I get it, it can be hard to get motivated to exercise. There are countless other things we can do with our time, and for some people, there is just no desire to exercise. Maybe it feels like a chore, something we should do, rather than something we want to do. Some people are naturals at it and love to exercise and others are not. Wherever you are In your health journey, hopefully, I can offer some tips that have helped motivate me to exercise and may help you as well.

1. Get started.

If you have never had an exercise routine or just haven't exercised in a long time, it can be hard to find the motivation to work out at all. I have dealt with the lack of motivation that comes from not working out for a long period of time; you get used to it and it can be hard to convince yourself to start up again. Even if you enjoyed working out before, it can be easy to forget how good it feels, but once you start, you begin to enjoy it and cannot live without it. My advice is to just start, you may not feel like it at first, but once you begin a routine, you will realize how good it feels.

2. Find a workout buddy.

This is extremely helpful and important. Find people you can consistently workout with, it will make exercising enjoyable because you get to hang out while improving your health, it makes it seem less like a chore and more like time to enjoy spending together with a friend, while also challenging yourselves and growing. My husband and I workout together and it is a blast, it is something fun and different for us to do together. If you are not in the mood to exercise, your buddy can help motivate you as well. Having someone to workout with has been the one thing that has helped me stick with it for a long period of time and not get bored and give up. If you can’t find someone to workout with consistently, try a fitness class so you can enjoy working out with other people and encouraging one another.

3. Find your style.

We are all unique and have different interests. There are a wide variety of forms of exercise, find the one that is most enjoyable to you, if you enjoy it, you will be a lot more likely to stick with it. Running on the treadmill is not the only way to get exercise, be creative, there are free weights, Zumba, cycling, swimming, rock climbing, basketball, martial arts, the list goes on; try different activities until you find your favorite and the one that's most suited to you and your goals. Don’t be afraid to try new things, it will make exercise more fun.

4. Find your favorite place to work out.

I personally love going to the gym, it is nice because it is separate from my home and the rest of the things I do, it is a good excuse to get out of the house, they have all the equipment I need, and it is just nice having a dedicated place for exercise. Whenever I plan to workout at home, I just never end up getting around to it. I always manage to come up with excuses for something else I can do with my time, so going to the gym helps motivate me to actually do it. When going to a gym, you also pay a monthly membership, so if you’re paying for it, you want to use it. Not everyone likes the gym though, so find your place for working out. When I was a runner, I liked going to parks that had fun trails to run on, it made exercise fun and interesting. So, find the place that works for you.

5. Make it fun.

Another reason my husband and I enjoy working out at the gym is the pool and hot tub we get to enjoy after our workouts. Afterward, we feel great and relaxed. Another thing we like to do is go to smoothie king after exercising; they let you add protein to your smoothie so it is a great post workout drink that tastes delicious! So find a way to reward yourself that makes the routine of working out fun, it will help motivate you and help you stick with it.

6. Work out to love yourself.

Workout for you, do not do it to try to change yourself or because you hate the way you look. Negative motivators are never good for helping you stick with something long term. Do it because you love it and because you love how it makes you feel strong and confident and energized. Learn to love your body and admire it for all the things it can do. Let working out be a time of loving your body, challenging yourself, and seeing yourself get stronger, and you will enjoy it a lot more.

7. It is not a competition.

When you work out, enjoy every little bit of improvement and do not compare yourself to everyone else who you think looks better or stronger than you. This is not a competition, celebrate the improvements you are making. You do not become a bodybuilder overnight so do not feel bad and compare yourself to all the body builders who have been doing this for years, be proud of yourself for getting started, we all have to start somewhere and you are doing amazing!

When we see exercise as a chore, it is not surprising that it is really hard to find the motivation and eventually you lose interest altogether, but it does not have to be that way; exercise can be a lot of fun! Find what you enjoy and go for it! Enjoy the journey and love yourself. You are amazing and you’ve got this!