No matter how long you’ve been going to the gym and no matter how much you love working out there are days you just will not feel like going. It could be because you had a hectic day, you’re tired, or you just don’t want to get in the car and go anywhere. It is days like these that make the gym feel more like a chore then a fun activity. There are ways to breakthrough this barrier as to not knock you off your fitness journey.
There are numerous ways to breakthrough this low motivation and get to the gym. One of the ways I found to keep myself on track on days I really do not feel like going is having someone to keep you accountable. Whether this is a friend or a trainer these people can help you dig up the motivation to make it to the gym.
Let’s be honest no one likes to let others down and canceling plans. That is why having a gym buddy who checks in with you is great motivation. Especially when you have those days you just want to lie on the couch after work and put on Netflix for the evening. Then you look down at your phone and see your gym buddy asking if your going to the gym tonight. You will suddenly feel the motivation to go workout to not let this person down.
You can also treat yourself to a reward for going to the gym on days you don’t feel like going. It is something that seems very simplistic but can really help get you through this slump. If you just tell yourself that if you go to the gym today you can have a bowl of ice cream after or get that new gym shirt you’ve had in your Amazon cart but haven’t bought yet. You will find that if you are working towards this reward it will make going to the gym easier because you will be thinking about what you get afterwards and not how tired you are or how much you do not want to be there.
This is just one of those things that our brains have been trained to respond to. It’s like when you were little and you got to go get ice cream after little league practice. It just makes the whole event more enjoyable because you know there is something that will be obtained at the end.
Lastly, sometimes to break through low motivation you just have to remember why you started working out in the first place. No matter if it was to live a healthier life or to obtain the body of your dreams. Not everyday is going to be simple and fun but the results and satisfaction you will have for getting through it will be well worth the struggle.