“80 PERCENT OF SUCCESS IS SHOWING UP.” – Woody Allen

Sometimes the hardest past about working out is just getting started. After a long day at work, the last thing we often want to do is start exercising.  Work schedules can get very hectic along with your personal life. We all need a push in the right direction sometimes. There are a million ways to motivate you to exercise, actually, but these are a few that have worked for me. And trust me, I’ve had days when I’ve struggled with exercise.

Here are some ideas that might help in keeping you motivated on your journey.

• Determine your why. Why do you want to get in shape? Why do you want to eat healthier? Write down your why. Putting it in writing makes you more likely to achieve your goal.

• Begin with a realistic goal. Goals are important in regard to how often you will work out, how much weight you want to lose, and the types of workouts you want to engage in.  If you have not worked out in a while and it is not part of your routine, it might be more challenging to commit to working out seven days a week. A more realistic goal might be to start with three days and increase from there. The same thing is you want to lose 30 pounds – don’t expect to take it off in ten days. It probably took you years to put those thirty pounds on; you want to be realistic and healthy about reducing the weight.

• Write down your goals. Print out your goal in big words. Make your goal just a few words long, like a mantra (“Exercise 15 mins. Daily”), and post it up on your wall or refrigerator. Post it at home and work. Put it on your computer desktop. You want to have big reminders about your goal, to keep your focus and keep your excitement going. A picture of your goal (like a model with sexy abs, for example) also helps.

• Schedule your workouts. You want to schedule your workouts as you schedule your work and personal tasks. Write it down and make it an appointment. Typically when you make an appointment to go to the doctor or meet up with friends for dinner, you do not cancel as easily. If you think of your workouts as an appointment, you might be more inclined to show up.

• Get a workout partner.  Find someone whom you can workout with. Having an accountability partner makes it easier to show up and complete your workouts.

• Join communities online – There are so many different fitness communities online from bodybuilders to runners, there is a forum that will match your interests. Participate and communicate with other fitness-minded people. The Team Beachbody Club is a great place to start!

• Create playlists – Music can be a tremendous motivator. Pick songs that are upbeat and quick tempo. Make play lists and upload them to your ipod or mp3 player.

• Blog about it – Many people find tons of motivation from starting a blog about their fitness. It helps keep you accountable and you meet other people who are in the same situation.

• Make it a Habit. Do you think the people who consistently go to the gym have to struggle and force themselves to go each time? Fortunately, NO! Once you consistently workout long enough, your need for the motivation to workout becomes less. You will get to the point where you don’t even have to think about it. Working out will become natural. It takes approximately 21 days to make something a habit!

• Success stories. Many people find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. Find a program where others have had success and you will come to realize that their success can be your success as well.

• Get a coach or trainer. It is worth the money, just for the motivation and accountability. If you can’t afford to pay for one, we can coach you for free. Sign up here.

• Take a before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come when you begin working out. Take pictures. You don’t have to share them with anyone to begin with but it gives you a record to see where you have made improvements.

• Motivational quotes. Quotes can be quite powerful. You can find them online. It is helpful to print them out and post them or put them on your computer desktop.

• Think about the benefits, not the difficulties. One common problem is that we think about how hard something is. Exercise sounds so hard! Just thinking about it makes you tired. But instead of thinking about how hard something is, think about what you will get out of it. For example, instead of thinking about how tiring exercise can be, focus on how good you’ll feel when you’re done, and how you’ll be healthier and slimmer over the long run. The benefits of something will help energize you.

• Beachbody programs – Of course, you can get a ton of motivation from any of the Beachbody products. The trainers on these programs make the workouts fun and if you become a member of the Beachbody Club, you can get access to the forums and videos where you can get more tips and advice to stay motivated.

What are some of the ways you stay motivated? Let me know in the comment section additional things that help you stay motivated to keep working out.