5 Top Tips to Help You Stay Motivated to Exercise

It’s easy to talk yourself out of a workout; not so easy to talk yourself into it, particularly when all you want to do is put your feet up, so follow my five top tips to help you stay motivated.

1. Imagine how you’ll feel after a workout
   If you fast-forward those feelings of fatigue and think about how smug, virtuous and toned you’ll feel afterwards, you’ll be tying your trainer laces before you know it.
2. Reward yourself
   Create a reward system around your exercise routine (preferably not a food one). You could try saying to yourself, “If I workout Monday and Wednesday, I’ll have my pyjamas on and feet up by 8pm on Thursday”.
3. Get a workout partner
   You’re more likely to make that 7pm step class if you’ve got double the resolve in the form of a training buddy. Plan your exercise diaries together and enforce things like cancellation penalties.
4. Take a before picture
   Find a picture of you in not-so-good shape and attach it to the fridge or your gym bag along with a picture of your wedding dress. That way you’ll have a reminder of where you’ve come from and where you’re heading every time you fancy a skive.
5. Set a goal
   Try and make this realistic. Aiming to be a size zero in a month is unlikely (and unhealthy); aiming for a healthy size 12 is probably do-able.

Article by Diet and Fitness Expert Laura Williams

Image from Flickr, Uploaded by Abigael

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