This is the third post in the series – Making Exercise a Lifestyle
Are you exhausted after work and the thought of exercise just seems like an obstacle too big to overcome? Are there some days you just don’t have the energy to get yourself to workout?
One struggle I hear from people is: I know I need to workout but I have a hard time getting in the mood after a long day of work. Or, I just can’t get myself into the mindset to go to the gym.
Does that sound like you? Here’s the thing. There are some tricks and tips you can do to overcome those thoughts. But first,
You have to have a clearly defined purpose and an activity that fits into your lifestyle.
I workout regularly because I enjoy the activities I do. Not too mention, the physical and mental benefits are huge. If you haven’t experienced that, it’s probably because you haven’t found something that fits into your lifestyle. If you haven’t figured out your go-to workout activity, read this first. Then, come back to this post when you need a little extra motivation to get your fitness on.
At this point you’ve found your thing.
You have a gym, studio, or outdoor activity that you love. You are going regularly. However, work is draining some days. The idea of your couch and This Is Us sounds ever-more appealing as the day wears on. The more you think about wine + couch the more it sounds appealing. Workout? I’ll go tomorrow. What’s one day.
Well, one day can easily turn into two, into a week, and then it’s a slippery slope right back into old habits. If you are truly committed to making exercise and fitness part of your lifestyle, you have to nip it in the bud right away.
Think of working out like a part time job. Because let’s be real, it is. Between changing into workout clothes, driving to the gym or studio, doing the work, then driving home. It’s around a 2 hour commitment per day. If you do that six days a week, that’s 12 hours committed to your workout routine.
That’s not including time grocery shopping, meal-prepping, planning your workouts, gathering your workout gear before heading to work, and any other activity in your life that lends itself to your fitness lifestyle.
So, when you start to think wine + couch + tv = my glorious sounding night…
You have to change your mindset right then and there.
If you let the thought take over. It will. It will consume you. The more you say it, the more it takes over. This is when you go back to that purpose. If you have a clear purpose, change your thoughts to align with that purpose.
When you change your thoughts, you change your results.
Here’s what I mean…
Your current thought: I don’t want to work out, I’m tired, I want to go home, couch. Leads to result: Not working out, feel lazy, unaccomplished, and guilty.
Replace that with a new thought: I want to go do [insert workout activity] because it’s fun, see my friends, and feel great when I wear my favorite dress for my birthday celebration in two weeks. Leads to result: Going to work out, feeling accomplished, capable, and strong.
Yes, I’m asking you to trick yourself. Tell yourself a new story, a new thought, distract yourself from the desire to go home.
But…
If the mental play fails you, there is a little trick to getting into the mood when your brain is too difficult to change.
Here’s your hack…
MOVE YOUR BODY
There are countless ways you could do this, here are a few ideas:
- Walk on the treadmill for 3 – 5 minutes
- Take a quick walk outside
- Do some jumping jacks
- Run through a few sun salutations
My favorite way that works almost every time is a quick 3-5-minute yoga flow. You don’t need any fancy equipment, just you and the ground if that’s all you have.
I like it because you slowly build your energy, rather than going straight into jumping jacks, which can feel jarring, when you’re not in the mood.
If you have a mat, grab it and watch this and follow along:
Why This Is Effective:
- Inversions. Inverting your heart over your head creates a rush in your body. By hanging out upside-down for a while, you get your blood moving, heart rate slightly up, all while creating a fascial stretch on your posterior chain.
- Back bending. Back bends invoke energy. If you are tired, there are specific yoga poses that will wake you up, so much so, you shouldn’t do them late at night before bed. Most of our daily movements involve forward-bending, it’s just our natural inclination (i.e. sitting). Bending backwards is reversing what you normally do. It creates a counterbalance to the forward bending we do throughout the day. For more information on why back bends are super beneficial, check out this.
- A slow build. Throughout this mini-flow I start slow and build into faster movement. This gradually increases your heart rate and wakes up your mind. It’s also a distraction in the brain. As you start to move faster, you focus on the present (the poses you are in). The more complicated the pose, the more you have to focus on just that pose. By the time the 5 minutes is up, you are ready for more.
If you tried the video or some other method to get in the mood to workout, I’d love to know how it went. Comment below on your experience!
This is the third post in the Making Fitness a Lifestyle series. Stay tuned! In the next post I’ll give you my number one secret to staying active, making exercise a habit, all while keeping energy levels high throughout the week.
Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. This post is intended for educational, inspirational, or entertainment purposes only. I am not a doctor, the content on this blog is not intended to be substituted for medical advice.
