We all know by now that exercise is so very important for a whole multitude of reasons. Of course, it is one of the pillars to keeping yourself physically healthy. It keeps your body strong, fit and ready for the busy lives we lead. But the mental benefits that come along when you exercise regularly and allow yourself to move your body is so incredibly important too.
We have all absolutely been there when a bout of a nasty exercise slump comes along. When the motivation to get to that gym class or for your morning walk is no longer easy to find. Is getting out of bed and into your runners feeling impossible? Or once you finish up at work, the thought of hitting the gym just gets you down? It happens! Below, our friends from Anytime Fitness have given us their top simple tips to keep your exercise motivation consistent week in, week out.
Remember how good those endorphins feel
Each time you get your body moving, there is a scientific reason you feel so fabulous once you are finished up. Endorphins are one of the many ‘happy’ chemicals that are sent out by your brain, with the main aim to relieve stress and boost your mood. This is why your mental health, and therefore overall mood benefits so much from exercising!
Keep it interesting
If you continue to do the exact same walking route or the 8am gym class every. single. day, there is a very high chance you will quickly feel pretty uninspired. Ensuring you keep it interesting by having a variety in your exercise routine is so important in keeping your motivation up. Whether you add in some Pilates or running into your schedule, or explore more of your neighbourhood, change is good! You should feel excited to work out, not like it is a chore!
Make it a social occasion
Sign up to the Sunday Mail Transurban Bridge to Brisbane as a group! The thought of sweating it out with a friend is way more fun than doing it all by yourself, right? Set up times throughout your week to race day train with your group, or meet up with friends for a walk, talk and coffee – the best combo we think! Accountability, your socialisation and motivation will all benefit dramatically. How good is that!
Don’t over commit
Burn out is real and can cause a mass lack of motivation. Your body needs a break in order to perform to the best of its ability continuously. Listen to your body when it tells you it’s ok to have a break. You know your own limits and what your body responds to best, when it wants to go and when it wants to rest. A great balance of rest and work is the key.
Create yourself a great playlist
Music is such a huge motivator when you are feeling a bit of a slump in not only exercising, but just when you are feeling a bit down, right? Creating or finding the perfect playlist on your favourite streaming platform is the easiest way to get your body ready and rearing to get moving again.
Include it in your daily to-do list
Think of the things that you have to do in your daily routine. Why not add ‘walk’ or ‘go to the gym’ to that list? Adding exercise to your daily list will help to make it a priority that you just know you want to get done each day. It will assist in keeping you accountable. How good does it feel ticking something off your to do list?
Treat yourself to some new workout wear
Often, motivation can come from external factors, like what we are wearing, to affect how we actually feel at the gym. Treating yourself to some new sneakers to make walking that little bit easier, or grabbing some new active wear, can really make a difference in your confidence and comfort being out and active whether it be at your local park or the gym! Not to mention making you feel GREAT on race day in your new ‘fit. Time for a shop?
In the morning, immediately pop into your workout gear
Jump out of your pyjamas in the morning and straight into your workout wear to promote that idea that ‘hey, I’m already in my active wear… why don’t I go for a walk?’ It signals to yourself that you are already rearing and ready to go, giving yourself one less excuse to not just do it!
Just give yourself 10 minutes
Often the before thought of slogging it out for that daunting one-hour workout or long walk can seem a little off putting. So why not just promise yourself 10 minutes? Whether that just be some stretching, or a warmup walk on the treadmill, most of the time when the endorphins start to flow, you want to keep going! Before you know it, you’ve walked 5km or smashed a 45-minute workout, and you feel great for it!
Ask yourself, “will I regret this workout?”
You will thank yourself after, right? There is no such thing as a bad workout. Even if you can only muster up a 15-minute walk around the block, that is always better than nothing. Always think to yourself… ‘will I regret moving my body?’ We can guess the answer would be no! So, give it a try and treat yourself to those happy chemicals. You’ve got this!
Remember you’re working out for a cause!
If you’ve set up your fundraiser for this year’s Bridge to Brisbane, then every second you’re training is you doing your bit to support a cause close to your heart.