A continuous fitness regimen requires a number of different components, including goals, preparation, discipline, and commitment. Yet, inspiration and motivation are the most crucial—and perhaps most elusive—factors.
We frequently procrastinate on exercising because we believe the drive will appear when we wake up. For many of us, however, the drive to exercise is highest during the planning stage since most of us are preparing for a future objective, such as weight loss.
Planning an exercise likely occurs when you’re at ease, well-rested, and in good mood. You might even picture yourself completing the activity and succeeding. But what if your alarm goes off at five in the morning or you’re returning home from a long day at work? No trace of that drive can be discovered.
Understanding exercise motivation and how to use it to your advantage will help you harness its power. Workout motivation is a hard business.
What’s the Inspiration for People to Exercise?
Simply said, inspiration or motivation is what pushes us to retain or accomplish our goals. It might even be characterized as a desire.
Things alter somewhat when you approach it in that manner, at least for many of us. Exercise is something you should do, something you need to do, something you want to do, but do you want to exercise?
Maybe for some people, they enjoy the way exercise makes them feel. But, for many of us, exercise is typically seen as having a single benefit—helping you to become healthier, lose weight, look better, feel better, become stronger, avoid developing diabetes, etc.
The reason why so many of us hit that brick wall is because that’s a little different from wanting to workout. We make plans, we establish goals, and perhaps we even follow those plans for a while. But later we notice that the inspiration waning and question what we’re doing incorrectly.
It’s that you haven’t yet discovered what inspires you rather than that you’re doing anything incorrectly.
Motivational Styles
There are a few distinct sorts of motivation, and it’s crucial to understand where your motivation originates from. You can be inspired by external factors as well as by your own internal goals.
Inspiration from Outside
When it comes to exercising, we typically rely on this type of motivation. It resembles the carrot and stick in some ways. You may use an invisible stick or a carrot to entice yourself to exercise (“You’ll lose weight!” or “You’ll become fat if you don’t work out!”).
Additional outside inducers include:
- Having good swimsuit style
- Getting in shape before a high school reunion
- How to get flat abs
- Trying to fit into old jeans
- Attempting to regain the weight you had when you were in college
- Seeking to appear your best for your partner or other loved one
When you have that kind of drive, working out isn’t always something you enjoy. You’re acting in this manner because, at some unspecified later date, it will fulfill your desires.
If it works, then that’s not always a terrible thing. In fact, when you’re contemplating skipping a workout, this kind of inspiration is excellent for helping you recall your ultimate objective, whatever it may be.
The problem is that you don’t know how long it will take or if it will give you what you want. What if you are unable to exercise enough to achieve that bathing suit figure? So, what if you simply lack the genetics to develop flat abs? Motivation seems to wane at times like that.
Inspiration from Inside
There is a different kind of internal motivation. This is something you can get right away that is vital to you, not some distant objective. Examples of intrinsic motivation are as follows:
Exercise because it makes you feel happy
Adore the “runner’s high”
Exercising because it reduces stress
When your body becomes stronger and you can perform more tasks than before, you feel happy.
Exercising because it provides you time to reflect or unwind
Here, you can see the distinction. Internal motivation typically lasts longer than external motivation, which might be transient.
In a study that was published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 136 participants’ weight control factors were examined. They discovered that individuals with a strong internal motivational system, such as self-efficacy, interest in their activities, and enjoyment of exercise, were the most successful in managing their weight over the long run.
You need both kinds of incentive to stay on track. Extrinsic motivation serves as a form of support to your intrinsic motivation, which is what propels you. When you must decide between working out and falling back asleep, you can draw on both.
Why Don’t We Feel Inspired to Work Out?
We may not be as driven to exercise as we once were for a variety of reasons. Some of them are hurdles or challenges that we must overcome, like:
Sedentary employment and lifestyles: The majority of us spend most of our waking hours sitting down at a computer or driving. As a result, we move less and sit more. The more we sit, the more accustomed we become to sitting, and the more challenging it is to move our bodies.
Being overweight: It is more difficult to exercise if you are overweight. Exercise becomes more daunting and uncomfortable if you have physical problems, such as joint discomfort or injuries, or if you have a huge physique that is difficult to move.
Busy lifestyles: Because we are busier than ever, it is easy to miss exercise.
Exercise is a form of stress on the body even if it is intended to relieve stress. Although while exercising is likely the greatest thing for you, if you’re stressed out, it might not be what you want to do.
If you don’t have easy access to a gym or community center, it could be difficult to maintain a regular exercise routine.
Safety in the neighborhood: If you have locations where you can run, stroll, or ride your bike, more likely, you will be inspired if you can see other people doing the similar thing.
The environment in which we live makes exercise difficult.
On the other side, there are now more options than ever for exercising. We feature live streaming courses, on-demand workouts, and fitness applications. Together with conventional gyms, studios, and fitness clubs, group personal CrossFit boxes, small-group personal training, and outdoor bootcamp programs are readily accessible.
You don’t even necessarily need any equipment or a gym. There are several ways to exercise at home or perform exercises without any special equipment.
Mental Roadblocks to Exercise Motivation
Other events are taking place and internal obstacles that we unknowingly erect prevent us from exercising. Do any of them prevent you from exercising?
Fear
Exercise can be intimidating, particularly if you haven’t done it in a while or are attempting something new. Sometimes it seems simpler to skip everything than risk getting hurt or coming across as foolish.
Major Concerns
What and how much exercise is needed, and how can it be integrated into your schedule? Sometimes we become paralyzed because we don’t know where to begin. The result is that we do nothing.
Distress and Suffering
Exercise can be uncomfortable since it requires physical effort. It can feel more like pain and misery to those of us who are not used to it, which is another reason we might skip exercise.
Boredom
There are a lot of dull exercises available, and far too frequently, that is all we have encountered. Also, just like everything else in life, exercise can occasionally be dull.
Frustration
Many people who exercise to lose weight find that their progress is incredibly slow. Another reason why many of us give up before making any significant progress is because of this.
Exercise Unfavored
You might think you detest working out. Most likely, what that truly indicates is that you haven’t yet discovered an enjoyable kind of exercise.
How to Inspire Yourself to Workout
Exercise may be hindered by a variety of factors, but this does not have to be the case. Don’t wait for it. This is the first and most crucial step you must take if you want to truly encourage yourself to workout.
Motivation doesn’t just happen by itself. It must be accomplished by you. True motivation comes from you, and the good news is that you have a range of options to pick from. I know it sounds corny.
Every day, motivation can change. Perhaps you were inspired to work out yesterday because it’s what you usually do first thing in the morning. That doesn’t work the next day because you feel exhausted. Next, what?
Finding a cause to get out of bed could require you to look further. Maybe you need a motivator. For example, “If I work out this morning, I can spend 30 minutes tonight playing a dumb iPad game.” Whatever it is, you might need to consider a number of alternatives before selecting the one that motivates you to act.
Create an Atmosphere that Inspires You
Setting up your environment in a way that it encourages a fitness habit is one method to stay motivated. You’re removing some of those obstacles that can demotivate you by doing this.
Make exercising simple. For every workout, be prepared with everything you’ll need. So that you won’t have to waste time looking for your heart rate monitor or another pair of shoes when it’s time to work out, plan out the routine you’ll perform, estimate how long it will take, and gather the necessary equipment.
Look for something you enjoy. Do you have to adore working out? No. Yet you should be able to appreciate it in some way. Do something you enjoy doing, or at the very least something you can endure, instead of what you think you ought to do. Everything seems difficult at first, but if you persevere, it becomes simpler. Always a good place to start is walking.
Improve in something. An intrinsic motivation is self-efficacy. Why not master pushups, aerobics, or spinning? It feels fantastic to achieve success. When you concentrate on performing something well, you may lose sight that you are actually working out.
Find some assistance. If you can, find a workout partner or even simply someone you can text with every day to keep you accountable. In addition, enlist your family’s support so you can exercise without worrying about anyone else.
Experiment. It’s completely typical for your initial attempts to fail. Avoid continuing to attempt things that you find unappealing or ineffective. Let yourself to try new things till you understand yourself a little better.
Be adaptable. There will be days when motivation is elusive, but every day is unique. Now is an excellent time to consider what is happening. Why don’t you feel inspired? Maybe you need to get more rest, or maybe you could cancel your plans and take a walk instead. You can find the drive you need if you learn to listen to yourself.
Gratify yourself. Give yourself time to relax, read a book, sit in a hot tub, or browse a bookstore as a reward for every workout you complete, no matter how brief. Plan larger incentives each month, such as a massage or a night out. The prospect of a reward is a powerful motivation.
Get assistance. Have no idea what you’re doing? A personal trainer can be hired, or you can look over some of workouts online for ideas.
Simply keep moving. Sometimes, perhaps a few weeks after you begin exercising, your motivation wanes and you want to stop. You must continue moving forward at this point since momentum is a necessary component of regular workout.
Once you get going, working out becomes simpler and you stop battling yourself so much. Try to develop the habit of exercising every day as it makes regularly exercising a lot easier.
A Final Statement from Doc T. Elliott
Being motivated to exercise is just one aspect of becoming an exerciser, and it’s probably the one thing we have the most trouble with when we first start. Consider what it is that you truly desire for yourself, outside from weight loss and a beautiful appearance, rather than letting that motivation go away.
Individuals who exercise seek motivation because they are aware that it improves their quality of life. Consider how you could improve your life, and you’ll discover the drive to keep going.