The Motivation Factor

A requested post!  I love it!

“How do I get motivated to run in the mornings?”

That was the question posed to me.  Let’s broaden it a bit, too: “How do I get motivated to workout, period?”

You are snuggled into your nice, warm bed, and then that alarm goes off…an hour earlier than yesterday.  Today, however, you are getting up that hour early to get in a workout before heading to the office…to start the day ‘right’…though it is so easy to just hit that snooze button for another hour…

It is lunchtime, and you have a gym across the street from your office with a 30-minute Spin class beginning in ten minutes…That still leaves you twenty minutes to shower, change, and get out that protein shake…But it would be so easy just to go down to the cafeteria and hear the latest gossip…

It’s the end of the work day.  Gym or home? Hard decision when you are tired after a stressful schedule of meetings and memos… Yet what is one of the best stress-busters…?

Challenges!  Every day! So how do we prepare for these and conquer?

Here are some simple ways to help the MOTIVATION FACTOR:

 - Schedule friend dates

 - Think of the consequences, both positive and negative (but really, focus on the positive, you’ll be better off because of it)
         -Go to the gym = Energy, Endorphins, Feeling proud, Bragging rights ( ;) ), Steps taken toward my goals, Calories burned, New weights lifted, Overall feeling = fantastic
          -Don’t go to the gym = Dragging the rest of the day, Regret, General feeling of meh

-Pay for it
    -Sign up for a class where you will lose the money if you do not attend. I sure think that’s motivation!

-Just get your feet on the floor
    -If you can convince yourself (in regards to morning workouts) to just do that, the rest will happen more easily.  But don’t psyche yourself out thinking too far ahead- JUST do the first step. Just get your feet on the floor.

-No hitting the snooze button
    -Studies caution that it would be better to sleep the extra 10, 15 minutes, rather than  “doing that dance with the alarm clock” (WSJ).

-Join a group
    -There are run clubs, bootcamps, and sports leagues all over this country.  Join in! Suddenly, not only did you take the step in signing up, but you have a community of others who also have goals and motivations of their own.  Accountability? Check.  Something enjoyable and notthesameoldtreadmillworkout?  Check. New to a city? You have found new friends. Heck, you might find a great networking opportunity to help your career….or even a husband/wife….Come on, you never know!

    -NYRR
    -Meetup
    -Zog Sports
    -So many, new groups every day across the country

-Get a dog.
    Okay, maybe this one is because I just would really love to have a dog…BUT, if you have a dog, you automatically have a really good excuse to get outside….Not just excuse: obligation.  That guy needs his walk! (And you get to breathe in some fresh air while you’re at it)


Here’s to a motivated new day,    

Kate

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