Standing at the window of my gym looking out onto the beautiful sunny, breezy afternoon in downtown Columbus, I’m struck with the dreaded thought I was sure I’d eradicated from my brain: “I don’t want to be here.”
Not that I don’t want to workout; I just hate the idea of being stuck indoors when I could be enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, working in my yard or walking my dogs.
As the days get longer heading into summer, it takes all of my willpower and motivation to drag myself inside to wash the garden soil off my body and head to the weight room. Sure, I could take my workouts outdoors when it’s nice out, which I do on the weekends, but there’s just something about scanning that YMCA key card that makes exercise seem more official. Not to mention, a walk/run with the dogs stopping to sniff and pee on every tree, post and random clump of grass pales in comparison with the intensity and fun of a good zumba class.
Whatever your reasons are for waning motivation, don’t lose hope — it happens to all of us. And I have some tried-and-true tricks that always inspire me to head to the gym, even if it is 70 degrees and sunny.
To keep you going
Reward yourself. Not with food; you’re not a dog. When I first started to make exercise a habit, there was many a day I would fight with myself to go or not to go.
There were many bribes involved. “OK, if I go workout really hard for just an hour, I’ll go to TJ Maxx afterward and treat myself to a new (smaller) top or some new strapy sandals.” Or, “If I clock eight hours at the gym this week, I’ll stay in the yard gardening all day Saturday, iPhone on silent, no interruptions.”
It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, just something that will be special treat. Whatever works for you.
I’ve also been known to pay myself for time in the gym in those early days: one dollar for every fifteen minutes. It’s not much, but the more I’d workout the more I’d make. I’d save it up for a month or so and treat myself to something I’d had my eye on — a fun piece of jewelry or something for the house or yard.
Nothing motivates me to get my butt to the gym more than a hot new workout outfit. Yep, I like to look cute even when I’m dripping with sweat and smell like a football player. As superficial as that sounds, when you look good, you feel good … which translates into a better workout … which gets you closer to your health goals … which isn’t superficial at all.
Just a tip: Keep the tags on a new top and save it for a motivational emergency.
I absolutely have to listen to music when I lift weights. A catchy beat and inspiring lyrics go a long way in pushing me to pick up the pace. When my playlist starts to get stale, I’ll treat myself to several new tunes and am instantly re-energized for only a few bucks. I only let myself listen to new songs while I’m working out so that it’s something to look forward to and so I don’t get tired of them too soon.
Most of the time when you just don’t feel like going to the gym, it’s that first step that’s the hardest part. Trick yourself by saying “I’ll just go and do a light 20 minutes, and if I still feel blah I can quit.” Nine times out of 10 you’ll end up doing your entire workout and feel all the better for it.
Leah Sullivan of Columbus has been on a productive journey to a healthier lifestyle and shares some of her experiences with readers. Follow {Nourish} on Facebook.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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