How to motivate yourself to go to a workout: 7 tips

Author: Vakhroshieva Elena - a fitness enthusiast.
2016-09-05

If you have strong willpower and have missed a maximum of one week of workouts in a year, then this information is not for you. This article will be useful for regular visitors to fitness clubs, as well as those who train on their own.

In today's world, people with almost any income can afford to do fitness. For instance, running outside requires no payment at all.

Not only are the workouts now accessible, but there is also a wealth of information about proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. Thanks to the Internet, we all know how to train and how to eat, but showing willpower every day and maintaining regularity in training is something that many cannot always achieve.

Often, after work, the prospect of lying on the couch in front of the television is so tempting that workouts get postponed "until later."

So, I present to you 7 ways to motivate yourself to go to a workout:

1. Prepare in advance

If your gym bag with workout clothes is packed, neatly folded, and waiting for you to take it to the gym, you're less likely to skip a workout, especially because you’ve already invested time and effort into preparing, particularly if you rely on public transportation like I do.

2. Train right after work

To avoid a gap between the end of the workday and the start of your workout, during which you may lose motivation, it’s best to train immediately after work.

3. Eat 2 hours before training

There are many articles about what you should eat before workouts, but the fact is that you need to eat—especially if you train right after work. The food you consume will provide energy, allowing you to avoid training while half-hungry for the last half hour and then immediately rushing to food afterwards.

4. Choose your workout in advance

If the gym offers a choice of classes, for maximum effectiveness, you should select your workout ahead of time. For solo workouts, you should decide on exercises and prepare a rough program in advance. For running sessions, think about your route.

5. Forget about perfectionism

“I’d rather do nothing than do it poorly,” perfectionists think. To translate this into sports terms, “I’d rather not go to training at all than train with the wrong weight or intensity.” To achieve results, you must forget about perfectionism. Workouts may not be perfect, but they must be regular; only then can you achieve results.

6. Recall motivational quotes

Social media is filled with various motivational quotes. If you're feeling lazy about going to training, had a tough workday, and it’s cold and rainy outside, check out one of the groups where quotes from great athletes are posted. My favorites are:

• “If I give up, nothing will get better.”
• “If you only do what’s easy, you’ll always be weak.”
• “There are no winners in standing still.”

7. Prepare for the next workday

To protect yourself from evening chaos and fully relax after your workout, you need to prepare for the next workday in advance. On the day without training, you can prepare simple, healthy meals, iron a couple of outfits for yourself and your child (if you have kids), and get other household tasks done. If you don’t procrastinate, it won’t take much time, but on training days, you can come home and take a bath or do any other activities you enjoy, such as having a protein shake, doing self-massage, spending time with loved ones, watching a movie, having tea (without sugar :)), and much more.

All the methods described are based on the personal experience of an average fitness club visitor with a mid-range income and a full-time job. It really works, and you don't need any miraculous pills!