How to Stay Motivated for Your At-Home Workout
One of the biggest benefits of working out at home is convenience.
Things like rainy weather, snow-covered streets and traffic jams don’t have to stop you from exercising, but you do still have to concentrate on getting motivated. With a little prep work and a routine, staying motivated isn’t as hard as you might think. The tips below will help your fitness goals stay on track, whether you work out at home once a week or every day.
Designate Your Workout Space
Make sure you have a designated area for exercising.
This can be as elaborate as a home gym or as simple as the corner of your living room where you keep a treadmill and some free weights. Having a dedicated space with all your equipment, no matter the size, will save you time and keep you from getting distracted by searching through the house and pulling weights out of one closet, a balance ball out of another and a mat out of another.
Write Down Your Goals
One of the primary ways to keep up your motivation is to stay conscious of why you’re making exercise a priority. Write down your fitness goals; whether it’s to train for an upcoming race,boost your energy or increase overall health. Put your goals on paper and post them in a place where you’ll see them each morning.
Come Up with a Plan
Decide what workouts will best help you meet your goal.
Usually a variety of exercises such as strength training, cardio and stretching works best, but every “body” is different. Decide which days of the week, how long and what time of day you’ll work out, and schedule your at-home workouts just as you would a meeting at work. You’re most likely to get the best results if you treat these workouts as important appointments.
When your appointment comes up, dedicate yourself for the full amount of time you’ve set aside. Have water, a towel and music or audiobooks ready to help you power through your workout. You can even create a workout playlist with your favorite tunes, adding at least enough songs to get you through your entire workout.
Track Your Progress
Keeping a journal of your progress is a great way to keep focused.
At a gym, you tend to push yourself harder to keep up with others around you, but at home, it can be tough to compete only with yourself. That’s where a journal helps. It shows you how far you’ve come and lets you see where you can push yourself harder. Did you do more reps this week than last? Can you run an extra mile this week?
Tracking progress is easy with an app like Preva, in which you can log your workouts and set fitness goals. Some things to consider including are the details of your workout, such as reps and time or distance. Separately, keep notes about how you felt during each workout and what your post-workout snack was.
You might also want to keep motivational sayings and images in your notebook. Search sites like Pinterest for fitness inspiration to find a range of quotes and photos to choose from, and remember to share your progress with friends and family so that they can support you.
source: www.precor.com
