Exercise: How to Stay Motivated
By focusing on gratitude and practicing positive-self talk, you might be surprised by how much better it makes you feel. Everyday look for new ways to nurture your positive attitude through eating healthy, staying active, and being honest.
Some ways to combat motivation deficit:
l Change your exercise routine every four to six weeks by trying a new activity or changing your intensity or time.
l Write down your goals and review them daily.
l Use photos as a visual aid, i.e., a picture of yourself at your ideal weight pasted on the refrigerator door.
l Schedule exercise as you would a business meeting, a doctor’s appointment or other non-negotiable activity.
l If you can’t get in your full exercise time, break it up into 10-minute increments. March in place while watching TV. Run up and down your stairs 20 times. Take the dog for a short walk.
l Wear a pedometer. Challenge yourself to get in a certain amount of steps per day (experts say 10,000 per day is the average of fit people).
l Find an accountability buddy or group. On the days your motivation lags, your friend(s) can be your cheering section. When they’re feeling lazy, you can talk them into working out.