5 Motivational Techniques You Can Use if You’re Trying to Get Fit
Getting in shape is something that almost everyone vows to do at some point in their lives. This happens most often at the beginning of the year when people make their New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, many people are not even working out any more a month after they begin their workout routines. This often happens because they don’t find the proper motivation to keep exercising. If you can find the right motivational technique, it will greatly increase your chances of getting in shape. To that end, here are five motivational techniques you can use to help ensure you reach your fitness goals.
- Make a Bet
One of the best ways to motivate yourself to get in shape is to make a bet with family, friends or co-workers about who can lose the most weight. Nobody wants to lose money, and this type of weight-loss bet can give you just the incentive you need to work out.
- Get a Workout Buddy
It is hard to accomplish things on your own. It becomes much easier to reach your goals when you have a partner to work out with. This partner will keep you from skipping workouts. They will be there to give you encouraging words that boost your effort when you are at the gym. The added accountability you get when you have a friend to exercise with is just the thing many people need to reach their fitness goals.
- Enter a Race or Competition
If you want to get in shape, one of the best ways is to sign up for a road race, triathlon, half marathon or similar type of competition. When you have a competition to prepare for, it gives you extra motivation to make sure you get all of your workouts in. You will think twice about skipping your run when you know that you have a 5K road race coming up in a month.
- Join a Team
Some people just cannot find the motivation to get to the gym no matter how hard they try. If the thought of running on a treadmill sounds like a hellish torture to you, think about joining a team instead. Sign up for a local water polo, swim, softball, basketball or any other team. When you get to play sports to stay in shape, you often won’t even think about it as exercise. Check this out for some ideas about sports that you can enjoy to get in shape.
- Enjoy the Great Outdoors
If neither the sports or the gym are your thing, do not despair. There are other ways to get in shape. Some people find that they get all the fitness benefits they need from going on regular hikes out in the countryside. One of the great things about being in America is that you are never too far from nature. Even in the big cities, it doesn’t take long to get to a rural spot that will give you all the fresh air and exercise you desire. The stress relief and enhanced mood you get from being in nature is often all the motivation you need to get in shape.