Don't want to workout today? I've got the secret for you!

Want to build the body of your dreams, but you just can’t get out of bed?! Here are 5 motivating tips that I use on a daily basis to stay consistent with my workouts...

We all know the benefits of exercise and that we should be working out.

We know we’ll feel better, more relaxed, and actually reach our weight loss goals. We know working out will increase our metabolism, clear up our skin, and help us sleep better at night.

So if we know it’s so good for us, why is it so hard to maintain consistency? 

1. SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS 

⁣We feel better after working out! Can you say endorphins?! But getting started is the biggest hurdle… The truth of the matter is, we are less apt to do things if they’re not convenient for us. So on the days you don’t want to workout, you need to streamline the process and make it easy for yourself. 

• Schedule your workout! Make working out an appointment you can't miss! Having your workout on your calendar, already built into your schedule, will hold you accountable. (Pro tip: Try getting it done in the morning before your day gets crazy and it's easier to make excuses.) 

• Lay out your workout clothes the night before and keep them in your line of vision! Most of the time, just the act of putting on your workout clothes is all you need to get started. Decide what you’re going to wear, and make sure the clothes are an arms length away from you.

• Energize! Sometimes people skip their morning or afternoon workouts because they’re tired. Find ways to energize yourself right before you workout! What I’ve found most effective is drinking 8oz of water right when I wake up and pre-workout right before my workout. Coffee works too!

2. MAKE IT A PRIORITY

⁣Instead of saying “I don’t have time to exercise," try saying “I’m not making exercise a priority today.” This will elicit an instant gut check. If you feel that guilty knot in your stomach, then you’ll know deep down you just need to make it more of a priority in your day. It’ll even act as a push for you to get that workout in.

3. MAKE IT FUN!

⁣Make your workout fun by picking a great playlist, an outfit that makes you feel cute and strong, and doing exercises you enjoy!  (Sometimes I even put a little makeup on, because why not?!) Science shows that people are more consistent with exercise when they actually enjoy the moves they're doing.

Exercise triggers our "fight or flight" response naturally; which means that it’s harder to access our neurological "comfort and safety zone" while working out. Thus, exercise can be a naturally stressful experience for us. If exercise is too stressful, it’ll impact our consistency. So to combat this, you want to make working out as fun as possible… Because what's fun is sustainable! 

4. THE 5 MINUTE RULE

Just commit to 5 minutes. That’s it! We can ALL commit to 5 minutes. If after 5 MINUTES you’re still not feeling the workout, give yourself grace and stop. Typically after 5 minutes you are already through the warm up and starting to work up a sweat. So 99% of the time, just giving yourself 5 minutes to get started will help you finish the workout and get it done. 

Those 5 minutes will at least get you out of bed and make you put your sneakers on!

5. CHANGE THE STORY YOU’VE BEEN TELLING YOURSELF

When you skip a workout, what are your reasons? Is it because you don’t have enough time? Is it because you’re too tired? If you often skip workouts, I challenge you to change the stories you’ve been telling yourself...

Maybe even try to stop using the word “exercise.” Try saying “movement” instead, because it makes it less formal and feel a bit lighter. 

That being said, there are going to be days when you’re just not feeling it. Some days we are genuinely too busy and too tired.

You may have scheduled it, left your clothes out the night before, taken your pre-workout, and still, you just don’t want to workout. Don’t force it! You are less likely to stick with something consistently if you force it. 

But on the days when you just need a little push, the days you typically let your excuses get in the way of your goals, changing the story you tell yourself can make all the difference!

Start programming yourself to think positively. Say empowering things to yourself, control your breath during each movement, and ask yourself the tough questions to avoid excuses.  

The most important message here is to listen to your body.

When do you need to push yourself?

When do you need to stick to your workout routine?

When do you need to take a rest day and give yourself some grace?

Use these motivating tips to gauge where you are each day to ensure you develop healthy habits, while also avoiding injury, burn out, and negative thoughts.