5 Ways to Stay Motivated

Finding difficulty in getting to the gym?

The hectic-ness of life can easily get in the way of living a healthy lifestyle and getting into a daily exercise routine. Between juggling a family, work, school, a social life, and sleep, exercise can easily start to slide onto the back burner.

This is something I had to deal with when I started a new job that was getting me up at 4am while going to nursing school. My daily workout routine soon vanished and my nights were spent in front of the T.V. It wasn’t until I realized that my pants wouldn’t fit that I realized that my health was being neglected.

So how can exercise and fitness be made a priority while having a busy lifestyle?

Here are some tips that bring exercise off the back burner and to the front:

1.) Wake-Up Early

Many times I have great intentions to get to the gym after work, but there are so many things in life that can get in the way at 7pm… not to mention my energy level is usually at a zero by the time I get home from a 12 hour shift. Once the alarm goes off in the morning I don’t even give yourself time to think about the snooze button. Hit the ground running immediately and you will never regret your workout at the end.

2.) Set a Goal

Whether it be a 60-day exercise plan or training for a half marathon, goals are a great way to force yourself into an exercise routine and keep your eyes focused on the end prize.

3.) Lunch Breaks

Lunch breaks are a perfect time to get in a half hour of exercise. No need to find a gym, get outside and start walking. If you don’t work in a great area for walking, hit up the stairs in your building… nothing raises a heart rate better than running up and down stairs!

Getting a group of co-works together is even better accountability! I remember always seeing a group of women from my alumni college out in the quad walking laps while laughing and talking with each other.

4.) Pack a Gym Bag

Not a morning person? Packing a gym bag in the car that sits in the front seat . . . a great reminder that you need to get to the gym.

5.) Lay out your workout clothes

I prefer to just wear my workout clothes to bed, but for those of you that are PJ people, laying out your workout clothes the night before is another great reminder and preparation for what is planned ahead with the alarm clock goes off.

While these tips can motivate and get one to the gym, sometimes Nike himself reigns over all in that, “Just Do It”

Question:

Are you placing your workout routine on the back burner?

How to do ensure that your workouts are a priority in your life?

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