TOP 5! : How to Get Motivated and Stay Consistent with Your Workouts!

 Do you struggle with exercise motivation?

Are you consistent with workouts for a week or two, then call it quits?

Maybe you just consider yourself a professional procrastinator?

The reality is that most people become unmotivated to exercise from time to time, and keeping workouts consistent seems to be an art form.

As a Pilates teacher and personal trainer, I'll be the first to admit that I also struggle with exercise motivation and consistency. Yes, it’s true!  I feel my best when I’m consistent with my workouts, but keeping my motivation up and staying consistent is hard work! 

Here's the other thing. We DO need to take breaks from our exercise routine from time to time. That's right!  We need time off exercise to rest our bodies, recover, and take a mental break from the routine.  However, and this is a big “HOWEVER”, getting “the ball rolling” again and keeping it rolling is the hard part.  Most likely, when you are consistent with exercise you feel good, strong, and accomplished (I do too!).  So for whatever reason, the workout ball has stopped rolling, and is now stuck in the mud!

So, how do we get “unstuck", back on track, and consistent with our workouts? 

Over the years, I have used different tips to help my clients and myself with this. Here are my TOP 5 TIPS for exercise motivation and consistency!

Tip #1 Examine Your Motivation.

Sometimes a lack of motivation is telling us that we need to address other health issues, before resuming a more demanding activity level.  First things first, take a PAUSE and see if your body or mind needs something. Try asking yourself these simple questions:

1) Is my body fatigued/exhausted, and needs a rest?

2) Is there something else going on with my mind or body that needs to be addressed? An example of this may be something like a nagging injury, or ongoing sleeping issues.

3) Am I going through a stressful time, and need to prioritize more relaxation, and self care?

4) Is my nutrition program sufficient for my desired activity level?  This is a big one!  Having the right fuel in your body is so important for exercise success. I refer to a great nutritionist for this (Alanna DeSalvo Nutrition, alannadesalvo.com).

If any of the above questions hit home for you, I recommend addressing the issue(s) first, and you may find that your motivation will easily follow. It did for me a few years ago when I finally addressed my nutritional issues.

Tip #2 Make It Accountable.

 Being accountable to someone else is a great way to get on track and stay consistent. This is why I’m BIG on the buddy system! Try meeting up with a friend or family member on a weekly basis for a workout. This could look like a walk, a fitness/Pilates class, or a duet session with a trainer. No matter what activity you decide on, you will likely show up for your friend (and yourself!) because they are counting on you. Keep in mind, it’s important that your workout partner is just as committed as you are, for the buddy system to work!

Tip #3 Start Simple.

Get your workouts going again with an activity that is convenient, and simple. Try to avoid committing to too many challenging workouts a week, or an activity that is too advanced. This will likely be overwhelming, and may result in a swift “burnout”!  A simple activity like walking for 15-30 minutes a day, or attending a beginner Pilates/fitness class once a week, will create the habit of setting aside that time for exercise. You can always add on more, once you have established a simple routine you can stay consistent with.

Tip #4 Change It Up.

Ever go to an exercise class and find it’s the same exercises over and over again? We do need some repetition in our workout programs, but yawn! It  may be that you're plain and simply BORED with the workout routine you've been doing for the last few months, or even years! Time to change it up!  Get out and try a new FUN activity, sport, or exercise class. If you are working with a trainer, ask them to change your routine up a bit. Even just changing your workout environment can be enough of a refresh.  For example, if you usually workout indoors, move your workouts outside. I personally love taking my workouts to local parks to change it up!

Tip #5 Make a Plan and Sign up!

 At the end of the day sessions, classes and buddy workouts won't do you any good unless you actually SIGN UP, or make a date/commitment, and show up! It's all about ACTION here. This means you may need to make the first move with a friend and ask if they want to walk with you, or just go ahead and sign up for that class you have ebbn thinking about doing.

Don’t overthink it, get out your calendar, and make a PLAN  for your exercise today! Starting simple, making it accountable, examining your motivation & changing it up are all tips that will help you FOLLOW THROUGH with the plan! Keep in mind there will be some weeks that things don't work out. Trust me, I have a 7 month old! That's just life, but keep trying because your health and you are worth it.💕

At the end of the day, we all sometimes need a little inspiration, accountability, and help to get back on track!

I hope these tips helped spark some motivation in you!  Please feel free to reach out with any questions by clicking HERE. I am here for you!

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