Being active is amazing for our health! It makes our bodies feel strong, makes us happier, helps us live longer, and more. Despite all these benefits, it can still feel challenging to motivate ourselves to work out, walk, hike, and just do anything other than stay at home on the couch. If you want to commit to an active lifestyle for good, here’s how to help yourself do that.
Know and Remember Your Why
Every life-long commitment starts with a reason. Why do you want to stay active? Maybe it’s to feel more confident, to have more energy for your family, or to reduce stress. Whatever your “why” is, keep it front and center.
Write it down and put it somewhere you’ll see it daily. When you’re struggling to feel motivated during a workout, recall your reason. If it’s important enough to you, you’ll keep going.
Focus on the Benefits
It’s easy to talk yourself out of exercise when time is tight, the couch looks inviting, or you’re struggling through breaths and sore muscles. Instead of dwelling on the effort, focus on what you’ll gain.
Exercise boosts your mood by releasing endorphins, lowers your risk of hundreds of health issues, and improves sleep quality. It also can help you feel more confident and provide an outlet for fulfilling social activity. Reminding yourself of these benefits can transform your outlook and keep you moving forward.
Make Exercise Fun for You
No rule says exercise must be boring or grueling. Though you do have to work through some discomfort and low energy, you can make that easier by exercising in ways you genuinely enjoy. In other words, turn exercise into a hobby!
It could be dancing, rock climbing, swimming, or simply walking with a friend. It could even be playing dance video games or golfing the world’s greatest courses on a simulator. Or you could simply listen to music, audiobooks, or podcasts during your workouts if that helps.
Essentially, you want to turn exercise into a highlight of your day, not a chore.
Track Your Progress
Fitness progress can go unnoticed without consistent tracking, which doesn’t help your motivation. Use a journal, fitness app, or wearable device to record your workouts and milestones. Noticing small victories, like running a faster mile or lifting heavier weights, will make you feel accomplished and motivated to keep going. Stay patient; progress takes time, but watching your improvement is incredibly rewarding.
Committing to an active lifestyle might feel like a chore at first, but it can become second nature with dedication and the right mindset. Fitness is a lifelong journey, and by helping yourself stay on the path, you’ll do wonders for your mind and body in the long run.
- What is the driving urge in you to live more actively?
- What has derailed your fitness efforts in the past, and how can you work around it this time around?
- What active things do you already enjoy, and how can you fit more of them into your routine?
- What mindset shifts are necessary to turn fitness into a lifelong commitment?
- What is a smaller, short-term fitness goal you can set for yourself that will open the mental pathway to long-term goals?