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5 Tips on Exercise Motivation
16.11.16
A guest post from Alyse at Lumière & Lens on positive self-motivation for exercising.
Hello, Daisybutter readers! I'm Alyse from Lumière & Lens! I'm a full-time student, part-time blogger, and an aspiring gym rat. As a person who enjoys the benefits of exercise, but not getting off the couch so much (the struggle is real), I've had to develop incentives to get myself moving.
I first started reading magazines and online resources for workout inspiration and noticed a lot of 'negative rhetoric'; burn off that dinner, lose 10lbs fast, get rid of the muffin top, etc. Internalizing these thoughts over time can contribute to an unhealthy mindset regarding exercise, food, and body image. When I was developing incentives to get myself moving, I made sure that all my motivations were positive. Exercising should be a rewarding, not punitive, experience. Whether you're a beginner or a regular exerciser, I hope that some of these tips help you to get started or keep on with your fitness journey!
1. Make some workout buddies.
It's easy to skip the gym by yourself, but you’re less likely to flake on a friend. Think of it this way: you’re spending some quality bonding time while getting healthy together. Win-win.2. Buy yourself some nice athletic wear.
Gyms are full of mirrors. If you're someone who feels sloppy in grubby sweats (a.k.a. me) and performs accordingly, then it might be a good idea to invest in some decent athletic wear. Having cute clothes means you'll want to wear them. Once they’re on, you may as well go to the gym, a fitness class, or a run! There's no need to spend $$$ on workout clothes, either. Retailers such as TJMaxx, TKMaxx, Ross, and Forever21 sell great gear that won't cost you an entire paycheck.
3. Find fun activities that don't feel like exercise, but actually are.
Ice skating. Pokemon GO. Hiking. Swimming. Long walks with friends. Doing activities where you're too busy having fun to think about my efforts is a way to "trick" myself into exercising. Walk 5k to hatch some Pokemon eggs. At the end of the day, you got some movement in!4. Create a playlist that gets you pumped.
Music inspires us all to move. Having a good playlist helps to reframe your mentality around exercise as a rewarding activity where you get to listen to your favorite music. For example, Rihanna's 'Work' was so energizing that it inspired me to do 66% more side crunches the first time I played it during a workout! Real talk.5. Watch some fitness videos.
Let YouTube be your free personal trainer - there's a wealth of fitness routines and informative videos! My favorite channel is Fitness Blender for their variety of short/long/HIIT/low impact exercises. Watching exercise videos is also a great way to learn about different exercises and to inspire you to try something new!
Lastly, rest! Do some stretching, yoga, and enjoy your day off. You’ll find this helps you recover your energy and get you ready for your next workout!
Do you have any tips and tricks that help you get motivated to exercise?
Discover more from Alyse over on Lumière & Lens and find her on Twitter and Instagram too!
