Exercise for Beginners - Staying Motivated

Motivation is the most important aspect of your workout and, as such, is usually the hardest thing to come by. Every day is different which means that every day will present new obstacles to fitting your workout in. The key is to make exercise a priority so that, no matter what comes up, you won't let your routine slide to the bottom of the list.

To stay motivated try these tricks:

1. Plan on ways to get past obstacles before they happen. If you find you're skipping exercise because of family responsibilities, plan a family walk or outing to get them involved too.
2. Try to workout in the morning. You'll have more energy throughout the day and you won't have the excuse of skipping it because you're tired or have to work late.
3. Workout with a friend. When a friend is waiting for you, you're less likely to back out!
4. Make a list of goals and put them on the refrigerator. When you think about skipping your workout, go back and read your list. Remember why you're doing this!
5. Keep track of your progress. When you reach a goal, that will motivate you to keep going!
6. Wake up each day and ask yourself how you'll make your day healthy. Plan your workouts the night before and be prepared with a workout bag ready to go so there are no excuses!
7. Reward yourself! It's important to pat yourself on the back for reaching your goals. Get yourself a massage, a new pair of workout shoes or a night on the town every so often.

More Resources:

What's Your Excuse?
Motivation
Staying Motivated for Exercise

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