How to stop looking for motivation and start exercising regularly

Choose the right time for you (it will take a little suffering!)

Some people need to make an effort in the morning just to lift their head off the pillow. In such a situation, sending yourself out for a run or on an exercise mat will be agony. Others, on the contrary, get up with a charged battery, and in the evening they can only wrap themselves in a blanket and drink cocoa with marshmallows. Try to work out before work, at lunchtime, and at the end of the day and find your peak activity. Some workouts will be given to you as hard as possible, but you will be able to better understand your rhythms.

An important role here is played by the type of nervous system and the body's response to stress. If after sports you "accelerate" and feel a burst of energy - it is better to exercise in the morning. Otherwise, there is a risk of tossing and turning in bed without sleep. And if at the end of the workout pleasant fatigue spreads throughout the body, it is worth making a choice in favor of the evening. By the way, in the opposite direction it also works: training can improve

Chao ‑ Yung Wang. Circadian Rhythm, Exercise, and Heart / Acta Cardiol Sin. work of the cardiovascular system and change the usual schedule. For example, jogging can stimulate circulation and relieve drowsiness.

Create rituals to prepare

It happens that there is a mood and strength, but still something prevents you from starting a workout. Special rituals - repetitive actions that prepare the brain for the upcoming activity - will help you tune in to sports. By the way, professional athletes use this technique with might and main. For example, tennis player Rafael Nadal jumps high several times and places water bottles in the correct order before any matches.

You, too, can create motivating chains of actions. Let's say you light a scented candle every time you are going to do yoga or stretching. Pour yourself a glass of water with a lemon wedge before an aerobics course. Or dance in front of the mirror to some rhythmic tracks for a couple of minutes before heading out for a run.

Create a convenient schedule

When there is no clear training schedule, every time you will be faced with the question - to train today or not. This takes time, effort and, whatever one may say, allows the possibility of abandoning and skipping a lesson. You will immediately have a million urgent tasks that overlap with sports. It is important that workouts are one of the planned (and priority!) Elements of your schedule.

If you have a ready-made schedule before your eyes, there will be much less space to say to yourself every time: "I'll work out tomorrow." A to-do list can be written on paper and hung on the fridge if you're the type of person who loves stickers and live reminders. Or if you prefer a digital calendar, add the event to your smartphone. You can even set an alarm clock with a cool composition that will make you smile and tune in to exercise.

Tell us about your sports plans

"Well, how's the workout?" - “Today I didn’t manage to go…”. Such a dialogue is always awkward to conduct. Despite the fact that you, of course, do not owe anyone anything. This is how the power of communication works: if you talk about your plans to train, it will become more difficult to forget about sports.

Take advantage of this property! Share your goals with your friends, post your expectations for your exercise load on social media. When other people know that today from seven to eight you are doing tango, it becomes not a ghostly plan, but a more real intention.

Make your workouts a reward

Objectively speaking, training is not the most boring, unpleasant and difficult activity. General cleaning or routine work tasks often generate much more rejection. Try to think of playing sports as a reward for a difficult task that you really didn't want to do, but still got together and heroically mastered it. It might work: During exercise, the body begins to Exercise and Depression more actively produce endorphins - hormones of joy. There is every reason to believe that after a workout you will actually feel better and more fun. Therefore, gradually, sport can move from the category “I must somehow force myself” to “I would like to work out as soon as possible”.

Find a training partner

Achieving goals can be easier in a company. Find a buddy - someone who also needs motivation for sports - and ask for mutual support. It's great if you pursue similar goals or practice the same sport. But if not, it doesn't matter. The main thing is that you can share difficulties and victories.

With buddy, you can exchange news, complain of muscle pain or laziness, and if necessary, encourage or push each other forward. You can share screenshots from your smartwatch after every workout. Or share some thrilling playlists that are great to carry dumbbells to.

Make a bet

A childish way that still works. Argue with someone - for example, that you can run five kilometers without stopping by the end of the month, or complete ten workouts in 20 days. If you don’t master it, you will have to pay a big sum. Naturally, the person who can potentially receive this money will keep a close eye on your progress.

You can do it differently. Promise (publicly!) Someone you know to give a certain amount for every workout you miss. Perhaps you will feel sorry for finances - and this will also serve as a motivation for regular classes.

Buy cool gear

Intrinsic motivation often works better than extrinsic motivation. But when it comes to sports, a cool look can play into your hands. A new suit, cool sneakers, a tennis championship racket, or a smart sports watch - if you really enjoy things, you'll want to use them more often.

The outfit helps you switch and try on a new role. In a T-shirt and jeans at your computer, you've just been an IT professional or marketer. And as soon as you change into special sneakers, shorts and polo, you will immediately feel like the star of the court or the master of the gym.