Staying Motivated to Keep Moving - Samantha Nivens
What if I told you you could actually crave working out - that you could feel this way versus having to consistently stay motivated? This is 100% possible for you, and I will share how. What you are about to read is going to be different than what you have heard. I will offer some tangible tips and tools to use to help spark motivation.
#1 Thing to do - Figure out how YOU love to move your body.
If you love the workout you are doing or have planned, the motivation will come naturally. Just like anything else you enjoy doing, if you enjoy the activity you will want to go do it! If you don’t like to run, don’t make that your workout for the day. If you hate going to the gym, don’t! So, the very first step is to brainstorm all the ways you love to move your body. This could be a wide range too, from walking, to yoga, a HIIT class, dancing, tennis, skating, etc. Don’t disqualify anything, just get a full list of what it is you love to do and start to put that on your calendar.
Find a goal that excites you within the next 3- 6 months.
Having a movement goal to look forward to and become excited about will help you get up those early mornings or get moving after a long workday. It will keep you accountable to your workouts. It’s also a great way to get others on board to do it with you and garner more support, fun, and accountability.
Plan your workouts in your calendar for each week and know exactly what you will do. This way you know what to expect and can look forward to them versus hoping you will fit it in one day. If you don’t have a plan your brain has to work extra hard to overcome all the daily and weekly barriers it already has, like being tired, stressed from the kids, long work days, etc. When you have something planned out, you are less likely to skp it. For example: Monday is 20 minutes on the elliptical at the gym. Tuesday is a 15 minute walk at lunch around the block. Thursday is the Kickboxing HIIT class at my gym at 5:30 pm. Saturday is a hike with the kids for an hour.
BONUS TIP: Don’t go more than 2 days without moving your body, even if that is a walk! This way you never lose the momentum and progress you have created!
Reframe how you think about Working Out
If your thoughts are, “Ugh, I hate working out, I feel so uncomfortable, this is going to suck, etc.,” then you aren’t going to feel motivated to work out! Instead, start thinking new thoughts and take on a new perspective about working out. Think of it as your special time in the day, the one time you can shut everything off. Think of it as a tool to de-stress, to gain energy, and to cool off. Think, “This is going to be the BEST part of my day.” Think, “This is going to make me a better spouse, better worker, better parent, better CEO, etc.”
Tangible Tips
‘Motivational Videos’ on YouTube - Pull this up at 6am, or on your way home from work, when all you want to do is skip your workout.
New Threads - Get yourself some new workout clothes that fit you and that you feel fabulous in. You don’t have to lose any weight or change anything about yourself.
Thought Hack - Whatever you are feeling that makes you not want to work out, think, “I will feel better after.” This one thought has helped me to get up many early mornings when all I wanted to do was sleep more, cuddle, or stay in my warm bed or those after work times when you really feel so tired and spent, but that is your thoughts and using this new one can change that. Try it!
Final Thoughts: Ditch the scale.
For real. Literally put it in your attic, basement or donate it. Stop measuring your progress with your weight. When you don’t see it go down and you are working out more, it is defeating, makes you feel awful, which then leads to the ‘oh-forget-it’s’, which means you stop working out. This creates a cycle of starting and stopping working out.
I promise you if you start working out consistently, you will feel better daily, have way more energy, sleep better and start to make healthier choices naturally, including less cravings, especially for junk food and sugar. So no need to check in on the scale. Instead start tracking how your workouts are coming along and how you are feeling.
Welcome to a new world of working out and moving your body. I hope you find a new freedom with staying moving by using any and all of these tools. You are amazing. You deserve to have this time for you. You will be even more unstoppable with movement in your life.
Bio: Samantha is a Movement Health & Ultramarathon Coach. She helps busy women workout consistently, doing movements they enjoy, so they can live their best life. She is a top placing ultra marathon runner, a mom of two little dudes, and loves to empower women. You can connect more and book a free consult call with her at www.samanthanivens.com or any of these places on social media:
Written by Samantha Nivens
Photographer: Emily Nichols
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