31 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise

Here is a great article that I found over at ZenHabits.

How do you find motivation to exercise when you just don’t feel like getting off your butt? I ask myself this question every now and then, and I have the feeling I’m not the only one.

A few weeks ago, I wrote 4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit … and the fourth and final step was to add motivation as needed until the habit sticks. This post is to help you with that fourth step.

There are a million ways to motivate yourself to exercise, actually, but these are a few that have worked for me. And trust me, I’ve had days when I’ve struggled with exercise. Most recently, the things that have helped include finding a workout partner (one of the best motivators!), logging my exercise, reading magazines, books and websites, and rewarding myself.

1. How you feel after a workout. I always feel great after a good workout. It’s a high. And I let that motivate me the next time: “You know how good you’re going to feel, Leo!”
2. Time for you. While many people make time to take care of others (kids, spouse, other family, co-workers, boss), they don’t often make time to take care of themselves. Instead, make your “you” time a priority, and don’t miss that exercise appointment.
3. Calories burned. If you count calories (and it’s really one of the most effective ways to lose weight), you know that the more you exercise, the more calories you burn — and the bigger your calorie deficit.
4. Having fun. Exercise should be fun. If it isn’t, try a different kind of activity that you enjoy. As long as you’re moving, it’s good for you.
5. How you’re going to look. Imagine a slimmer, fitter you. Now let that visualization drive you.
6. Magazines. It motivates me to read fitness magazines. Not sure why, but it works.
7. Cover models. Sure, they’re genetically freaky, and probably Photoshopped to look perfect. But for some reason, looking at how good a cover model looks helps motivate me to work harder.
8. Blogs. I enjoy reading blogs about people who are into running, or losing weight. It can show the ups and downs they go through, and you can learn from their experiences.
9. Success stories. I find the success stories of others incredibly inspirational. If a fitness website has success stories, I’ll almost always read them.
10. Forums. Do the monthly challenge on the Zen Habits forums, or join another forum full of like-minded or like-goaled peopled. Check in daily. It really helps.
11. Rewards. If you exercise for a few days, give yourself a reward! A week? Another reward. Do it often in the beginning.
12. Fitting into new clothes. Wanna look good in a smaller size? Work out!
13. Being attractive. That’s always a good motivator, as I’m sure we all know. Edited to correct language.
14. Adrenaline rush. I get a rush when I exercise. Ride that rush to complete the workout.
15. Stress relief. Wound up after a long day at the office? Get out and work off that stress. It makes a world of difference.
16. Time for contemplation. I love, love the quiet time of exercise for thinking about things. Most of this post was written in my head as I exercised.
17. A workout partner. Best thing I’ve done.
18. An exercise class. Sign up for a class, perhaps with a friend, and you’ll be motivated to get there and work out.
19. A coach or trainer. Worth the money, just for the motivation.
20. An exercise log/graph. For some reason, writing it down is extremely important. Really. Do it for a week and you’ll see what I mean.
21. Your before picture. You often don’t realize how far you’ve come. Take pictures.
22. A 5K race or triathlon. Just sign up for one, and you’ll be motivated to train.
23. The dread of feeling “yuck” from not exercising. I hate how I feel after not exercising. So I remind myself of that when I feel tired.
24. Living long enough to see your grandkids … and play with them.
25. The scale. It’s not motivating to weigh yourself every day, as your weight fluctuates. But if you weigh yourself once a week, you’ll be motivated to have it keep going down, instead of up. Combine the scale with the measuring tape, and measure your waist.
26. Reaching a goal. Set a goal for weight, or your waist measurement, or a number of days to work out, or a number of miles to run this week. Setting and tracking a goal helps motivate you to complete that goal. Make it easily achievable.
27. Posting it on your blog. Tell people you’re going to lose weight or exercise daily, and report to them. You’ll make it happen.
28. Motivational quotes. I like to print them out or put them on my computer desktop.
29. Books. I just bought a strength-training book as a reward. It makes me want to hit the weights!
30. Others commenting on how good you look. When someone notices the changes in your body, it feels good. And it makes you want to work out more.
31. An upcoming day at the beach, or a reunion. Nuff said.

What are your motivations? Let us know in the comments.

Workouts for every mood. . .

Don't let your emotions sabotage your workouts.

By Michele Stanten , Michele Stanten, Prevention's Fitness Director, is a certified group fitness instructor and counselor in the areas of weight control and stress management.

No matter how much you love your exercise routine, it can be hard to get yourself up for a salsa dance class when there's been another round of layoffs at work or your mother's ill. But studies have shown that even mild exercise--about 40 percent of your max heart rate--can lift your mood.

"Lots of people skip working out when their mood isn't ideal because they don't have the mental energy to switch gears," says mental health and exercise expert Jack Raglin, PhD, of Indiana University. "But the trick lies in finding the right workout to match the mood you're in." For example, some workouts have a calming effect, while others are stimulating. Here's what Raglin recommends to keep you exercising no matter what your state of mind:

When You're Angry "As tempting as it may be, skip the kickboxing," he advises. "You can't punch away anger. Instead, do something that involves your mind and keeps you from focusing and ruminating on what has you angry. Play racquetball, or take an aerobics class you've never tried. Learning new moves will free your mind from what's been upsetting you."


If You've Got the Blues "Studies have shown that even mild exercise, about 40 percent of your max heart rate, can lift your mood," says Raglin. "So, if you're not up for the usual high-energy stuff, do some leisure activity you enjoy, such as digging in your garden or walking in a park. View it as mental recreation, not exercise."


If You're Feeling Bored "Being around people is a quick and easy way to beat boredom. Playing a sport with them is even better," says Raglin. "Try some tennis or golf. Get together with a group that walks or goes for bike rides on a regular basis. Being outside with other people is invigorating and engages your mind."


When You're Stressed Out "When your brain is overwhelmed and anxious, you need to turn to a mindless activity to settle it down. Something repetitive such as swimming or walking on a treadmill requires little mental input and is most effective at reducing feelings of stress and increasing calmness," he says.


If You're on Cloud Nine A happy mood can sideline a workout as easily as a sad one, especially if you feel too "up" to do your same old routine. "Take advantage of good moods to go out and challenge yourself. See if you can run one more mile than usual, or add another set to your weight routine. Use that energy to feel even better," advises Raglin. If you don't have the time or opportunity to do something new, alter your usual workout. Let your mood be your guide.

Do you jump rope?

I haven't done much jump roping, but my girls want to give it a try, so we just bought a new one... I found this good article on the myths associated with jumping rope. Jump Rope - An Excellent Exercise.

Guess I don't have an excuses any more, do I? lol!

Day Four!

Yes, I've made it four days with the Slim in 6! I'm not doing too bad today, but boy was I sore yesterday! I could barely walk... Mostly it was my butt and thighs. There are a lot of lunges and squats, so I'm sure that was what did it. I had quilting class last night and I'm piecing together a quilt, so I was up and down in my seat a lot and felt like a little old lady!

I was very tempted not to get up this morning and exercise, but I knew that if I continued, I'd feel better in the long run ... and I was right. I have so much more energy when I exercise! I can notice a huge difference in my energy level throughout the whole day. In the evenings, I'm getting more done, and I'm sleeping better too, just after 4 days. The scales are showing that I'm down about 1 1/2 pounds since this weekend... but I must confess that I was very bad with my eating over the weekend when we went camping ... so when I weigh in on Thursday at my TOPS meeting, I'm not sure if I'll show a loss even with all the exercise.

But, I'm going to keep it up! I get to switch to the next section this weekend and I'm anxious to see how much harder it is... I hope it's not too hard! lol!

I did it!

I actually got up this morning at 6:30 a.m. and did the Slim in 6 dvd!!!! Woo Hoo! I'm so proud of myself! You have no idea how tempting it was to just hit that snooze button and roll back over. But I didn't. I got up and did the dvd, then got my shower.

I am determined to do it every morning this week. In the evenings, 3 days a week, I'll be doing the Strength Circuit training that I wrote about on July 13th. I also want to try to go for a walk every day this week at work. I walked one day last week and felt like I had gone for quite a while, so I measured it with my car after work and it was 1.2 miles. Not too bad. I try to walk briskly. But if I can do that a couple times during the week, in addition to the Slim in 6 in the mornings and the Strength training in the evenings, I should do pretty well in getting toned up!

Wish me luck in sticking to it!

Boost Metabolism with Strength Circuit

I found a GREAT Strength training program that I've printed out and am planning to use starting tonight!!! I found it at Prevention.com . They have 4 routines in this article, but I like the first one best. I've been looking for something like this and couldn't find one I was really happy with, but I have a feeling this is going to be it!

Boost Metabolism with a Strength Circuit

It includes Lateral Lifts, Chest Flies and Press, Plie Squats, One Arm Rotation Rows, Lunges, Tuck and Crunches, Uppercuts, and Rotating Knees. Only 9 exercises, but they work out your whole body. For the first two weeks, you are supposed to do this routine 3 times a week on non consecutive days using light dumbbells. Start off with 1 set of 12 to 15 repetitions of each move without stopping, or rest for no longer than 15 seconds. For weeks 3 and 4, you increase to repeating the circuit twice so that you're doing a total of 2 sets per exercise. After 4 weeks, increase the weights by 1 to 3 pounds.

I'll let you know how I feel after doing it tonight!

Random Acts of Fitness

I’ve been seeing this title a lot lately. Too many people think that if they don’t have 30-60 minutes to put into a fitness program each day, then they aren’t doing enough to make any kind of a difference in their body, so they don’t even try.

That is totally false! One of the biggest mistakes you can make when trying to get your body into shape, or at least shape-up your health, is to think “there’s not enough time in the day.” What about when you were at the mall this week and took the escalator rather than the stairs? That was a moment when you could have made a choice to make your body work a little harder, and when you make choices like that over and over again throughout the day, those little spurts of fitness will add up.

What about your family? Are you uncomfortable talking to your kids or spouse about their health or weight loss? You can help them lead a healthier life by practicing “random acts of fitness” without them even realizing it! There are many, many small things you can do every day that will make healthy living easy. And, you may even help them create good habits without them even realizing it!

Here are some ideas on how you can share some random acts of fitness and health:

- Cook healthy meals for the whole family. Add in an extra serving of veggies.

- Stop buying junk food! If you don’t have it in the house, they can’t eat it.

- Be honest with them and let them know you’re concerned about their health.

- Make it a habit to play outdoor games together.

- Give lots of praise and positive attention when changes are made.

- Give gifts such as personal training packages, bicycles, roller blades, etc.

- Park farther away from the store entrance and walk the extra distance.

- Start a garden that you can work on together.

- Ask them to walk the dog, then offer to go with them.

- Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

- Use exercise as an excuse to spend time together.

- Plan a walk or hike.

- Take the kids to the park.

- Suggest walking instead of driving.

- Maintain an upbeat attitude

- Turn off the TV and hide the remote!

- Get physical and urge them to do the same.

- Plan an activity after dinner each evening.

Exercise is Essential...

Exercise is an essential key to managing PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). While there is no scientific proof that exercise helps those suffering with PCOS more than it helps the average person, common sense does tell us that since such a large number of women with PCOS are obese, exercise is vital to long-term health.

Our bodies were made to move. For thousands of years, human beings were nomadic, following or seeking out the food supply. Once we learned how to create our food supply, we were able to stay in one place. As time passed, we began to enjoy the benefits of advancing technologies, which provided us with more leisure time. We used our minds more and more, while using our bodies less and less.

Today we find ourselves in a modern life that actually demands very little of us physically. Although our bodies are still hard-wired for movement, most of us no longer honor the very real need of the "natural self" to get up and move about.

A number of studies have demonstrated that women with PCOS or insulin resistance can greatly benefit from regular exercise.

For example, a study conducted at the University of Adelaide in Australia showed that a six month program of diet and exercise helped 18 overweight PCOS women normalize their hormones.(1) They experienced an 11% reduction in central fat, 71% improvement in insulin sensitivity, 33% fall in insulin levels, and a 39% reduction in LH (luteinizing hormone) levels. The women in this study achieved surprising results with a combination of diet and exercise in just six months. This study is relevant because insulin resistance and chronically high insulin and LH are reasons why PCOS women don't ovulate and why they have a number of other troubling symptoms.

The best way to keep exercise fun and to help make sure that you stick to it is to get an exercise buddy, whether it's a friend or family member. This way, you can set goals and try to help each other achieve them. You can do tandem exercises like playing basketball or even a spirited game of catch. You can make a list of fun things do to so that every time you exercise, you’re doing something different and things don’t get repetitive and boring. Also, listen to your body. Don’t overdo things, and if you come back from a day out and you’re sore, it’s ok to take a day off until you feel better.

Don’t be afraid to try unorthodox methods of exercise. Going for a hike in the woods counts just as much as doing a workout tape in front of the TV. Ice skating is a fantastic aerobic workout and can be substituted for a long run. A night out dancing at a club instead of a bike ride works just fine. Don’t be afraid to try new things and keep your exercise routines fresh and exciting. Getting into a rut of doing the same few things over and over is the number one cause of people giving up on their exercise. The most important thing to remember is to just stay active, no matter what. Since PCOS sufferers are prone to obesity, you have to be extra vigilant with diet and exercise to stay in shape.

Exercise Necessary for Loss of Belly Fat

Exercise is necessary for the loss of belly fat in diabetic women according to a new study from Syracuse University. Thirty-three women were divided into "diet only" and "diet plus exercise" groups. Since diabetic women have metabolic problems similar to PCOS women, the study results are relevant.

Either diet alone, or diet plus exercise, caused an average weight loss of 9.9 lbs in three months. However, only the diet plus exercise group had a loss of visceral fat, which is the belly fat that surrounds internal organs.

This study suggests that you can lose weight with diet alone. But if you also want to significantly lose abdominal fat, you'll want to add regular exercise to your diet program.

Diet, exercise and stress...

To truly come to grips with PCOS, you need to do three basic things: improve your diet, get more exercise, and reduce stress. Here are ten essential tips for making these changes.

Tip #1: Improve your carbs.

Avoid refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, pastries, candy, breakfast foods, bagels, and other refined grain products. These are "bad carbs" that create insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is thought to be a primary cause of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Refined, manufactured foods in general tend to cause you to gain weight, especially around your middle.

Better carb choices are fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, and some whole legumes.

Tip #2: Increase protein.

Many PCOS women consume too much refined carbohydrate and not enough protein. High-quality protein helps you to keep your hormones normalized. The best protein sources are fish, poultry, eggs, wild game and extremely lean meat.

Tip #3: Change your fats.

Some fats and oils make your PCOS symptoms worse while others improve them. In excess, supermarket vegetables oils such as corn oil or man-made fats such as "trans-fats" can cause cells to not function properly. Saturated fats found in fatty meats and some dairy products are also undesirable.

Better choices include virgin olive oil, flax oil, cod liver oil, and fish oil.

Tip #4: Eat more veggies.

One of the most important things you can do is to eat more whole vegetables. Try to have at least five vegetable servings a day. Eating a significant quantity and variety of fresh, whole vegetables is a cornerstone of self-help therapy for the many health problems associated with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Tip #5: Control your meal portions.

Americans consume excessively large meal portions. The more you are served, the more you will eat. Trim the size of your meal servings. Eat slowly and enjoy a meal. Wait for 20 minutes. If you are still hungry, then you can go back for another portion.

Tip #6: Have salad or soup at the beginning of some meals.

Medical studies have proven that eating a big salad at the beginning of the meal will result in fewer total calories eaten at the meal. Soup is another excellent food to help you feel full without consuming too many calories. Having soup or salad with a meal will cause you to eat fewer calories and improve your ability to lose weight.

And don't forget, fewer calories will help you lose weight and improve your fertility.

Tip #7: Exercise daily.

We often feel that we're too busy or rushed to exercise. However, not exercising is a luxury you cannot afford. PCOS women in particular must exercise more than the average person. Regular exercise has been shown to improve polycystic ovary syndrome and improve fertility.

As a minimum, try to walk or do other exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. More is better. Try a variety of exercise. For example, you might alternate aerobic exercise with weight lifting.

Tip #8: Control stress.

Chronic stress from any source -- your job, your spouse, your family, your finances -- disturbs your hormone balance, and causes you to gain weight around your midsection. Do what you can to improve any situation that is continually stressful for you. You can also work on changing your attitude towards a situation you perceive as stressful. In addition, be sure to take time for relaxation and restful sleep.

Tip #9: Join or form a PCOS support group.

Isolation is not helpful. Find other women who are going through the same thing you are and communicate frequently to give each other support and encouragement.

Tip #10: Consult with a knowledgeable health professional.

PCOS is a complex disease that is difficult to treat. Find at least one doctor who fully understands what PCOS is and has some innovative ways of treating it.

In conclusion, remember that eating the wrong foods -- and living a sedentary and stress-filled life -- will delay or prevent your return to good health. If you follow these Ten Tips, you'll be amazed at how much control you have over PCOS and infertility.