Going to the gym is easier said than done. When you are all curled up in bed watching Netflix, eating chips, and are content as can be, it can be hard to hit pause and make yourself get up and go. We all think about going, but often times convince ourselves not to. Here are some tips and tricks to give you that extra push to help you lace up your shoes and head to the gym.
1. Make a New Music Playlist
Personally, I love listening to music when I workout. The music motivates me to run faster and push harder. Creating new “workout” playlists before I workout motivates me because I am eager to listen to the music I picked out. One tip is to not let yourself listen to your new playlist until you get to the gym. Once I’ve exhausted a playlist or find myself struggling to get myself out the door, I create another one and regain my excitement about working out. If you want some ideas for a few songs to get a playlist started, here are a few of my recent favorites (found on Spotify):
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Easy Love (Original Mix)- Sigala
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Another You-Armin van Buuren, Mr. Probz
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Hundred Miles-Yall, Gabriela Richardson
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Omen (Dillon Francis Remix)- Disclosure, Sam Smith
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Beat the Sunrise- SNBRN, Andrew Watt
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Hide Away- Daya
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So There- Alexa Goddard
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King- Arty Remix- Years and Years
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Coming Over- Dillon Francis, Kygo, James Hersey
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Me, Myself, & I- G-Eazy, Bebe, Rexha
*Another trick if you don’t like creating your own playlists is to find stations or pre-made playlists on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, etc. that will motivate you and use those when you get to the gym.
2. Lay Your Clothes Out
Whether you enjoy going to the gym in the morning or at night, a good tip to getting yourself to actual go is laying your clothes out the day before or earlier in the day. If I want to workout right when I wake up, I sometimes actually sleep in my workout clothes and put my shoes, socks, and headphones by the door. Having all my stuff prepared and organized makes it easier to convince myself to go when I get up. If I try to argue against going in the morning, I tell myself I am already in the clothes and I made the effort the night before so I should just go. If I plan to workout at night I set my workout clothes on my desk so they are easily accessible and ready to go.
3. Buy New Gear
Continuing on the topic of clothes, another way to get yourself excited to hit the gym is to buy new workout clothes. I personally love buying new workout attire-shorts, shirts, sports bras, etc. Just like with new music playlists, the clothes make me excited and motivate me to workout.
4. Make a Plan/Schedule
Writing out a workout schedule of when you should go and what you should do when you get to the gym can make the experience much easier. One tip is to create a new note on your phone and quickly jot down a few exercises and ideas of things to do when you get to the gym. Just make a list of a few items so you have a plan when you enter the door.
Here’s an example:
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Run one mile on treadmill
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15-20 min on elliptical
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Do core for 10 min
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Stretch for 10-15 min
5. Set Goals for Yourself
Along with creating a plan, it is also inspiring to set goals for yourself. You can try to keep increasing how many reps of exercises you do, get faster times on the treadmill, workout longer every time, etc. I love setting goals and watching myself improve over time.
http://pulsefitness.com.au/general/setting-fitness-goals/
6. Find a Workout Buddy
If you really struggle with self-motivation, try to find a workout buddy and plan times to go together to the gym. Setting a time to go with someone gives you an added responsibility and you will be less likely to ditch the gym since you have made an agreement with this person. You can help each other stay fit, and it’s a good way to spend some social time with your friend.
7. Try Workout Classes
If going to a gym and using machines isn’t your cup of tea, try a variety of workout classes and see what you like. Again, if you struggle with self-motivation, having an instructor and structured class can be beneficial. Classes are also great because they occur at scheduled times, so you can set dates and times to workout.
8. Reward Yourself
If you are someone who reacts well to a reward-system (or if you’ve never tried it out), create one for yourself. Set up a system so that you reward yourself in some way for each time you go to the gym. One example of a reward would be to make your own smoothie when you get back from a workout to help cool down. Smoothies are delicious and a great post-workout snack. Another idea is to tell yourself you aren’t allowed to watch Netflix or do a specific activity you enjoy until you have worked out.
9. Think About The Benefits
This tip may sound dumb, but a lot of the time when I am stuck in bed and don’t want to workout, I can convince myself to get out from under the covers by thinking about how good I will feel once I get to the gym and finish my workout. Keeping a positive mindset can be extremely helpful. Thinking about long term benefits is also valuable, like how healthy and in-shape I will feel over time if I keep working out.
10. Be accountable
There are only so many tips and tricks you can use to get yourself out the door and to the gym. A large part of going to the gym is being accountable and mentally forcing yourself to go. You may not be in the right mood, think you don’t have enough time, or are too tired, but just make yourself go (even if just for a small amount of time) and you will be thankful you did. You can do it.
Last extra tip: If you really can’t stop watching Netflix, bring your phone or iPad and set it up on the elliptical and watch away while you get a workout in. Now instead of being lazy while watching Netflix, you are being productive and getting a good sweat.