At ZOZOFIT, we know there are always those days where getting out of bed to start a morning workout feels like the hardest thing you will ever do. It might not even be an early morning. Maybe it’s raining, you have a lot to do, or just don’t feel like exercising. It happens to all of us, but we don’t have to let a lack of motivation stop us from improving our fitness. 

Motivation is fickle and that’s one of the reasons we can’t really rely on motivation to get us to do the things we need (or want) to do. It’s really easy to listen to the voice in your head that’s keeping you from doing something because, honestly, having a lazy day often sounds like a good idea. But, even when you’re lacking in the intrinsic motivation to keep moving, there are still some other ways to motivate yourself to keep moving. 

Pencil It In 

Like we said above, you can’t rely just on motivation to get things done. It’s important to have external factors that remind and pressure you to workout and improve your fitness. 

If you’re motivated by reminders or have a busy schedule, one of the best things you can do is schedule your fitness into your calendar. When you add your workouts to your calendar, they’ll be there with the rest of your day plan so you can ensure that you won’t miss a workout. It’s also a way for you to carve out time for your fitness that is just for you. 

We live in a world where we’re often double-booking ourselves and cramming our days so full it feels like we’ll never have a break. By setting aside time for your fitness, you’re creating a sacred space to improve your health and wellness everyday.

Set Achievable Goals with Rewards 

Who doesn’t love a reward? 

If you’re having trouble feeling motivated try setting goals and giving yourself a reward for a job well done. Before you start this, though, be sure that your goals are achievable and fit in line with your fitness level. For example, if you’ve never run a 5K, you don’t want to start by training for a marathon. 

Your rewards can come in many different varieties. It just depends on what you want. Maybe you start setting aside money for a “reward fund,” where you can buy new workout gear when you hit a certain milestone. If you seek time alone to relax and refresh, your reward could be a restorative afternoon in peace and quiet with a good book — and the expectation that your family will not bother you. 

Make sure the reward you give yourself makes sense for you! 

Don’t Go All Out Every Day

One of the quickest ways to lose motivation is to burn out. And yes, you can get fitness burnout! By going too hard all of the time, you’ll wear your body and your mind out. Remember that you always need breaks and rest days. 

To prevent fitness burnout be sure that you are giving yourself time away from the hard workouts. This can look a few different ways, depending on what you prefer. Easy bike rides, walks, and restorative yoga are great options that will give your body the break it needs. To make improvements you need to push yourself, but not too much because that can lead to burnout, exhaustion, and injury. 

Remember the Mental Health Benefits 

When you’re feeling sluggish, the last thing you want to do is get off the couch. But, exercise has so many benefits not just for your physical health, but your mental health too. Exercise is known to reduce anxiety and depression, making it a “home remedy” of sorts to treat those issues. Additionally, it can also help with self-esteem and stress! 

If you’re not feeling motivated, one of the best ways to motivate yourself to keep moving is thinking about the reward! Exercise is particularly good on a bad day. Even if you can’t complete a hard workout, just taking a walk around the neighborhood or doing some stretching can be enough to clear the fog in your brain. 

By exercising regularly, you’ll be able to see these benefits over a longer period of time! 

Look Forward to Exercise 

You can motivate yourself to get moving if you are able to choose fitness activities that you look forward to! 

When creating a fitness routine, consider what you want to do and are interested in. Sometimes it’s difficult enough to get up and start working out, but that can be made even more difficult if you actively dislike the type of exercise you’ve been doing. It’s much easier to say “no” to your workout when it’s the last thing you want to do. 

Have you been hating your spin class? Starting to resent your CrossFit trainer? Tired of long runs? 

Look for other activities that interest you to either mix it up a bit or shift your exercise focus. Try power yoga instead of CrossFit or try out swimming if you need a break from running. By exploring different types of workouts, you’ll be able to find something that you look forward to in your fitness routine. 

Track Your Progress and Successes 

One of the best motivators is to see your progress over time. When you’re able to see how far you’ve come it’s easier to want to keep going with your fitness. Using a fitness tracking app or other piece of fitness technology that can track your progress is the best way to get accurate results, as well as be able to analyze data from your workouts. 

Depending on your fitness routine and goals, there are many different ways to track progress. You can use a spreadsheet where you add run distances and paces, record your cycling sessions with a fitness watch, or use a tool like the ZOZOFIT app to see the physical progress you’ve made. 

The ZOZOFIT app can provide your body measurements through our 3D body scanning technology. You can use these measurements to see how you’ve physically changed over time, whether you want to gain muscle or decrease body fat.