How do you find motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like getting off your butt? I ask myself this tanong every now and then, and I have the feeling I’m not the only one.
A few weeks ago, I wrote 4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit… and the fourth and final step was to add motivation as needed until the habit sticks. This post is to help you with that fourth step.
There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise, actually, but these are a few that have worked for me. And trust me, I’ve had days when I’ve struggled with exercise. Most recently, the things that have helped include finding a workout partner (one of the best motivators!), logging my exercise, pagbaba magazines, books and websites, and rewarding myself.
1.How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the susunod time: “You know how good you’re going to feel, Leo!”
2.Time for you. While many people make time to take care of others (kids, spouse, other family, co-workers, boss), they don’t often make time to take care of themselves. Instead, make your “you” time a priority, and don’t miss that exercise appointment.
3.Calories burned. If you count calories (and it’s really one of the most effective ways to lose weight), you know that the madami you exercise, the madami calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
4.Having fun. Exercise should be fun. If it isn’t, try a different kind of activity that you enjoy. As long as you’re moving, it’s good for you.
5.How you’re going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you.
6.Magazines. It motivates me to read fitness magazines. Not sure why, but it works.
7.Cover models. Sure, they’re genetically freaky, and probably Photoshopped to look perfect. But for some reason, looking at how good a cover model looks helps motivate me to work harder.
8.Blogs. I enjoy pagbaba blogs about people who are into running, or losing weight. It can ipakita the ups and downs they go through, and you can learn from their experiences.
9.Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, I’ll almost always read them.
10.Forums. Do the monthly challenge on the Zen Habits forums, or sumali another pagtitip. full of like-minded or like-goaled peopled. Check in daily. It really helps.
11.Rewards. If you exercise for a few days, give yourself a reward! A week? Another reward. Do it often in the beginning.
12.Fitting into new clothes. Wanna look good in a smaller size? Work out!
13.Being attractive. That’s always a good motivator, as I’m sure we all know. Edited to correct language.
14.Adrenaline rush. I get a rush when I exercise. Ride that rush to complete the workout.
15.Stress relief. Wound up after a long araw at the office? Get out and work off that stress. It makes a world of difference.
16.Time for contemplation. I love, pag-ibig the quiet time of exercise for thinking about things. Most of this post was written in my head as I exercised.
17.A workout partner. Best thing I’ve done.
18.An exercise class. Sign up for a class, perhaps with a friend, and you’ll be motivated to get there and work out.
19.A coach or trainer. Worth the money, just for the motivation.
20.An exercise log/graph. For some reason, Pagsulat it down is extremely important. Really. Do it for a week and you’ll see what I mean.
21.Your before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come. Take pictures.
22.A 5K race or triathlon. Just sign up for one, and you’ll be motivated to train.
23.The dread of feeling “yuck” from not exercising. I hate how I feel after not exercising. So I remind myself of that when I feel tired.
24.Living long enough to see your grandkids … and play with them.
25.The scale. It’s not motivating to weigh yourself every day, as your weight fluctuates. But if you weigh yourself once a week, you’ll be motivated to have it keep going down, instead of up. Combine the scale with the measuring tape, and measure your waist.
26.Reaching a goal. Set a goal for weight, or your waist measurement, or a number of days to work out, or a number of miles to run this week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make it easily achievable.
27.Posting it on your blog. Tell people you’re going to lose weight or exercise daily, and ulat to them. You’ll make it happen.
28.Motivational quotes. I like to print them out or put them on my computer desktop.
29.Books. I just bought a strength-training book as a reward. It makes me want to hit the weights!
30.Others commenting on how good you look. When someone notices the changes in your body, it feels good. And it makes you want to work out more.
31.An upcoming araw at the beach, or a reunion. Nuff said.
What are your motivations? Let us know in the comments
A few weeks ago, I wrote 4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit… and the fourth and final step was to add motivation as needed until the habit sticks. This post is to help you with that fourth step.
There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise, actually, but these are a few that have worked for me. And trust me, I’ve had days when I’ve struggled with exercise. Most recently, the things that have helped include finding a workout partner (one of the best motivators!), logging my exercise, pagbaba magazines, books and websites, and rewarding myself.
1.How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the susunod time: “You know how good you’re going to feel, Leo!”
2.Time for you. While many people make time to take care of others (kids, spouse, other family, co-workers, boss), they don’t often make time to take care of themselves. Instead, make your “you” time a priority, and don’t miss that exercise appointment.
3.Calories burned. If you count calories (and it’s really one of the most effective ways to lose weight), you know that the madami you exercise, the madami calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
4.Having fun. Exercise should be fun. If it isn’t, try a different kind of activity that you enjoy. As long as you’re moving, it’s good for you.
5.How you’re going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you.
6.Magazines. It motivates me to read fitness magazines. Not sure why, but it works.
7.Cover models. Sure, they’re genetically freaky, and probably Photoshopped to look perfect. But for some reason, looking at how good a cover model looks helps motivate me to work harder.
8.Blogs. I enjoy pagbaba blogs about people who are into running, or losing weight. It can ipakita the ups and downs they go through, and you can learn from their experiences.
9.Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, I’ll almost always read them.
10.Forums. Do the monthly challenge on the Zen Habits forums, or sumali another pagtitip. full of like-minded or like-goaled peopled. Check in daily. It really helps.
11.Rewards. If you exercise for a few days, give yourself a reward! A week? Another reward. Do it often in the beginning.
12.Fitting into new clothes. Wanna look good in a smaller size? Work out!
13.Being attractive. That’s always a good motivator, as I’m sure we all know. Edited to correct language.
14.Adrenaline rush. I get a rush when I exercise. Ride that rush to complete the workout.
15.Stress relief. Wound up after a long araw at the office? Get out and work off that stress. It makes a world of difference.
16.Time for contemplation. I love, pag-ibig the quiet time of exercise for thinking about things. Most of this post was written in my head as I exercised.
17.A workout partner. Best thing I’ve done.
18.An exercise class. Sign up for a class, perhaps with a friend, and you’ll be motivated to get there and work out.
19.A coach or trainer. Worth the money, just for the motivation.
20.An exercise log/graph. For some reason, Pagsulat it down is extremely important. Really. Do it for a week and you’ll see what I mean.
21.Your before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come. Take pictures.
22.A 5K race or triathlon. Just sign up for one, and you’ll be motivated to train.
23.The dread of feeling “yuck” from not exercising. I hate how I feel after not exercising. So I remind myself of that when I feel tired.
24.Living long enough to see your grandkids … and play with them.
25.The scale. It’s not motivating to weigh yourself every day, as your weight fluctuates. But if you weigh yourself once a week, you’ll be motivated to have it keep going down, instead of up. Combine the scale with the measuring tape, and measure your waist.
26.Reaching a goal. Set a goal for weight, or your waist measurement, or a number of days to work out, or a number of miles to run this week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make it easily achievable.
27.Posting it on your blog. Tell people you’re going to lose weight or exercise daily, and ulat to them. You’ll make it happen.
28.Motivational quotes. I like to print them out or put them on my computer desktop.
29.Books. I just bought a strength-training book as a reward. It makes me want to hit the weights!
30.Others commenting on how good you look. When someone notices the changes in your body, it feels good. And it makes you want to work out more.
31.An upcoming araw at the beach, or a reunion. Nuff said.
What are your motivations? Let us know in the comments
Ring a Ring a Rosies,
a pocket full of posies
ATISHOO ATISHOO, we all fall down
Known to be a song about a ring of roses, little children pag-awit in a row, then you sneeze and you fall down. Did you ever play that game as a young child? Hold hands and dance in a circle?
Now for the reality.
This nursery rhyme is about the Black Plague.
Ring a ring a rosies - you used to have large pinky red circles on your skin, this is how you knew you had the plague.
A pocket full of posies - People used to hold posies up to their nose to keep the smell of death away. They also believed that it would keep the plague away. (didn't work)
Atishoo Atishoo we all fall down - you know what THAT means? if not that, people would sneeze and cough and you'd know that OHMYGOD WERE DYING! And you'd all fall down (basically, you've popped your clogs)
Some people think it is a very, haunting, creepy song if sung in a certain way other than the cheerful way.
Randomness lol.
a pocket full of posies
ATISHOO ATISHOO, we all fall down
Known to be a song about a ring of roses, little children pag-awit in a row, then you sneeze and you fall down. Did you ever play that game as a young child? Hold hands and dance in a circle?
Now for the reality.
This nursery rhyme is about the Black Plague.
Ring a ring a rosies - you used to have large pinky red circles on your skin, this is how you knew you had the plague.
A pocket full of posies - People used to hold posies up to their nose to keep the smell of death away. They also believed that it would keep the plague away. (didn't work)
Atishoo Atishoo we all fall down - you know what THAT means? if not that, people would sneeze and cough and you'd know that OHMYGOD WERE DYING! And you'd all fall down (basically, you've popped your clogs)
Some people think it is a very, haunting, creepy song if sung in a certain way other than the cheerful way.
Randomness lol.
Giggle Giggle went the lad’s,
For they were doing something bad,
What they were holding in their hands,
Oh, it was not the building plans!
Leaders of the building team,
Oh - so - sensible they seemed,
But what nobody else did see,
Was making them chuckle with glee!
One of them looked over his shoulder,
One of the men, the picture holder,
Just to make absolutely sure,
No one thought them immature.
When he saw the coast was clear,
Once madami at the picture did he peer,
And I’m sure sa pamamagitan ng now you’re aware,
Exactly what that man saw there!
Amazing.
The glue that holds us together....ALL of us....is in the shape of the cross.
Immediately Colossians 1:15-17 comes to mind.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For sa pamamagitan ng him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth , visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;
all things were created sa pamamagitan ng him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things HOLD TOGETHER. "
Colossians 1:15-17