5 Ways I Stay Motivated to Exercise

 (Photo Source)
Lately I have been working to keep motivated with going to the gym. I have been going every other day for about three weeks now. There have been many times that I have started going to the gym and promised myself I would keep up with it. Unfortunately, I have always failed at that up until now. So, I started thinking about what it was that kept me going this time that I wasn't doing the last million times I tried going. So here are the five ways I am staying motivated to go to the gym (this time):

1. Make yourself feel guilty: Along with going to the gym I am also trying to eat less and healthier. When I miss my gym day or eat something fatty and greasy I make a point of making myself feel guilty about it. This probably sounds weird, but it seems to work for me. I hate feeling guilty thus I go to the gym.

2. Keep track of your progress: This does not mean check your weight every day and write it down. Thanks to my boyfriend, I have started to write down what I do at the gym, how long I am there, how far I ran and how much weight I lifted. By doing this I can see what I did the week before and then I know if I am doing better or worse.

3. Find the right person: It really helps when you can exercise with someone else. You can motivate each other and bug each other to go to the gym. You have to choose the right person to go to the gym though, you don't  want someone who you are going to feel like you need to compete against, or someone who isn't as motivated as you and wants to leave halfway through your workout. When you do find the right person to workout with it really helps you to stay on track.

4. Get a routine: Many people know that it helps you to go to the gym if you work it into your routine, but what about your gym routine? My boyfriend recently became a physical trainer (yay!) and so he has the knowledge to be able to create a gym workout for me. You may not be able to do this, but it doesn't mean you can't make one yourself. If you write down what you want to work on and what machines/exercises you want to do then you can keep a gym routine. Then what I do is keep track of how long I run and how much weight I lift on those exercises each time I am there. This helps me to keep on track and motivates me to do better the next week.

5. Don't get discouraged: Just because you are not loosing weight does not mean it is not working. If you are exercising then you are getting healthier. My first week I lost five pounds, now I am not loosing any. I am still doing the same thing but I am building muscle, therefore I am getting healthier, just not lighter.

So, there are the five things I do to try and keep myself motivated at the gym. Although, another great thing to do is look at the fitness section on Pinterest.. that really helps too hehe. Let me know what you do to stay motivated, or what you find keeps you from being motivated!