Are you feeling sluggish and perhaps even depressed? If you are feeling flabby and lethargic, it could be your body telling that it needs to be worked on. But you put off and relentlessly scan through Netflix until you fall asleep. The next day involves the same feeling and the same routine. No wonder you are feeling blah. People see exercise as a chore and this is one of the reasons Americans are becoming more overweight and maybe you feel this way. You are not alone. “Today two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Half are afflicted with chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure that can often be prevented with better diets,” Bloomberg found. Making an effort is all it takes. There are plenty of activities we can do to control weight, stress and to enjoy great health. Get off the couch with these motivational tips.
Reward Yourself
Beef up the motivation to exercise by rewarding yourself. You can treat yourself to a cookie at the end of the week or buy a smoothie after a workout to start triggering behaviors to keep you on track. This extrinsic reward is power author Charles Duhigg explained to the dailyburn.com. “Your brain can latch on to it and make the link that the behavior is worthwhile. It increases the odds the routine becomes a habit.” When you train the brain to expect a reward after going to the gym or accomplishing a fitness goal, eventually you will be motivated naturally to get off the couch.
Make Money a Factor
Allow money to be your motivator in moving your tush off the couch. When you join a gym or sign up for fitness classes, you sign a contract for the most part. If you are paying for something like this every month, you will get moving and show up. You will be more likely to stick to the commitment when money is leaving your account every month as no one wants to give money away. But it is more than this, by joining a gym under a contract you are forcing to make a commitment to yourself as well.
Enjoy Outdoor Activies
You don’t need to join a gym to get motivated. The outdoors can also offer your body a greater challenge. You can do fitness classes like yoga at the local park and with other community groups. If this doesn’t motivate you, go for a hike where there are more terrain changes like hills, slopes and sand. Biking is another way to get in exercise and where you can enjoy nature more, it also can burn more calories. Being outdoors will help you feel better and help clear your head.
Find a Buddy
Struggling to find motivation is not as hard when you have someone who can keep you accountable. Grab a friend and take a walk or go running. You are more likely to be more consistent and won’t feel like it is a burden to do. When we get collectively with friends to workout, it keeps us motivated and entertained. This will also help you to offer and receive encouragement. Since time is very valuable, this is a great way to remain in touch with friends with busy schedules. Instead of talking with a friend, make it a point to do something active.
Get Competitive
If you like sports, find one that you can join in your area. Try baseball, softball, soccer or tag football to help peak your interests. You can try a recreation center or research teams in your area. Competition helps a lot of people get moving. There are social media challenges to do exercises for a month like squats and planks where people post their progress. There are apps you can download to compete with others to lose weight. There is nothing like competition to get one off their butt and motivated to hit a goal.
Motivation is mental. It is learning to harness the mind to propel you forward and into action. Today, begin thinking of yourself as a person who is motivated to get off the couch and someone who is ready to live a healthier lifestyle. All you have to do is take the first step.
