Beating Home Workout Fatigue: How To Stay Motivated to Slay at Home
Rewind to March 2020: It’s week 1 of quarantine. You just discovered how easy it is to get your workout in from home and are super motivated! You have a ton of time on your hands and are slaying YouTube videos, IG lives, Chloe Ting challenges and more. You drink your whipped coffee and put on an episode of Tiger King. Life is good.
Fast forward 9 months - you’re in that weird place where some gyms are open, some aren’t, sometimes you’re socializing, and sometimes you’re intensely staying home because you want to see your grandmother this weekend. Depending where you are, you might actually even be back in quarantine right now. The last time you took an actual class? Hmmm… was it before Halloween or was it the last time you went to that outdoor pop up over the summer? You still save all those free IG workouts, but motivation to actually do them? Now it’s December, and even though you had EVERY intention to work out last week…and the week before…Love Actually is on, so tomorrow is another day.
I get it! Working out at home seems so easy when all you have to do is roll out of bed to "get to class". But why is there something about it that makes it LESS motivating than walking in to your favorite studio?
There are SO many options for home workouts, it can feel super overwhelming, too - especially if you’re used to the structure of a studio schedule.
First and foremost - give yourself a break! Remind yourself it’s completely OKAY if you haven’t stepped foot in your sneakers or on your mat since March. You’ve been busy surviving a global pandemic - it’s perfectly acceptable if all you’ve done most days lately is making it through the day.
That said, we know we WILL start feeling better mentally and physically once we get to sweating again! So how do we get the motivation back?
Here are my top 5 hacks for staying motivated to work out at home:
#1: Schedule your workouts at the beginning of the week
You know back in 2019 when we belonged to real studios (a distant memory) when you would book your bike, your mat, or your spot in all the classes you planned to take at the beginning of the week? Do the same thing now! Waiting until the day of to scroll through the Internet is wasted energy that makes you think too much! Just like you schedule your work calls, kids school events and more on Sundays, look at your week and write out what time you will work out each day, and what class or workout you plan to do. Put it in your planner, Google calendar or phone and schedule a reminder too. Keep your appointment to yourself just as you would a friend!
#2: Pay for a class
YES, there is a ton of free content out there right now and it’s amazing, especially in this economy! But here’s the thing - are you more likely to do a random free IG live, or a class that you specifically paid for? Just like it felt when we used to take classes IRL, it really hurts when you know you paid for something and didn’t show up for it - so you’re more likely to do it! Most online classes are less expensive than the $25- $35 we used to pay for a boutique fitness class, too, so it won’t hurt your wallet to invest in yourself and pay for a real live class or on demand video. REALLY need motivation? This is advanced level accountability - but if you pay and still struggle to actually sign into class, “charge” yourself a late cancellation fee by donating $5 to a charity every time you skip your workout. You’ll be showing up for yourself in no time!
#3: Find an instructor that will keep you accountable
Similar to the above, it feels SO good when you have that personal touch of an instructor that knows your name and gives you shoutouts in class. You’re more likely to give it your all if you know you’re working out with someone that knows you, instead of just a random YouTuber you’ve never met (even if you’ve only “met” your trainer on Zoom)! On demand is awesome for a busy schedule, but take class live when possible so they know they’re working out with you and you’ll be so motivated to show up when they call you out! Never met them? DM or tag them on IG and they’ll be sure to hype you up next time! Even better - you might find a virtual workout buddy in their class to keep you motivated to show up together.
#4: Have a separate space for working out
Maybe you have your own home gym and that’s amazing! Or maybe you live in a tiny little studio apartment with barely any room for anything but a yoga mat. Regardless of how much room you have, set aside a corner of your space that’s ONLY where you “go to the gym”. Lay your towel out, put your resistance bands near it, maybe even a candle if you’re into yoga. No matter how small it is, you’ll know when you see it that it’s time to get into the mindset to crush your goals.
#5: Put on a cute outfit!
You are ALWAYS more motivated to workout when you have a cute outfit to show off! Sure, you can roll out of bed in your pajamas and press play on a video - but I guarantee you’ll feel so much better when you get dressed in an outfit that makes you FEEL like a gym baddie. And you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a fancy set, especially now that there are so many sales happening for the holidays! Anything that flips your mindset from Netflix and chill to workout queen works. Thinking that no one is going to see your outfit, so who cares? Post that fire mirror pic after class and show off your sweaty selfie! You might just inspire someone to work out too.
BONUS: Want even more motivation, accountability and community in 2021?
Elevate Body: Progress Over Perfection is coming in January!
Not only will I keep you motivated through your home workouts, where you’ll see noticeable physical changes in your body and gain significant strength, we’re going to work on getting our confidence back with positive energy and a tight knit community - all from the comfort of your home with only you and a mat!
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