Committing to working out regularly and making it a habit can be a challenge for a lot of people. Often we start with good intentions. We buy the latest workout gear, join a gym or fitness class, start going and then… we stop.

We lose momentum and lack the motivation to keep going. We’d rather be cosy at home watching Netflix and eating pizza!

It really can take some willpower to keep exercising, especially when you first start. It can be difficult, tiring and non-enjoyable if you are starting to exercise for the very first time or after a long period of absence. It can be hard to know how to stay motivated to workout when really, we’d rather not.

Where do those gym bunnies get all that desire and motivation from?

Even as someone who goes to the gym almost daily, I still have periods where I have no energy or motivation to workout. Being tired can be the biggest motivation killer when it comes to working out, especially with our busy lifestyles, but I’ve found working out can give me more energy and make me less tired! I just have to muster up the energy to put my gym clothes on and get to the gym!

My top workout motivation tips

If you need motivation to work out when tired, or just to work out at all, then here are my top workout motivation tips:

Invest in a fitness device

Sometimes we need to see just how much exercise we are not doing to motivate us to do more! Plenty of people I know have invested in a wearable fitness device like a Fitbit to realise they barely do any steps each day. This has been enough to motivate them to move more!

I love to track my steps each day using the Health app on my iPhone. If you don’t always carry your phone around with you then a Fitbit or other wearable device is a great idea.

Join a high-end gym

Many people choose the cheapest gym possible and that’s great, if you go, but often we come up with excuses not to. If your gym barely costs a tenner a month then you’re more likely to choose not to go as it’s not costing you much. You won’t feel guilty about losing a few pounds a month.

However, if you join a more expensive gym, if you can afford it, then you will be more motivated to go as you don’t want to waste a considerable amount of money each month! You’ll want to get as much value as possible from your expensive membership and that means making sure you go on a regular basis!

They also tend to have a lot of classes, a swimming pool and a lot more options when it comes to working out, so you’re more likely to find a workout that suits you.

Some high-end gyms even have tennis and badminton courts which you can book regularly as part of your membership. These are great motivators as you can go with a friend and hold each other accountable for working out! You’ll need to invest in some rackets, but you can find cheap enough equipment online like these Yonex badminton racquets that start at only £20.

Of course, being healthy doesn’t have to be expensive, or even cost a penny, and you can even workout at home for free. But if you’re lacking motivation then you might find you need to attend a fitness class or an actual gym membership to motivate you.

Set a goal

There’s nothing like setting some fitness targets to motivate you, especially if you are a competitive person. I’m not one to compete with others, but I do like to set myself challenges. I’m in competition with myself!

You can set a weekly weight goal, a calorie goal or a daily steps goal. I have a weekly calorie goal and just setting this goal for myself gives me a challenge that I am determined to meet every week.

If you need a bigger challenge to keep you motivated then why not train for a triathlon or half marathon? Setting a date for a competitive race could be just the motivation you need to really get your fitness goals on track.

Use an app to track your workouts

I use the LFconnect app as it syncs to all the equipment at my gym. This means I can track all my workouts and calories burned each day. I can also add workouts manually, so I check my distance walked on the Apple Health app at the end of each day and add this to the LFconnect app.

I’m able to see my weekly calorie loss and workouts in a weekly graph. Just being able to visualise how much exercise I’ve done each week, on a graph, motivates me to do more. I can see when I’ve been slacking. I can see at a glance whether I’ve hit my calorie goal that week.

Since having this app it’s motivated me to work out more each week.

Tell yourself it will get easier and enjoyable

When you first start exercising it is really hard. I even notice it after having a week’s break when I’m on holiday or if I’m inured. That first workout is not enjoyable and it’s really tiring.

I can usually run 5km no problem, but if I’ve had a break then I can struggle to run 1km on that first workout!

Don’t let this demotivate you though. Tell yourself it will get easier and you will even enjoy it. There’s a reason that people become addicted to exercise – because it makes them feel good. If they always felt how you feel on that first attempt, then no one would carry on exercising!

Stick with it and use the power of the mind.

IT WILL GET EASIER.

IT WILL BE ENJOYABLE.

You will be surprised at how quickly you start enjoying it and start finding it easier. Those first few times can be really tough, but give it a few weeks and you’ll realise how great exercise is and how good it can make you feel.