Motivating Yourself to Work Out

In my opinion, 90% of us have been there (I'll leave out the ten percent of fitness aficionados who appear to never burn out). It's the area where we simply don't want to work out or can't muster the energy to do so. A week goes by and you haven't done any exercise because you put it off till the next day and then come up with another reason to not do it when the following day arrives.

It's clear. I've been there, and I know what it's like. When I was younger, I would go to the gym for three hours a night, every night, and do the same thing over and over again. I was pleased with the physique I'd created for myself, but it couldn't last. Ailments and pains prohibited me from going to the gym, so I made reasons for not doing so. I, of course, piled on the pounds and felt sad as a result. But I was still unable to get myself to go to the gym on my own.

Until I learned a few things and connected the dots, I didn't know how important exercise was for my health, but also how important it was for my appearance. It's great if you call me a snob or an egotist; I'm comfortable with that. Honestly, who doesn't like looking their best? To paraphrase Fernando Lamas, I believe that looking beautiful makes you feel good, therefore that's what it was all about for me. I wanted to lose weight, become fit, and improve my appearance, but the most important thing was to look beautiful.

I knew I had to get back into the swing of things when it came to exercise and nutrition. So I made a deliberate effort to avoid putting myself in the same predicament as previously when I worked out like crazy just to become burnt out; I wanted to try and do something that intrigued and drove me, something to sustain my interest and engagement. P90X's infomercial caught my eye at that point. For some reason, the fact that regular individuals like myself were doing this "muscle confusion" and seeing such astounding outcomes really piqued my interest. You can't go wrong with so many different exercises included. That's what re-ignited my desire to go back into the gym and break through my fitness lethargy, or exercise burnout, if you will. I was able to get past my burnout by participating in a program that changed things up daily and kept me engaged.

Half the struggle is getting oneself psychologically prepared to work out. You must examine your motivations for working out and find out what drives you. No, I don't want to become fat. To be more physically active? Do you want others to notice your wonderful looks? You don't have to apologise for any reason whatsoever. Accept it wholeheartedly. Again, I was motivated by a desire to seem attractive. As a 40-year-old male, I appreciate the idea of being on the beach without a shirt on and getting some attention. A wonderful byproduct of my newfound health and fitness is my increased sense of well-being, and I'm lot more content now that I'm not adding to the nation's growing obesity crisis by consuming unhealthy foods.

Find what motivates you to exercise. Start doing anything as soon as you find it out. Running, rollerblading, or playing a game of tennis are all good options for exercising outside. Is it a trip to the gym? Maybe you're like me and like the convenience of being able to stroll down to the basement, press play on your DVD player, and get in the greatest shape of your life? When you know why you're working out, it's simpler to stick with it. Just because everyone tells you to do it doesn't mean you have to. That's what I believe to be the root of many people's failures. There is no intrinsic desire for individuals to continue exercising as a result of doing so because of what society tells them to do. Decide what your incentive is and get started; once that drive is established, it will become a natural desire to exercise every day.