Need Fitness Motivation? Here Are 5 Tips From A Sport Psychologist

Reviewed May 2022

Here’s a secret: everyone struggles with fitness motivation from time to time. Even elite athletes have days where they don’t want to train and put their bodies under the stress required to build strength and stamina. And that’s OK!

Motivation to do anything is never a steady-state experience, it’s something we have to constantly nurture and work for. The goal is to find a fitness routine that keeps you as inspired as possible, but there will be times when you simply won’t feel like working out. Taking that spin class you usually love might feel too time-consuming, or going for a run might seem like too much effort, or doing weight training at home might lose its excitement. These are normal thoughts and experiences. So, we want to arm you with simple hacks to help you bounce back into a motivated exercise routine that makes you feel good, as that’s how exercise should always make you feel.

In order to bring you the best guidance, we had Melinda — our CEO, founder, and resident sports psychologist — share her top tips when it comes to staying motivated to work out.

How to get motivated to work out, from a sports psychologist…

1. Make a realistic schedule for yourself

Workout motivation often gets derailed when we set unrealistic expectations of ourselves. For example, you want to get back into exercising regularly so you say “I’ll work out 5 times a week”. Then, life gets busy and you only end up doing one good workout that week, and it feels like you’ve missed the mark. That then leads to negative thought cycling and a demotivated headspace. We all feel more motivated when we achieve our goals, which is why it’s so important to build a workout schedule that actually suits your lifestyle, works within your other commitments, and suits your interests. Once you've made a plan that can actually work for you, schedule your workouts in your calendar or planner and treat them like appointments you can’t miss. The tl;dr of this tip is: don’t set yourself up for failure. That’s not fair to you!

2. Listen to what your body needs

Exercise can feel really demotivating when it doesn’t make your body feel good. Remember, the top rule is exercise should make you feel good. If you’re trying to finish a HIIT class and you just feel terrible, maybe that’s not the best workout for your body that day. Maybe you need to slow things down with a restorative yoga practice or pop on some music and hop on a spin bike. If your workouts are feeling forced and uncomfortable, try letting your body (instead of your mind) lead for a change. For more on finding workouts that are right for you check out this post.

3. Get a workout buddy (or buddies)

This may be the most popular tip when it comes to finding fitness motivation, and it’s because studies have found that social relationships and friendly competition can directly promote exercise motivation. The good news is you don’t have to be in the same room — or even country — to take advantage of this tip. The simple act of messaging a friend to let them know you’re working out, or sharing your Baby2Body workout progress to your social channels, or joining a virtual fitness class can tap into socially-driven exercise motivation.

4. Stop saying “I have to work out”

The biggest part of staying motivated is knowing (and embracing) why you’re doing something. Do you really want to work out just for the sake of working out? We’re guessing there is something bigger that’s driving you. Think about this: why is your fitness important to you? Does it help you feel energized? Maintain a clear mind? Celebrate that you can move your body? Keep up with your kids? De-stress after a long day? Does exercise help you be a better, more patient, more engaged parent/partner/friend? There are so many different reasons that drive us to do things, and you may find that your reason for working out changes over time. If you’re struggling with motivation, take some time to dive into why you feel you should do that workout. Then, you can stop saying, “I have to work out”, and start saying, “I have to get energized”, or “I have to clear my head”, or “I have to celebrate my body”, or “I have to destress”. Things change when your mindset changes.

5. Just do one workout

That’s it. Just get out there today for one workout. Then see how you feel. There’s nothing better than the buzz you get after a great workout. But it can be tough to remember when you haven’t really exercised in a while. When we polled our community and asked them when they felt their best and most confident, the most common answer was “after a good workout”. So, we want you to do just one workout and see how you feel. Then, write down that feeling on a piece of paper or on your phone so you can go back to it and remind yourself of what exercise gives you. There’s nothing more powerful than your own encouragement — so claim that inspiration for yourself.

For personalized workout programs suited to your stage of pregnancy and motherhood (and plenty of motivational tips to keep you going strong!) be sure to download the Baby2Body app.

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