We’ve all been there. We’re tired, busy, cozy, hungover and just don’t feel like working out.
Of course, you don’t have to workout every single day of your life, but when you’re striving for a thriving healthy lifestyle, you gotta be consistent about your fitness routine, sis. And if & when life gets in the way of that routine, it can be tough to get back into it.
If you’d LIKE to get a consistent fitness routine going but you don’t FEEL like getting up off the couch from your current Netflix binge, here are 8 tricks to get you moving even when you’re not in the mood to workout PLUS a freebie with the 8 Tricks to display it where you need it MOST.
{PSSSST: DON’T HAVE TIME TO READ THE BLOG POST? DOWNLOAD YOUR “FITNESS MOTIVATION POCKET GUIDE” HERE. IT’S A SNAPSHOT OF ALL 8 TRICKS LISTED BELOW!}
1. Remember What Exercise Does FOR Your Body
No matter your age, fitness level or health goals, exercise does MIND BLOWING miracles for your body – both inside & out.
Action Killer Thinking: A few workouts this week won’t really change much for me. I rarely see any results in one week. I’ll just take this week off. Not really feeling it.
Get Moving Trick: A little exercise is MUCH better than none at all. Check out these insanely motivating health benefits that come with a consistent fitness routine:
- Increases strength, endurance, and your bod’s ability to use oxygen (set that new PR!)
- Decreases body fat & increases lean body mass (yes, please!)
- Regulates sleeping patterns and reduces fatigue (hey, moms!)
- Reduces stress levels & depression while improving mood and energy levels (i repeat, hey moms!)
- Improves posture & agility and increases your range of motion (up level dem yoga poses!)
- Improves joint function & structure (cuz you’re only getting older …)
- Increases HDL/good cholesterol & helps regulate blood sugar (it’s what’s on the inside that counts)
- Maintains bone density & prevents osteoporosis (forget the milk commercials from the 90s)
- Increases number & size of vessels that bring blood to your heart (what is THE most important muscular organ in your body??)
- Reduces risk of coronary artery disease & improves circulation (i repeat, you’re only getting older)
Need a daily reminder of these blazing reasons to sweat? Grab your free Fitness Motivation Pocket Guide HERE so you can remember WHY you want to get up, get moving, get fit, and stay fit.
2. Read What Being Sedentary Does TO Your Body
Ever heard of sitting disease? It’s a thing! According to a reputable cardiologist, “even if you’re doing 30 minutes of physical activity per day, it matters what you do the other 23.5 hours of the day.“
Action Killer Thinking: People have been sitting at their desks all day for years and they’re still ticking. There’s no way to get more steps in the day when I work full time.
Get Moving Trick: In a recent article at hopkinsmedicine.org, Johns Hopkins cardiologist Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S., associate director of preventive cardiology at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, shares research about the dangers of sitting and what you can do about it. Here’s what she said:
“A large review of studies published in 2015 in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that even after adjusting for physical activity, sitting for long periods was associated with worse health outcomes including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Sedentary behavior can also increase your risk of dying, either from heart disease or other medical problems.”
3. Repeat After Me: Consistency Compounds
If you’re starting to wonder, “How much exercise do I really need?” here we go…
Action Killer Thinking: I go through spurts. Some weeks I get 4 workouts in, other weeks I’m lucky if I get in one. My schedule as a full-time working mom is tough, so carrying my kiddos up to bed just has to count as exercise sometimes.
Get Moving Trick: According to health.gov, to attain the most health benefits from physical activity, adults need 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, such as brisk walking, bike riding or even dancing! If your schedule is tight, you can do at least 1.25 hours (75 minutes) a week of high-intensity aerobic activity, such as jogging, dance aerobics, or jump rope.
You should also do exercises that strengthen your muscles at least 2 days a week – like pushups, weightlifting and working with resistance bands.
Here’s the key: Some exercise is much better than no exercise. Even exercising 10 to 15 minutes a day has MAJOR benefits for your health. Choose consistent exercise to compound the positive effects of being active, rather than the negative effects of being inactive.
4. Seek Out Legit Inspiration
Your body building bestie may have legit motivation, but may not have all the answers.
Action Killer Thinking: My Instagram friend shows pics of her working out 5 days a week at 5:30AM for 60 minutes a pop. I’m not a morning person and I’m too tired after work. I’ll never be able to get in that kind of fitness routine.
Get Moving Trick: When you need a little #fitspo, but the ‘gram has you feelin down on yourself, tap these links to get back to the basics on why exercise is recommenced in the first place:
- Centers for Disease Control Physical Activity Guidelines
- CDC Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults Download
- Health.gov Top 10 Activity Tips to Know
Yes, there are legit governmental bodies who truly want you be the healthiest version of yourself, too! If you need a reminder to seek out fitness inspiration OTHER than social media, post this Fitness Motivation Pocket Guide wherever you’ll see it daily. Toothbrush holder, perhaps?
5. Set a Little Goal
Getting back to how much exercise do you really need. Can you start with the minimum and set a starting goal there? Or how about a strength goal of a certain number of reps of a strength move in a certain amount of time?
Action Killer Thinking: Whenever I set a fitness goal, I can’t seem to stick to it, and I end up feeling like a failure. What’s the point of setting a goal when I’m never going to hit it?
Get Moving Trick: This time, YOU WILL HIT THAT GOAL. The key? Start small. I’m talkin’ baby steps, people. For example:
- Minimum reco is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, which equates to 30 minutes, 5 times a week. Can you set a goal of 30 minutes, 3 days a week of your fave activity? Maybe two moderate-intensity workouts like a brisk walk and cleaning your house, plus one high-intensity like jogging or biking with some oomph?
- See how many push-ups you can do in one minute. Can you set a goal to get 2 more reps in one minute by the end of the month? How will you train yourself to accomplish this goal?
You see? Goals don’t always have to be about dress size of the dreaded number on the scale.
6. Make It a Game
Chances are, you have some buddies who are into fitness, too. How about making a game out of getting physical and include your pals!
Action Killer Thinking: Working out is boring. Walking, running, stationary bike, the gym, it’s all just so anti-stimulating and I’m not motivated to do it.
Get Moving Trick: Here are some FUN & motivating get-moving options:
- Hat Trick: Make a list of every option you’d consider doing for moderate-intensity, high-intensity, and strength workouts. Then, cut each option out so it’s on its own little piece of paper. Put the papers in a hat and when it’s time to workout, FaceTime with a friend who will hold you accountable to DO THE THING you pick out!
- Sticker Time: You can also get some nifty stickers and every time you get your workout in, put a sticker on your calendar or planner. When you get a certain number of stickers for the week or month, give yourself a prize!
- Race Club: Can you challenge yourself to a race? Summon up your posse and get a clan to run a local 5K! Or heck, forget local, travel with your crew and run a 10K or half marathon in another city!
7. Connect It To Something You LOVE
When you’re not motivated to workout, go back to Trick #1 above to remind yourself go the benefits, THEN connect those benefits to something IMPORTANT to you.
Action Killer Thinking: There’s just nothing motivating me right now to get into a fitness routine. I’m healthy enough. No family history of illness. I just don’t feel like working too hard.
Get Moving Trick: Maybe it’s not getting winded as easily on that hike with your girlfriends. Maybe it’s having your kiddos time how long you can hold a plank. Perhaps you want to show off some muscle tone on that next vacay. There’s always a reason to get healthier & stronger. Oftentimes, you just need to dig a little deeper to dust off your “why.”
8. Remember Why You’re Reading This in the First Place
Odds are, you follow certain health bloggers, wellness experts or fitness gurus. You soak up their knowledge and motivation for a reason. If you’re feeling unmotivated about exercise, consider why you’re interested in exercise or any other area of health & wellness in the first place.
Action Killer Thinking: Sometimes, I forget why I have a fitness studio membership in the first place. I mean I know my workouts are doing SOMETHING, but I don’t see the benefits right away.
Get Moving Trick: There’s something deep in your soul that lights up when you get moving. You feel it ignite, it starts to burn in such an amazing way, and then it EXPLODES when you’re in your zone. You know that being active sets your mind & body on fire in a way that helps you believe you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to.
Sometimes, you just need a little push, or a lot guidance.
So Do It.
Jot out your favorite ways to exercise. Pull out your calendar. Make a plan. And stick to it.
If you need any guidance or coaching around creating a health & wellness plan, and then, actually sticking to it, contact me at hello@wholehardy.com or sign up for your free Health Obstacle Breakthrough Call. We’ll talk through your vision, your goals, your obstacles
You know you have the desire. Get the guidance you need to ignite that spark, burn it out, and explode into your healthiest, happiest, most confident self.
Don’t feel like reading?
Watch the video below to listen to the rundown on Fit Tricks 1 through 4!
PS: Don’t Leave Without Your Free Fit Guide!
Grab your guide and keep these 8 Fit Tricks visible where & when you need the motivation to keep up a consistent fitness routine MOST.
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Resources:
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_heart/move_more/sitting-disease–how-a-sedentary-lifestyle-affects-heart-health
- https://medschool.duke.edu/about-us/news-and-communications/med-school-blog/whether-sustained-or-sporadic-exercise-offers-same-reductions-death-risk
- https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/
- https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/pa_fact_sheet_adults.pdf
- https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/10things/