Who here has a hard time finding motivation to workout at home? say, “meeeeee.” Ya, me too. Oddly enough, I used to be a gym rat. Bodybuilding was my thing. Now? Meh. It’s a hit-and-miss. And it’s driving me crazy, to be honest.
I had to figure out how to get motivated to workout at home as I live a wee bit out of town, and going to the gym isn’t an option for me anymore. That, and I’m super busy with work these days. Who has time?
Finding Motivation to Workout at Home Was Hard For Me
I used to love, and be proud of, the body I had. I never had to struggle with finding motivation to workout at home or the gym. It was never an issue for me. How it became one is still a mystery to me.
At 60, I know I’ll never have my 30-year-old body again, but I can still stay fit and strong. All I needed to do was get motivated and find ways to stay motivated to exercise at home.
This is a little tough for me. There are a million things to do here at home, and exercise never made it on the list. I was starting to slip into comfortable mode. I had a work/daily life routine going on here.
Working out wasn’t part of it.
How to Find Time to Exercise
For me, the problem wasn’t so much trying to find time to exercise. It was more like finding motivation to workout at home. I could easily fit 15-30 minutes into my day to workout.
I just never did.
But for others, finding motivation might not be the problem, but finding the time might be an issue. Life is busy. Everything is chaos and frazzleness (ok, so I made up that word).
If you’re really serious about fitting a workout into your days now, you will have to adjust your schedule accordingly. And some people still think you need 30-60 minutes to work out.
You don’t. That’s a myth.
You can get in a decent full-body workout in 20 minutes. Trust me. I do it all the time now.
Getting Motivated to Exercise is Hard…(or is it?)
Is it? Is it really that hard to get motivated to get healthier? And if so, why is that? Don’t we care about our health and our bodies?
Personally, I simply procrastinated. “Oh, I’ll start my workout routine next Monday”. And Monday came, and I had another excuse.
Some of us like the beating music in a studio and the shouts and cries from a fitness instructor. It motivates us more, gets us excited to be working out, and makes us feel better.
At home, we don’t have all that. But you kind of do. YouTube videos, anyone?
To be honest, I really don’t have all the answers. I’m not sure why it’s so hard finding motivation to workout at home. It just is!
I found this interesting video on YouTube (you’re welcome) on why exercise is so hard. I think it might put things into perspective for us.
So let’s get right into how to motivate yourself to workout everyday.
Finding Motivation to Workout at Home in 5 Easy Steps
First, set realistic goals. Don’t try to do too much too soon, or you will burn out quickly. Start with small achievable goals and build on them as time goes on.
Secondly, reward yourself for reaching your goals. Whether it be a treat after each workout or a new workout outfit after ten sessions – find something that works for you and stick
So let’s get right down to business here, shall we? I’m gonna share with you the 5 tips on finding motivation to workout at home. I hope these help you too!
1 Look at yourself naked in the mirror
Seriously. I want you to take some time to stand naked in front of the mirror and take a good long hard look at yourself.
This was huge for me. I also noticed my belly was getting huge, too, as were my saddle bags. I looked at myself and said, ‘Self enough is enough.’ I couldn’t stand the way I looked anymore (all you body-positive chicks settle down over there).
Because I sat at the desk all day, I was starting to see the effects of that in my body. My belly was getting a pooch. My shoulders were hunching more. Maybe even my butt was getting wider!
It was not pretty. Not to me, anyway.
But Iva, I have no motivation to exercise! Go look in the mirror naked again.
This is at the top of my list of ways for finding motivation to workout at home: looking at myself naked in the mirror because it works.
Pin2 Think of the benefits of exercise
I mean, we’re not stupid people. We already know the benefits of exercise, but I want you to sit down with a pen and paper, yes, the old-fashioned way, and write out all the benefits that you know of.
Maybe this might be a good time to keep a fitness journal!!
Stop and think about how you’ve been feeling lately. A little sluggish, maybe? No energy? Weak? Icky? Listen to your body.
It’s trying to tell you something. You already know you will feel a million times better, so what’s stopping you from exercising? Excuses. I’m the queen of excuses. I had them all and even made up some along the way.
When I finally started exercising again, I started feeling stronger again and had tons of energy!
3 You do have time to exercise at home
Too many of us use this excuse. I don’t have time. Ya, you do. Remember, all you need is 15-30. Hell, you can even get in a fun little mini-workout in 10 minutes if that’s all the time you have.
If you’re still using time as an excuse, it might be time to look at how you are spending all your waking hours. Are you being productive for each and every single minute of your day? So much so that you have no time to take care of yourself?
Find time. YOU and your health are so important. Tell your family to entertain themselves for 15 minutes while you take some time for yourself.
4 Put it on your calendar
Yup. Just like you would a doctor’s appointment. Make an appointment with yourself, for yourself, in your day planner, or on your calendar to workout at home. And stick to it!
I have exercise today on my mind map. I look at it every day. Now I don’t exercise every single day but I make sure to get some in at least 5 days a week.
I am just as important as a doctor’s appointment. Maybe even more so.
The time doesn’t matter. Whether you get up 20 minutes earlier, sneak a workout in before lunch, or do it just after dinner. Make sure you do it.
5 Make a commitment to yourself
This is your one precious life. Just as you make time to do your hair and makeup and maybe even cook healthy meals, you also need to make time to take care of your body. I mean, this is the vessel that keeps you running full-time.
Write out a commitment letter to yourself or a love letter to yourself if you wish, and promise yourself you are going to start taking care of your beautiful vessel.
Can you not do that for YOU? Of course, you can. Just start…and do it!
Keep motivated with this simple home workout plan
I recently purchased some resistance bands, and I absolutely love them. You can check those out here.
So much easier to store than a set of free weights and so easy to use. Not only that, you’re not limited to 3 lbs, 5 lbs, 8 lbs or 10 lbs. You can adjust the band to the resistance and weight that’s perfect for you.
They sure do the trick!
You might also really like this article on the best bodyweight exercises to do at home.
Here are a few exercises I do in the comforts of my own home:
- 15 squats- 3 sets
- 10 push-ups – 3 sets
- 3 planks at 30-45 seconds each
- 15 ab crunches- 3 sets
- 15 bicep curls-3 sets
- 15 triceps extensions-3 sets
Simple and all so effective!! This workout targets every single muscle group. I do an awful lot of walking when I’m in town, so that’s my ‘cardio.’
If you have a dog, grab its leash and get outside. I’m sure he’d/she’d love to run in the park or go sniff some flowers or pee on a hydrant.
I am also trying something very new to me, yoga. I never was big on yoga, but I found a few really good vids on YouTube for beginners, and they’re ok. I do yoga about once a week now and am working on doing it twice a week soon.
But Iva wait! What if I have this problem?
How to get motivated to exercise when depressed?
Even thinking about exercising when you’re depressed can be daunting, but it is one of the best things you can do to help yourself. It encourages endorphin release, which helps lift your mood and reduce stress. Here are some tips to get motivated:
1. Start small – Set realistic goals that are achievable and break them into smaller goals that you can work towards.
2. Listen to music – Put on some upbeat music to help lift your spirits and motivate you to move and exercise.
3. Go easy on yourself – depression is no joke. Do the best you can, depending on how you feel. Maybe call a friend for more support.
Finding Motivation to Workout at Home Might Not Be Easy But…
I’ve just given you 5 super simple ways to find motivation and stay motivated to workout at home (or even go to the gym), but though those are all valid reasons, sometimes our minds play tricks on us and talk us out of super important things, like taking care of our bodies.
We want to eat healthily and have great bodies, but we also want to eat tacos and watch Netflix all night.
The struggle is real.
The most important thing for you to do is make the decision that you are going to find time to exercise. Period.
When you wake up tomorrow, decide that today is the day I am going to start. And just start. Your body will thank you for it.
xo iva xo
