Do you find it hard get motivated when it comes to exercise? Well, you’re not alone. However, here are some tips that works well for many people:

1. Don’t rush it! A common mistake is to have an “everything-or-nothing” kind of attitude, and a lot of people therefore shift between exercising a lot and not exercising at all. Believe me – it’s better to start small and take it easy. When you’ve gotten used to that small amount of exercise, you can move on. It’s better to run for 15 minutes a week than to not run at all.
2. Don’t do it alone. Working out with someone else is a great way to stick to your exercising plan. It can also make exercising much more fun.
3. Do it in the morning. Working out in the morning makes you more likely to stick to your program. Light exercise before breakfast – such as taking a walk – is also a great way to burn fat.
4. Find the things you like. Everybody have a favourite way to work out, even if some people haven’t discovered their yet. Personally I really enjoy going to the gym, but I find activities such as indoor cycling a bit boring. If you don’t enjoy exercising, try something new. What about soccer, tennis, mountain biking, swimming, rock climbing, karate or weight-lifting? Check around for possible activities in your area.
5. Keep a journal. Let’s say you’re going to the gym. Try writing down how heavy weights you use and how many reps and sets you do. If you run, write down how far and fast you run. It’s a great boost for your motivation and confidence to notice you are improving. If you want to, start a blog where you write down your progress.
6. Make it a habit. When your body gets used to working out, you won’t have to force yourself to do it. Exercise a few times a week for a few weeks and you’ll notice how your body creates an addiction. After a few months you may have to force yourself not to go exercising. That’s often the case for me.
7. Don’t think. Avoid coming up with excuses not to exercise – just do it. Don’t even make not working out an option. You’ll thank yourself later.
8. Rest. Even if you’re a top athlete, your body need to rest. Otherwise you will eventually burn out or get injured, and you won’t be very motivated (or even able) to work out.
9. Think of how you’ll look. Visualize it. Those ripped abs could be yours (yeah, really).
10. Get a coach. May cost you some money, but may very well be worth it.
11. Think long-term. You might not notice the results within a week, but think about how fit you could be in a year, in two years or in five years. Exercising on a regular basis may even make you live longer.
12. Keep it varied. Else you might get bored. If you realize you’ve become tired of some kind of exercise, try something completely new.
13. Join a competition or a race. It’s a great way to stick to your program. If you don’t want to join a competition, at least set some personal goals, e.g. a certain distance you will be able to run at a certain date.

Now it’s up to you. The thing that I’d say is the most important on the list is number 1, since it’s a very common mistake to start too fast or hard.

Do you have any other tips that have worked great for you?

Photo: aarmono

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