Sports week is here

Sports week is here! I hope you haven’t lost hope in your new year’s resolution of becoming more fit this year. If you have, then it’s time to get it back because Qatar’s annual sports day is right around the corner.

I know, I know… you look at yourself in the mirror or watch some awesome fight movie or you have one conversation with a friend about exercise and all of a sudden you’re motivated to work out.

But since the day has already begun, it wouldn’t make sense to start your healthy life style now. So you think “I swear, tomorrow, I’m throwing out all the junk food and getting ready to hit the gym!”

Except for some reason “tomorrow” never seems to come, or it does but your new healthy lifestyle seems to last a good few hours or, if you’re lucky, a good few days then you’re back to your old habits. It happens to the best of us. But why? How do we fix this?

Here are 5 tips on how I keep myself motivated to work out:

1. Join a fun workout class
The first day I hit the gym, I’m there and I’m excited, I start and 10 minutes later, I’m so bored. I can’t wait to leave so I cut my session short. The best thing to do is to register with a gym that offers classes like spinning, or Zumba, or aerobics, etc. These are much more fun because you’re with a group and classes are different every time.

2. Create a “Motivation Board”
I have pictures of people exercising, running, lifting weights, etc. on the wall in front of my desk so that every time I’m feeling lazy, I just take one look at that wall and feel bad for not being as active as the people in the pictures so I go do something about that.

3. Create a workout music list
Going to the gym could be very boring so make sure you have a fun playlist on your phone that’s really upbeat. If you feel like dancing when listening to that playlist, then you’re not going to mind moving at the gym.

4. Or watch a movie/show
Sometimes I like to bring my laptop/ipad with me so when I’m on the treadmill or elliptical machine I don’t get bored out of my mind. Watching shows and movies distracts me from the exercising I’m doing.

5. Just go to the gym
The hardest part of the work out is actually getting yourself to the place you want to exercise at. Once you’re there, it’s too late to leave so you might as well just work out. Even if you don’t feel like actually exercising at the moment, just get yourself there and the motivation will eventually come to you.

Do you have any tips and tricks for finding motivation to exercise?

Photo Credit: Unsplash