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Need a Boost of Exercise Motivation?

Let’s be honest, exercise motivation is sometimes hard to find. Most people know all about the health benefits of exercising but many people simply lack the get up and go that is required to stick with it. Experts tell us that there are three things that mold our exercise motivation: our personal views on exercise, the type of exercise program we are doing and our environment. So, let’s take a look at each of these.

Our personal view on exercise simply involves getting to the root of how we feel about exercise. Whether we value exercise or not will have a lot to do on whether we understand how important it is to our personal health, whether we have had any negative experiences with exercise in the past and whether we view it as something that is enjoyable or as another chore on our “to do” list.

The type of exercise we try to do also has a lot to do with our exercise motivation. Questions you should ask yourself about the type of exercise you do is whether it is something that is too time consuming or costly? Is the exercise you are doing boring? It is too challenging? Is it something you can do anywhere or is it something you have to do in a facility?

Exercise motivation can also be greatly impacted by our environment, too. Are you surrounded by people who encourage you? Do you feel that there are too many demands on your time? Is the type of exercise you do incumbent upon the weather?

Once you answer these questions you can get to the root of your lack of exercise motivation. Once you have discovered the areas that may dampen your exercise motivation you set out to change them. Here are some tips which can give your exercise motivation a boost.

The first thing you should do is keep your goals small and simple. Setting large exercise goals for yourself can easily wear you out before you get past the first week! Allow your small goals to lead you on to larger goals. Don’t come out of the box already have set yourself up to fail. Achieving small goals can give you the exercise motivation to continue.

Many people find that keeping a diary or journal of their exercise progress is key to keeping themselves motivated. Being able to chart where you started, where you have been and where you are gives many people the exercise motivation they need to continue.

Add a little exercise spice to your life. Many people simply become bored with the same old exercise program. Mix it up a little. This doesn’t mean that you have to make drastic changes. Small changes such as walking in a different location or rearranging the order of your exercise machines can go far in keeping things fresh.

Don’t view exercise as a chore. Think of it as part of the bigger picture. Meditate on how it can affect your life twenty years from now.

If you do not have support on the home front, hook up with a friend and be exercise buddies. This does not mean that you have to exercise together; it just means you have someone to talk to about your progress. Having a partner can go far in keeping your exercise motivation high.

Lastly, know your limitations. Know your limitations in regards to your physical limitations as well as your time and find an exercise program that fits you. Who cares what someone else does? This is your life! Allow your body to go at its own pace. If you can only squeeze in walking up and down a flight of stairs during your lunch break, congratulate yourself for doing it. That is the best exercise motivation there is!