You’re not alone if you find working out to be challenging. Especially just getting started with training day or an overall routine. As humans, we have great physical capabilities, but it’s also true that we’re designed to conserve energy when and where we can. Without external stimulus that forces us to hunt for our food, to go without sustenance, and to work in a physical setting, it’s easy to fall into comfort, convenience, and ease. In other words, your body is very happy to not work out if it can avoid it. Because after all, getting out there into the world is risky and, for a long time, was quite dangerous.
So, if you find yourself having motivation problems, feeling lethargic or relatively tired before your workouts, you’re not a worse person for it. Even many high level and professional athletes can feel that way before a morning run. What matters is how they manage those feelings and overcome them. The truth is that rarely do people regret that workout they do accomplish. It’s just summoning the energy for it is harder than we first assume.
With that in mind, you might find some value in the following wisdom.
Consider Your Whole Gym-Onboarding Process
Just walking into your gym doesn’t always mean you’re in the best physical and mental space to perform a hard workout. It can take a little while to get into that headspace. Revising your full gym onboarding process can be a wise move. For example, if you work at an office, perhaps going from being seated for a few hours in the afternoon straight into running isn’t the best way forward. Consider, walking to the gym instead. It will help you feel a little more active and get the blood pumping before you start your weightlifting effort.
Use Pre-Workout Energizers
Of course, certain pre-workout supplements such as Das Labs Bucked Up can serve as a great pre-workout energy, with vitamins and various helpful ingredients to improve athletic performance. You might also prefer a good cup of coffee to help you get started. If you haven’t had anything to eat for a few hours, sometimes a banana can help you gain the immediate energy you need to burn off.
It’s not all about the food though. Don’t forget to warm up also. A good five-minute job on the treadmill can help you feel more lively than you otherwise would have been. Especially if you’ve been in the car for the last ten minutes driving to the gym.
Keep Incremental Progress & Be Kind to Yourself
It’s wise to be mindful of the progress you make in the gym. You don’t have to break personal records every single time you head inside. Instead, a simple strategy where you relax, and have minimal goals to complete each day actually feels achievable. That way, you might not feel like Superman, but you know what you have to do.
This means all of the mental energy you spend on figuring out what to do next is taken care of for you, and you can retain it. That might be a simple practice run, or lifting weights very slightly above your usual amount. You might just focus on form. Every session is something you can work on and aim to improve in, but if you don’t feel like every training episode is your last. Then you’ll be much more excited about trying again each day.
Take Further Breaks
Maybe you just need some more time between your workout sessions to feel fully recovered. That’s totally fine. For example, if you’re doing hard cardio or strength training, three times a week is usually fine. This gives you ample time to recover, a two-day break at least once a week, and the means to come back and try again.
They say “overtraining” isn’t something a beginner can feel, but you can certainly feel tired out and like you haven’t quite had enough rest. Moreover, the intense responsibilities of life can tire us out sometimes. It might be that you’re worried about a relative, have an intense job, have experienced a misfortune in life, or, you just need to catch up on extra sleep.
It’s fine to take a break. A “take no days off” mentality seems good on the surface, but all it does is make you feel brittle which means failing to attend a session feels like you’ve lost everything. Compounding motivation problems. Even the best athletes need to recover, and so do you.
Consider a Class
Another way to approach motivation problems is accountability and sociability. So try a class. The best benefit to attending a fitness class is that you get to arrive and have the instructor take care of the regimen for you. You’ll still have to work hard of course, but the feeling you get from being in a social environment, of connecting with others, of taking instructions from the lead, it can all feel inspirational.
Simply feeling excited to see your friends at yoga or your spin cycle class can be enough to get you over that initial hump of ennui. If you go with a friend, you may also feel less worried about getting involved and trying something new. There’s also a sense of obligation too, as it’s easier to push past that tiredness when doing so is the difference between meeting a friend or letting them down.
Are You A Morning Or Evening Person?
For some, the idea of getting up early, going for a run, and feeling your best is a lovely one worth repeating. It sets up the day well to know you’ve already worked out and feel wonderful. Some people prefer the quiet of working out in the evening. Venting the stress of the day into their movements, and going to bed feeling as though they can rest without worry and a sense of cognitive overload.
Sometimes, you might just need to switch when possible. Altering your schedule for two weeks might make you wonder why you had never tried this method before. You never know, it may just surprise you.
Take heed of the above. Try some it. Try all of it. Part of improving motivation problems is constantly tweaking your approach. With this advice, you’ll be certain to feel motivated for fitness, or at least make small changes to see what preferences you have.
This article is a partnered post that contains affiliate links.