Wednesday, 8 May 2013

How to Find the Motivation to Exercise after a Long Day at Work

It’s that time of the year again when many of us are booking holidays to far flung places. Planning summer holidays is quite exciting but it also brings a certain amount of apprehension. For many would-be holiday makers the thought of shedding their winter coat and bracing the beaches topless is a daunting thought! Everybody has a certain amount of self awareness when losing their tops or sporting a bikini for the first time. By taking regular exercise you will lose the weight in no time and ultimately gain that beach body, but how do you find the motivation to keep going? Here are some great tips...

Find a Gym Partner

That’s right, find a friend or even better a work colleague to attend the gym with. The reason a work colleague may be better, is that you will have no excuse not to attend the gym if they are out to achieve the same goals as you. Having somebody there to push and encourage you will go a long way in ultimately motivating you to attend the gym.

Set Yourself Goals

By setting yourself goals and a deadline you will definitely see an increase in your motivation levels. Remember not set your goals unrealistically as you will quickly become frustrated about your lack of progress. Set realistic goals and give yourself a deadline, this will motivate you and definitely provide results. A recent survey carried out by Gyms in Nottingham revealed new gym members set goals at the beginning of a new year and find themselves not achieving their (unrealistic) goals, quickly leading to redundant gym memberships as a result of lost motivation.

Track Your Progress

Tracking your progress is a great way to see your achievements and strive to outperform yourself. When tracking your performance take into account factors such as weight, waist size, gym performance and overall personal well being in a personal diary. Looking back on your diary you will find yourself motivated to maintain your levels of progress.

Reward Yourself

Providing yourself with some form of reward mechanism will certainly increase your motivational levels. A simple reward such as glass of wine after your workout will more than certainly increase your levels of motivation. Rewarding yourself after a workout will feel great and deserved as you have achieved in your workout.

Buy a Piece of Clothing a Size Smaller

This may seem like a strange suggestion, but if you buy yourself a dress or shirt that is just fractionally smaller than your usual size then you will be motivated in the long run to fit into the new piece. Having the determination to fit into this piece of clothing will only increase your motivation to exercise after that stressful day in work. Hang this new piece of clothing up in a prominent position in your house, keep telling yourself that you will fit into it in time for that upcoming holiday.

Image Credit: flickr.com