MASTER THE MENTAL CHALLENGE OF EXERCISE – 20 MOTIVATION TIPS

You know you should exercise, but why does it feel like such a chore to get started? The answer – your brain. These 20 motivation tips will help you overcome your rut and master the right mindset.

Our brain’s main goal is to avoid pain and keep us safe. It will find our comfort zone and try to keep us there.

So, what is your comfort zone? Your brain will base this  on your routines and habits. It will form neural connections that can make you act automatically to stay in your comfort zone. 

To the brain, change is unknown which equals potential danger.

This is why we experience resistance when starting a fitness journey. The good news is, while we change our routine, our brain makes new connections to associate with our comfort zone. This leads to less resistance in the long run. To master the mental challenge of exercise, the first thing you need to do is just start.  

Inertia: a tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged.

Motivation Tips to Master the First Challenge

The first few weeks of exercise can be a tug-of-war between your conscious decisions and subconscious desires. And having an achy body doesn’t help your conscious side of the argument! Apply these motivation tips to give yourself the best chance to start.

1. Don’t Wait!

If you wait until you feel like it, you may never start. Once you get going, you’ll be wondering what the big deal was. Remember, procrastination is the death of progress. 

2. Find Your Preference

Choose exercises you enjoy so your brain will associate them with pleasure. That way you’re more likely to stick to it. For ideas, refer to these workout strategies.

3. Prepare For Your Workouts

Avoid the stress of time restraints. Have your workout clothes ready for morning sessions, so you’re not rushing around. Or have them packed for afternoon sessions when you finish work.

4. Grab Your BFF

Pair up with a friend; you can bounce off each other (mentally or physically)! Making it a social thing will help your brain create positive associations.

5. Action Plan

Make a plan by setting a workout routine with days, times, and activities. Multiple studies show that exercise habits improved with action planning and repetition.

6. Alarms

Have trouble waking up? Move your alarm so you have to get out of bed to turn it off. If you find it hard, set your phone alarm as a pre-wake-up call before your main alarm.

Why is it Hard to STAY Committed?

So, you’re a few days into it, but it’s getting harder to stay motivated. Now what?

Your brain is still seeking the old comfort zone it knew so well.  On top of that, it’s trying to maintain a steady environment with your blood sugar, pressure, temperature, fluids, etc. This is known as homeostasis. When it’s disrupted, the body treats it as a stressor.

The trick is to keep at it. Exercise disrupts homeostasis in a good way by encouraging cells to grow stronger. The longer we practice a skill, the stronger neuron connections are formed in our brain.  Some claim it takes 21 days to form a habit, but the timeline may vary depending on your situation.

You can’t always wait for motivation. Sometimes it takes the act of exercising (with adrenaline pumping and endorphins flowing) to get you feeling motivated. Be patient and consistent and it will get easier.

Beware of Negative Thoughts

This is another mental challenge to master. Our thoughts influence our actions, even if they aren’t correct. It’s said that 70% of daily thoughts are negative. Considering we have thousands of thoughts a day, they can’t all be true!

Negative thoughts can form in many ways, such as:

Procrastinating: ‘I’m too tired today, maybe tomorrow…’

There are going to be days when you don’t feel 100%. That’s life. Many famous people attribute their success to discipline: The ability to do things even when we don’t feel like it.

Helplessness: ‘I’m too unfit so what’s the use?’

Everyone has to start somewhere. Breaking your fitness goals into bite-size chunks will feel less overwhelming. When we were babies, we crawled before we walked, and at no point did we give up.

Comparing: ‘I’ll never be as fit as them…’    

It’s hard to grow if you’re constantly comparing yourself to others. As the saying goes, “Your only competition is the person you were yesterday.” 

False Justification: ‘I’m not seeing results, so this is a waste of time.’

We live in an instant world; accustomed to immediate results. But any successful person will tell you it took the time (and failed attempts) to achieve their goals. The journey teaches us much more than the result.

 

Motivation Tips to Master Your Mindset

It’s debated whether willpower is a limited resource. Even so, if you change the way you view exercise, you won’t need willpower. See exercise for its perks and benefits, physically, mentally, and emotionally. If your brain links those activities with pleasure, it won’t keep resisting.

So, keep the enthusiasm fresh! Here are more motivation tips to master this:

7. Find a Role Model

This can be anyone who’s achieved the fitness goals you desire. Whether it’s weight loss, becoming healthier, or toning up, you can find plenty of inspiration online.

8. Vision Board

Create a collage of your fitness goals and hang it where you’ll see it every day. Use words and pictures that have strong meaning for you. This will keep you reminded of your goals (and like marketing, it can impact your subconscious).

9. Set Realistic Goals

Break your goals into small achievable milestones leading to your ultimate goal. This way you’ll have more wins and remain keen. If you just set yourself one big goal, it may feel too long and impossible to reach.

10. Motivational Quotes

Keep inspired and avoid negative thoughts. There’s plenty of websites available or download an app that sends you daily quotes. Share them on social media and spread the vibe!

11. Exercise Journal

A great way to track your progress and evaluate where you might need adjustment. Seeing your accomplishments in writing can improve confidence and focus. When you tick off checklists, your brain releases dopamine. This is a pleasure chemical linked to learning and motivation. The more you accomplish, the better you feel. 

12. Make Yourself Accountable

Tell people about your plans and keep them updated with your progress. It gives you more reason to stick to it. You’ll find people are supportive and you just might inspire someone.

13. Fitness Apps and Devices

These are great for tracking your progress and getting tips, such as MyFitnessPal.

On this app, you can track exercise, calories, macros, etc. Another great tool is activity watches that track your progress, calorie burn, and daily steps.  Some of these watches like Garmin Vivofit will sync with MyFitnessPal app. This adjusts your calorie allowance on the app in accordance with your activities. There are plenty of apps with exercise routines, recipes, and more. Explore reviews online and find what works for you.

14. Join an Online Fitness Community

This is another way to share your progress, encourage others and be accountable. Stay motivated by reading other people’s success stories and learning from their experiences. There are all sorts of great little tips you can pick up. One great example is Coach Kozak’s HASfit tribe.

15. Entertainment

Keep it fun and energising! Play your favourite tunes, an audiobook, or motivational videos on YouTube. Remember: keep exercise interesting and the brain will link it with pleasure.

16. Sleep it Off

Regular sleeping patterns keep your body’s circadian rhythms in check. This in turn affects your daily energy levels. It’s during sleep that our body releases growth hormones, repairs and builds muscle.  Sleep keeps the mind fresh, so you’re less likely to drop that dumbbell in a drowsy fog.

17. Take up Other Activities

There are several activities that complement your workouts, such as yoga, stretching, and meditation. These can clear the mind and calm the nervous system.

18. Watch What you Eat

No one wants to hear it, but it’s true – what you eat makes a difference. Food is fuel for your body. Eating clean (fruits, vegetables, and protein) will keep you performing longer and harder. It improves moods, sleep, and concentration.  It’s much easier to stay motivated when you feel energised.

19. Keep Those Rewards Coming

We’re still showing our brains that exercise = rewards. The brain loves pleasure, so be sure to reward yourself when you’ve stuck to your workouts.

No – not with a chocolate muffin or big mac!

You can reward yourself without costing the calories you just burned. Buy yourself a new outfit, get some new exercise equipment, or spoil yourself with a massage. Rewards don’t need to be big or expensive. Have a relaxing bath or take a stroll on the beach. Choose whatever makes you happy.

Get inspired with these 65 brilliant ways to reward yourself without food. 

20. Stay Educated

One of the most powerful tools is knowledge. Research the importance of fitness, discover more benefits of exercise. Follow some blogs! Try some expert advice; you’ll be amazed how your life can change for the better. Check out other people’s success stories and see that you’re not alone. Keep engaged and your motivation shouldn’t fade.

Be Patient

The main thing to remember is to keep focused on your goals. Be consistent and you will master the mental challenge of exercise. It will build your resilience, your self-respect, and teach you valuable skills for life. Those characteristics you will never find in a pill.