It's one thing to plan and start an exercise program. It's another thing altogether to keep that motivation up and to keep at it every day. How do you do it? Here are some tips for staying motivated for exercising that may help you stay on task.
One of the best things is to make a contract with a buddy saying that the two of you will work out together. In some cases, you need to write out a plan for how and when you will exercise. You don't want to let the other individual down and so you'll stick with it. It's also more fun to work out with someone else motivating each other to do that extra rep.
Switching up the exercises you do will help you stay motivated. On one day, you might go for a ride on a recumbent exercise bike and on another day, you may take a power walk on a treadmill. Switching up your exercises keeps your workout fresh and exciting and prevents boredom. Pick at least three different activities you like to do and rotate them throughout the month. You'll use different muscles with each activity and get a wide variety of work out experiences as you exercise.
Another tip for staying motivated is do activities that help you pass the time and keep your mind off your exercises. Reading a book, listening to your walkman while on the treadmill or exercise bike actually works because you are not thinking about your workout.
Some stationary and recumbent exercise bikes have video games you can play while you're exercising. Many health clubs have several televisions visible at different angles so you can run on the treadmill or ride a bike while watching TV. They often have closed captioning so you can read the text of what is happening.
Every exercise has a moment or two where you feel like you don't want to do it anymore. Rest assured that this will pass as you push thru the exercise and you will start to feel the "runner's high"-a good feeling that make the whole experience worthwhile. When you get to that "I don't want to do this" feeling, push past it and keep going for another ten minutes. You'll begin to feel your pace and you'll feel like you could go like the wind. This fantastic feeling will motivate you to work out even more. Any aerobic activity has the power to give you a runner's high.
Think about mixing up aerobic exercise with anaerobic exercises. In other words, do a day of weight lifting or weight machines to strengthen your upper and lower extremity muscles and then the next day, do the elliptical machine, treadmill, bicycle or just run.
Another of the tips for staying motivated is to set a goal for yourself if you exercise a certain number of days or reach a certain weight. Your goal can be anything. Once you achieve your goal your reward can be a trip to the ice cream store, a new outfit or bathing suit. You should think about the rewards to help motivate and imagine how nice it will be for you when you receive your reward.
Exercise doesn't have to be boring and these health and fitness tips will help you recognize that exercise can be fun and it doesn't have to be torture. Mix it up a bit, count on the runner's high, distract yourself and give yourself prizes for good behavior. Soon you'll be fitness pro.
About the Author: Scott Gray is currently a fitness enthusiast and web publisher who enjoys providing health and fitness tips for people. He maintains a fitness website where you can find information about and tips for losing weight.
