nutrition?

However,  you can still eat really tasty food that helps you rebuild and refuel

WIN/WIN!

If you have completed a week or a month of a training program and have seen good results, then reward yourself with some new clothes to show off your well earned slimmer self or have that meal at a nice restaurant.

Don’t get me wrong, you don’t always have to be a saint 😉

and here’s the thing. Even if you craved some naughty food before training, getting that sweat on and doing something positive, makes you want to keep that up…

Post workout

Feeling good.

Looking pumped.

feeling great.

That sense of achievement (remember always celebrate your wins)

Riding that high can often curb your cravings for food that you had before.

Suddenly you no longer fancy the <INSERT POOR FOOD CHOICE HERE>

there is no need for the sugar in fizzy drinks and biscuits to pick you up.

Proof that working out helps you make better food decisions!

Try these mind-set hacks the next time you feel like you have no motivation to workout.

It works a treat.

– COACH DEAN