8 Proven Strategies to Stay Motivated and Achieve Our Fitness Goals

It’s Monday morning and I just dread getting out of bed, much less doing my daily exercise routine. I lay a couple more minutes, debating whether I should get up and get it over with or just simply lay back down again, health and fitness be darned. 

“Should I skip it?”

“I definitely should. I deserve it. This is me rewarding myself for being so consistent these past few weeks!”

That was my thought flow justifying why I could get out of exercising that morning. I was about to head back to bed when guilt hit me like a ton of bricks. What was I thinking? I’ve been doing so good the last couple of weeks! Stopping today will mean I am permitting myself to stop just because I don’t feel like it. It means I am allowing myself to be inconsistent whenever I feel lazy and unmotivated, and if I want to see some real progress, I should keep on grinding. And so I let out a long exhale, put on my workout clothes, and headed for the gym. Exercise means consistency and progress, after all. Without that, I might as well not exercise at all!  

1. Shift Your Mindset

If we feel unmotivated during workouts or if we struggle to meet our goals, maybe it’s time for us to shift our gears to take our fitness game to the next level, and the only way we can effectively do that is through a change in mindset. We all have moments of doubt and frustration, struggles and insecurities- if we shift our mindset to one of positive attitude and determination, we can push past those roadblocks and reach our potential. 

Instead of focusing on the negatives, we can always try emphasizing the positives, like being able to lift even the lightest of weights or reaching only a kilometer when jogging. These small victories are always worth celebrating because we did it with grit and determination. The smallest things we do everyday contribute to our goals, and achieving our goals, no matter how long, is what matters in the end. 

We remind ourselves why we started this journey in the first place. Whether it’s for health reasons or simply a desire for self-improvement, keeping our purpose at the forefront will help keep us motivated. Embracing a new perspective and adopting a more positive outlook will help us achieve our fitness aspirations even on days when we feel uninspired and lazy, and believe me, there will be days like this.

2. Keep A Variation of Routine Exercises and Try New Things As Well!

Doing the same thing repeatedly can lead to boredom, lack of motivation, and burnout. Incorporating different exercises into our routine will not only keep things fresh and exciting, but also challenge our bodies in new ways, leading to faster progress. However, we shouldn’t be afraid to try something completely new and foreign as well! We can always spice up our routines by signing up for a yoga class or hitting the dance floor with some Zumba. Adding non-traditional workouts to our routine can help increase our overall fitness while keeping things fun and thrilling. Who knows? We might even discover a workout we truly enjoy!

3. Don’t Always Go At It Alone; Find An Exercise Buddy

Exercise buddies are like our saviors on days when we feel lazy and sluggish. They pull us out of our beds and drive us to the gym, albeit rather forcefully sometimes! 

A study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that people who exercised with a partner had more fun and felt less tired than those who worked out alone. An exercise buddy can help hold us accountable for showing up and putting in work at the gym. They also add an extra dose of friendly competition which helps us push ourselves harder than if we were working out by ourselves. As an added bonus, chatting during breaks or even between sets makes our routines more bearable and even easier. Having someone who does the same routines and challenges as us makes exercising much more enjoyable as we rant about the hardships of deadlifting or executing difficult yoga poses for instance.

The best part about finding an exercise buddy is that it doesn’t have to be complicated! We could find someone at our local gym or ask a friend to join us on runs or hikes – we just have to make sure that they are as committed as we are to sticking with regular workouts and achieving their own fitness goals too! Having a workout buddy will help keep us motivated and accountable, and will lead us toward accomplishing any fitness objectives that lie ahead!

4. Set Simple, Attainable Goals

Many people make the mistake of setting unrealistic or complex goals, which often leads to frustration and demotivation. By starting with small milestones, we can build momentum towards our ultimate objective without feeling overwhelmed or discouraged.When setting a goal, we have to ensure that it aligns with our workout routine and fitness level. For example, if we are a beginner at weightlifting, we should only aim to increase the weight we lift by one pound every week instead of attempting an intimidating amount from the get-go; it’s easier and it feels more uplifting. 

Setting attainable goals makes us feel good about ourselves. We don’t have to accomplish big things immediately, in fact we have to do it little by little. Pushing ourselves too hard will only serve to demotivate us as our bodies literally can’t handle large amounts of force without proper conditioning or warm up. 

5. Get a Fitness Tracker

A surefire way to stay motivated during workouts and achieve our fitness goals faster is getting a fitness tracker. These small devices not only track our steps but also monitor our heart rates, calories burned, and even sleep patterns. By keeping track of these metrics, we can easily identify areas where we need to improve and adjust our workout routines accordingly. With the rise of wearable technology, it’s easier than ever to find a fitness tracker that meets our needs and budget. Plus, many fitness trackers include apps that allow us to set goals, compete with friends for daily step counts or offer personalized coaching tips based on data collected throughout the day. How’s that for a fitness coach? 

6. Schedule Your Workouts

One of the most important strategies in maximizing our workouts is to schedule them. It may seem like a small detail, but having set workout times can make a huge impact on our motivation and consistency. When we have a designated time for exercising, it becomes easier to plan around other commitments and prioritize our fitness routine. Plus, knowing that we have a specific time reserved for working out can help keep us accountable and less likely to skip sessions. Another advantage of scheduling our workouts is that it allows us to optimize their effectiveness. By choosing an ideal time of day for exercising, based on factors such as energy levels and availability, we’ll be able to get the most out of each session. For example, if we’re people who tend to feel sluggish in the morning but have more energy later in the day, scheduling afternoon or evening workouts would likely lead to better results than forcing ourselves to wake up early for exercise. Overall, incorporating scheduled workouts into our routine is one strategy that’s sure to improve both your physical fitness and mental outlook towards exercise!

7. Reward Yourself

Rewarding ourselves can be a powerful motivator to help us push through tough workouts or stick to our fitness goals. Whether it’s treating ourselves to a massage, buying workout gears, or even something simple like enjoying a healthy post-workout snack, finding ways to reward ourselves in small but meaningful ways can keep us inspired and focused on achieving results. Of course, rewards should be used thoughtfully and not become an excuse to indulge in unhealthy habits that derail our progress. When done right, rewarding ourselves can add an element of fun and positivity to our fitness journey that helps us stay motivated for the long haul. Whenever we feel like giving up or whenever we struggle through a challenging set of reps, we have to remind ourselves that there’s always a well-deserved treat in the end!

How to Continue Progressing Towards Our Goals

Once we’ve set our fitness goals, it’s essential to stay motivated and continue progressing towards them. Here are a few tips to keep you on track:

To begin with, we have to monitor and celebrate our progress regularly. Seeing how far we’ve come can be incredibly motivating. Additionally, setting small milestones along the way can help build momentum and make the journey more manageable.

Additionally, we can mix up our workouts! Doing the same routine day in and day out can quickly become dull, leading to a lack of motivation. We can try incorporating new exercises or classes that challenge us physically and mentally.

Moreover, we have to hold ourselves accountable for staying consistent with our workout regimen. Whether it’s tracking our performance metrics or checking-in with an accountability buddy – we have to commit to sticking with it even on days when motivation is running low.

Let’s be real, exercising can be demotivating at times. There simply are days where we can’t even walk, much less jog or run on the treadmill. When days like these come, it’s important to find motivation to go on and hold ourselves accountable for our actions. Keeping these strategies in mind will help ensure that achieving our fitness goals becomes a sustainable lifestyle rather than just another short-term resolution!