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It’s not always easy to find time or energy to do a workout when you’re busy at work all day and then have your commute home. And if you can’t find enough time in the day, chances are that you won’t make it happen on weekends either, especially with all that Netflix bingeing happening on Saturdays and Sundays. It doesn’t help that gyms are expensive (and often too crowded), making people feel like they’re wasting money by not regularly using their membership. The key is finding motivation outside of yourself, whether it be joining a social media or in-person fitness group, setting tangible goals to work towards, or finding a creative way to fit in a workout even on your busiest days.
There’s no question that lifestyle factors are some of the biggest barriers to working out regularly. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), people who spend more time sitting down are at an increased risk for developing foot problems and other health issues down the line, which could require a trip to a foot dr (doctor) or some other medical professional. Conditions like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and Runner’s Knee can all be traced back to lifestyle choices like spending too much time sitting at a desk or not taking enough breaks throughout the day to move around.
So even if you’re struggling to find the motivation to work out, it’s important to make lifestyle changes to prioritize your health. Once you ease the lifestyle factors keeping you from working out, it will be easier to find time for fitness.
When planning out your workout schedule, try using a digital calendar app like Google Calendar or iCalendar so that it’s visible on all of your electronic devices. Then take advantage of these handy integrations with other apps to help you stay on track throughout the day. You can sync your Fitbit account with Google Calendar automatically when creating or editing events to get an alert on your wrist when it’s almost time for that event so you know if you need to speed up or slow down during the workday.
You can also use Zapier integration IFTTT and connect Lose It! with Google Calendar so that when you add a food log entry in Lose It!, it’ll show up on your calendar and give you an idea of how many calories you’re able to fit into the remaining time of the day.
Lose It! can also help you create tangible goals for yourself, like losing weight or running a 5K. Keep track of your progress over time with detailed reports and use them as motivation to keep going. Whether you share these results with friends, join groups on Facebook or Fitocracy, or get coaching from a lifestyle coach, there are plenty of ways to stay motivated outside of yourself so that fitness becomes easier than ever before.
The Road to a Healthy Lifestyle
One of the best ways to stay motivated throughout the day is to keep yourself accountable for your lifestyle choices and remind yourself why you’re making lifestyle changes in the first place. Some people like to write in a journal about their lifestyle and what they’ve done well to maintain motivation, while others prefer to take notes on their phone or computer.
Whatever helps you feel most accountable for your lifestyle can be used as motivation when it comes time for a workout. The goal is just finding something that works best for you so that staying fit becomes more than just another task on your to-do list — but rather a positive lifestyle choice.
Motivation: An Effective Exercise Tool
Whether it be creating a collage of photos or planning out your daily schedule on a whiteboard, finding visual ways to stay motivated can be an effective way to get yourself excited about fitness. Visual motivation can make working out seem less like work and more like fun since you’re doing something you love (or at least enjoy).
For example, if you plan to go for a run later in the day but don’t feel like putting your running shoes on right now, take a photo of those shoes and put it up somewhere visible—like your refrigerator or above your computer—so that when you’re feeling unmotivated and out of breath before the jog, seeing that photo will help rejuvenate your energy levels.
The same holds true for social media groups where people try to keep each other accountable throughout the day for lifestyle changes or convince each other to hit the gym.
By simply scrolling through your newsfeed, you might see plenty of posts from friends and strangers alike that encourage you to work out and make lifestyle changes—motivating you to stay on track throughout the day and get into shape.
Is It Time You Got Motivated?
It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just find time in your busy schedule for fitness. Making lifestyle changes is one of the best ways to start working out regularly.
Once you’ve made lifestyle changes like using a digital calendar as motivation or finding an exercise buddy who keeps you accountable every step of the way, it’ll be much easier to stay motivated and carve out time in your day for fitness.