Finding the Motivation to Workout: 25 Fitness Motivation Tips and Reminders to Make it Happen!

The hardest part of working out is simply showing up. Nobody likes to have a sedentary lifestyle, but we all fall into that trap. Even when you have workouts available from home or right in your community, there might be several reasons why you haven’t started or hesitate to get out and get going today. If you’re your own worst enemy when it comes to motivation, keep reading to explore 25 motivational tips to help you build a little more movement into your day!

1. Challenge Yourself. Sometimes the best part of starting a new routine is creating new challenges that you have an opportunity to overcome. Working out and setting fitness goals can be a great outlet to expand your limits and be proud of something you might not have thought was possible to accomplish.

2. Set yourself up with an exciting playlist. In case you weren’t aware, working out with music can truly boost your performance and get you more motivated to move.

3. Work out with a group. Studies have shown that working out with a group can actually boost your mental health compared to working out alone. Once you get in the habit of going just a couple of times to a group fitness class, it becomes easier and feels more obligatory as you build a sense of community and comradery with your fellow fitness participants.

4. Make your workout time work with your schedule. If you’re truly not a morning person – don’t force it! Mornings aren’t for everyone. Squeeze in a workout right after work, or if you’re up for it, something more tranquil such as Yoga can be a great way to stay toned but wind down without a lot of pressure after a long day. If you are up for the challenge of the morning, setting your alarm a little earlier can be a great way to boost your energy and kickoff your day on a great note.

5. Sign up for a class. Sometimes the simple commitment of registering for a class ahead of time and reserving your spot can help you stay on track with your obligations. It also establishes a designated time that you’ve set aside for yourself in case you’re having a disconnect in setting that time on your own.

6. Bring a friend. Sometimes the easiest way to make fitness feel less like a struggle and more like fun is to bring a friend that you can burn through the intensity with! You can help motivate and cheer each other on as you start to progress towards your goals.

7. Keep a fitness role model in your mind. Think of a person who inspires you to be fit whenever you are debating whether or not to workout.

8. Reward yourself. Think of something you love and treat yourself each week when you’ve worked out each day or reached your goals.

9. Do it for you and no one else. Most importantly, set your own goals as your leading intention. When you do this, you won’t open yourself up to anyone else’s expectations but your own, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.

10. Start small. If the idea of starting a workout regiment feels intimidating and time consuming, then start gradually at your own level of comfort! Start with just 15 minutes a day and plan to slowly increase your stamina, or maybe try a Yoga class before jumping into a HIIT class.

11. Remember why you started. Remember how good you’ve felt from other workouts in your past, or if you’re just beginning your fitness journey, focus on the gain you want to experience.

12. Can’t find time? Break up your workout throughout the day. Research has shown that even if you break up physical activity into intervals throughout the day, it still accumulates, and you can achieve the same results as a longer steady routine.

13. Consider your favorite active hobbies when thinking of group fitness that’s best for you. If you like biking, a Cycle class might be great for you. If you love to dance, a Zumba class can be a great fit. If you’re willing to push your limits and up for a challenge, a Bootcamp class can be something you will be certain to enjoy.

14. Make an end goal for yourself to reach, and make it specific. When you set a specific, tangible goal, you’re much more likely to accomplish it. Of course you have to be realistic when setting your goals, but even small bite-size goals can add up over time to big results.

15. Focus on the gratitude for having mobility in your body and all the good you are delivering to yourself by working out. When you do this, it makes it so much more worthwhile, because you are understanding the blessing of your health and putting yourself as a priority.

16. Put it on paper. Neuroscience has proven that writing down your goals actually makes them much more likely to manifest into a reality.

17. Have someone else hold you accountable. When you have someone such as a personal coach or life coach or even family member or friend checking in on your progress, you’re much less likely to fall short out of your goals out of avoidance of disappointing not only yourself, but the other person.

18. Add variety. Variety is the spice of life and that includes your workouts. Switching things up helps things stay fresh and never dull, and without knowing what to expect all the time, it feels less routine and enables you to experiment with a lot of different movements and exercises that can benefit your body in unique ways.

19. Kick your other bad habits. If you’re smoking every day, or having a soda or sugars as a meal or snack, you’ll be less physically inclined to get moving and more likely to stay sedentary.

20. Get an activity tracker. Sometimes a sport watch or even app on your phone to monitor your steps, heart rate and even your sleep can all be helpful tools to allow you to become more aware of your current state and motivated to keep up with it.

21. Exercise to feel good, more so than the the other benefits. More importantly than looking good, keep in mind all the countless ways you’re improving your heart, blood circulation, mental and emotional health, muscle building for a stronger body later in life, and setting yourself up for better quality sleep.

22. Have comfortable clothes. Sometimes, it’s truly the little things. Having comfortable clothing is essential to your performance. If your clothes are too tight, loose, or an uncomfortable, scratchy texture, it becomes a distraction rather than an aid. Make sure you have the best apparel to set up your routine for success.

23. Never skip more than one day. You’ll need a day or two off every week, but once you allow more than one day, two days off in a row can easily snowball into more. Even if you only workout 3-4 times a week, try to break it up so your days off aren’t consecutive, leading to you easily slip out of the great habit you’ve been building.

24. Familiarize yourself with a group fitness class before you start. If you want to start a new routine but you are intimidated about what it will be like, the best thing you can do is learn more about the group fitness workout style so that you have an idea what to expect. The more you know about the movements required and the style of the class, the more you can mentally (or even physically) prepare yourself so you can start equipped with confidence.

25. Workout out of self-love. Remember that when you dedicate time for your health, you are dedicating time to take care of yourself, and at the end of the day, that is the most important thing you can ever do. When you start making time for self-care, you will find a lot of other things feel easier, because making yourself a priority is one of the most accomplishing and rewarding things you can ever do.