Struggling to get motivated to work out lately?
You know it’s healthy to work out at least 4 days a week. But, you’re lucky if you get through a workout once or twice a week. You have all the intentions of going through with a workout almost every day of the week. But, when the time comes… you just decide “not today!”
Problem is… this snowballs into 2, 3, 4, 5…..+ days in a row of not working out. Eventually, this can turn into months (+ even years!) of not exercising.
I get it!! I have been there. The lack of motivation to work out.I would go a few months sticking to workouts + then I would take 3 months off in a row. It made me feel like a failure. I had such a lack of willpower + started to view workouts as a punishment.
Guess what though??
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Today, I am going to share with you one simple, but POWERFUL, mindset shift that can motivate you into working out almost every single day.
Want to learn how to develop this mindset + become more motivated to work out? Keep reading!
WHY YOU ARE NOT MOTIVATED TO WORK OUT
Before we even chat about the tool I am going to teach you about today, it’s important to understand what’s getting in the way of you being motivated to work out.
Why is that? You need to be mindful so you can catch yourself when you start to fall into old patterns again.
1. NEGATIVE, SELF-SABOTAGING HABITS
The main reason you are not working out consistently is that you have created a habit around this. You allow yourself to give in to actions that give you instant gratification, instead of going through with getting your sweat on.
You think about getting your workout clothes on + exercising. But, ultimately you end up opting for the sweats, couch, + binge-worthy TV show. I GET IT!! We all have days like that + they are well-deserved… once in a while.
But, if you find yourself repeating these habits over + over, you are not going to get closer to being motivated to work out.
2. NOT EXERCISING FOR OVERALL HEALTH
Many of us view working out as a way to either lose weight or build muscle. Yes, those are two great reasons to work out. BUT, they should not be the most important. Having this mindset gives you an easy way to cop out + simply give the excuse “I am happy with how I look today.”
Hey! I am all about body positivity + loving where you are, at every stage!
But, you should focus on working out for reasons like:
- longevity
- decreasing stress
- improve blood circulation
- better immunity, etc.
Working out is SO MUCH MORE than just looking good! You’ll be much more motivated to work out if you choose to focus on these bullet points when deciding if you should ditch your workout plan.
3. LACK OF ROUTINE + WILLPOWER
Another major reason you are not motivated to work out is you have not created a habit + solid routine around exercise. It’s not enough to just say “I am going to work out this week.”
You need to plan out:
- the exact days you are going to work out
- the time
- type of exercises
- + the duration of the workout
Even when you have all of that together, you need to find ways to strengthen your willpower. Remind yourself WHY you want to find the motivation to work out.
Think about your personal goals for:
- looks, strength
- body composition
- energy
- mood
- + happiness
4. YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE WHOLE WORKOUT
Personally, I think this is one of the worst mental habits many of us have developed over the years. That is what my mindset lesson is going to address today.
You need to stop looking at your workouts as a whole. You dramatize it in your mind + make it worse than it is. Ultimately, causing you to not be motivated to work out.
Why? You are overwhelming yourself + psyching yourself out!!! It’s like studying for a huge exam. You don’t keep thinking about all 30 chapters you need to know. You take it one chapter, one subtitle, one vocabulary word at a time.
The same goes for working out! That’s where the 10 minute mindset comes in.
GET MOTIVATED TO WORK OUT WITH THE 10 MINUTE MINDSET
WHAT IS THE 10 MINUTE MINDSET?
The 10 minute mindset is a way of simplifying the way you view working out. Instead of looking at a 30, 40, 60 minute workout, you focus on the first 10 minutes. Choosing to focus on a small window of time to work out relaxes the mind + makes the task seem way less intimidating.
It’s easy to focus on being motivated to work out if you only need to mentally commit to 10 minutes.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Think about it. How much more motivated would you be to mentally focus on 5 x 10 minute workouts a week versus 5 x 60 minute workouts a week? The pressure just falls to the wayside!
Absolutely ANYONE can commit to 10 minutes of working out a day. That is about the length of 3 songs as you work out. Think about how fast that goes!
To me, it’s like ironing. I HATE IRONING! I will seriously put off ironing for months at a time till the stacks of clothes are piling up. But, once I make it through at least 5 items, it’s cake getting through the rest.
Again, just the beginning that seems to hold most people back from being motivated to work out.
WHAT TYPE OF WORKOUT CAN I DO IN 10 MINUTES?
First off, change your mindset about what a workout includes. A workout can be lifting weights, a difficult workout DVD, or an intense run on the treadmill. But, it doesn’t have to be.
A workout is just something that gets you active. Ultimately, you want to focus on activities that raise your heart rate + make you break even a little bit of sweat.
- Related: HOW TO MOVE MORE EVERY DAY
Here are some exercises you can do for 10 minutes:
- A fast-paced walk around the block
- Climbing the stairs
- A light jog
- Jogging + walking intervals
- Bicep curls + hammer curls
- Tricep extensions + dips
- Push-ups + knee-ups
- Lunges +squats
- Crunches + wall sits
HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY SEE RESULTS OVER TIME?
Ok, ok, ok… you’re wondering how 10 minute workouts will show any results at all. Right? Well, even if you did only do 10 minute workouts 4-5 days a week, you would see small results over time. Something is better than nothing! But, most of us need to see results a little faster in order to stick to the habit of working out.
Here is how it works. I find that the first 10 minutes of a workout are the most daunting. Once you get through that hump, the rest of the workout is easier to get through.
So, after 10 minutes of working out you get to make a choice:
- Stop working out
- Continue working out
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH CHOICE TO MAKE?
Focus on how you feel.
If after 10 minutes your mood doesn’t improve, you feel less energized, + you have don’t feel motivated to work out anymore… give up. Yes… I said GIVE UP. Because… well… that’s what you’re doing. That’s the lack of willpower speaking to you. That’s the negative, self-sabotaging habits begging you to give in. That’s you being afraid to change.
But, I know you + that’s NOT who you are. How do I know that? If you are here reading this article, you are ready to make a change. For you, starting the workout for you is the hardest part. So, I know once you make it through those 10 minutes, the rest will be a breeze for you. You WILL stay committed + you will crave finishing your workout.
TAKE ACTION
The next 7 days, I want you to commit to working out 3-4 of those days + just focus on getting through those first 10 minutes of working out.
But, before you begin, take note of how many days on average you have completed a workout at least 30 minutes long each week in the past 6 months (i.e. In the past 6 months Sally has worked out about 2 days a week on average for 40 minutes at a time).
If you make it even ONE more day past you average, you are on to something!
Next step? Making this a habit.
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