“Are you still watching”

Netflix prompts you with a decision to keep slipping further into the couch or maybe get going. Trust me you’re not alone, I’ve been there many times.

It’s the moment of truth, do you click “continue” or do you get yourself moving and to the workout you’ve committed to doing that day?

If you’ve ever been in a situation where you planned to get a workout in but had difficulty getting yourself motivated to do it then that just means you’re human and it’s okay.

However, if you find yourself in that situation again now you’ll be armed with 3 ways to get yourself motivated to workout so you can finish that day victorious, knowing you overcame your demons.

My name is Chaz and I’m the founder of The Fitness Wrangler. The Fitness Wrangler is a resource for people wanting to lose weight, get control of their fitness and live a healthier life. I’m a certified personal trainer, grew up playing sports and an avid fitness enthusiast.

Before I got to this point in my life I suffered through 30 pounds of weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and even went through cancer.

However, today I’m cancer free, dropped those 30 pounds and no longer deal with the IBS pains I once did. I’ve dedicated myself to helping others get in the best shape of their life and to be healthy so they don’t have to go through what I did.

Without further ado check out these 3 ways of how to get motivated to workout.

 

How To Get Motivated To Workout

1. Watch Or Listen To Motivational Videos

Youtube on cell phone

I know this seems incredibly obvious but stick with me here for a second.

I’ve been doing this strategy for close to 10 years now and it works for me 99% of the time (the other 1% is a lost case that day!). I’ll put on Youtube videos for motivation and the 15 minute compilation gets me going and ready to rock it.

I’ll put one on in the background while I’m getting ready and dressed to workout, do some stretching and warm ups to get the blood pumping. This works well because these videos typically hit the emotional level of people to get themselves moving.

There’s a Zig Ziglar quote that summarizes this perfectly:

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

After a while of priming yourself to these videos and nudging, your start to not need them any more. I had to listen to these videos before almost every workout when I first got started but now I rarely do because those videos are primed down in me and my motivations have changed.

This has been a growing interest over the years to not only me but millions of others. You can also listen to motivational workout music instead of watching videos if that works.

Workout motivation songs that always get me pumped up are old school rap like 50 cents, Eminem, Lil Wayne and other rappers from early to mid 2000’s.

 

2. Trick Your Brain

woman looking up

Your brain is a nasty character sometimes with everything it does to help us survive. It’s always trying to save energy in case of an emergency supply shortage and can really take people down a dark road if it’s not watched like a hawk. It does it all for the good of the person though, humans have survived a long time because of it’s wiring.

At the same time, if you want to be successful, be productive and hit your goals in life then you have to be sure YOU have control of your mind and not to let it convince you of being lazy or giving up.

So, if you’re not motivated to workout then to trick your brain into doing your bidding, you have to promise it small actions that seem so puny to you but doable to your brain.

For example, if you’ve committed to losing 15 pounds in 3 months and to do that your plan is to workout 4 days a week but are having difficulty getting yourself to the gym then tell yourself you’re only going to workout for 10 minutes. THAT’S IT!

Your internal dialogue: “Brain, thank you for keeping me alive, sharp and an intelligent being. I’m going to move my body so I can stay healthy, fit and happy. It’ll benefit you in the long run anyways. So I get it, you’re not in the mood to workout. Okay, let’s negotiate and meet in the middle. I’ll put on workout clothes and will plan on only working out for 10 minutes. If I want to leave after that then fine so be it, but if I’m feeling it and want to continue I’ll just get my whole 45 minutes in – sound good? Cool!”

It’s not exactly that but you get the point. You’re going to be talking to your brain and tricking it to do just a couple minutes in the gym and after that if you still don’t want to be there you don’t have to be.

Now this is the important thing, pay attention!

If after 10 minutes you truly don’t want to be there then go home and do NOT judge yourself. Be proud that you at least got into the gym.

However, what typically happens is that once you’re already there and starting to sweat the motivational ball is already rolling so you just finish the workout anyways.

 

3. Be Accountable

outside group fitness

Be accountable to a promise, a person or a group. Not only to yourself.

Be accountable to a promise

  • This is the strategy to get yourself motivated to workout when you can’t seem to ever find the motivation to go on your own.
  • By making a promise on social media, for example, that you’re going to workout 4 days a week it puts pressure on your to get in those workouts.

Be accountable to a person

  • You can also be accountable to a person. Find a workout buddy and have set times/days you both workout together. Even if you’re not feeling it that day the pressure of keeping your promise to your friend may just be enough that day if you’re not feeling it.
  • If you can’t find anyone to get a workout with then you can make a deal with your roommate/significant other. A deal like saying you’ll give them $100 dollars or do the dishes for a week if you don’t get in 4 workouts a week.

Be accountable to a group

  • Signing up for fitness classes will put the social pressure on you to attend them. Especially if you have a buddy in there or have paid for that exact class or enrolled in it a week before hand.
  • You can also join a Meetup group, outdoors fitness group, running group, biking group, swimming group…etc. That will add on layers of social pressure for you to keep up with working out.

 

Conclusion

You know it’s important to workout for health, looking good, being fit…etc. But sometimes doing the workout doesn’t even seem feasible.

When you’re not feeling it but know you should, implement one of these ways of how to get motivated to workout:

  1. Watch motivational Youtube videos or listen to workout motivation songs
  2. Trick your brain by starting with minuscule action promises
  3. Create accountability by making a promise to a person, group or other social context that will put pressure on your to go

Now you’re armed with 3 strategies of how to get motivated to workout. Sometimes though, even if you do all 3 you won’t exercise for whatever reason. That’s okay, it happens just shake it off and nail it the next day.

Leave a comment below for some strategies you use or motivational videos you like.

 

Disclaimers

I am not a doctor and do not recommend anything on this site, or blog post, for anyone without consulting with their doctor first. Please read the privacy policy for more information.

The information in this article is for educational and entertainment reasons, it should not be interpreted as medical advice or as a recommendation for a specific treatment. Always talk to your doctor and in the event of a medical emergency one should seek the help of a qualified and licensed health care provider.