By 
Exercise is a vital part of staying healthy and staying fit. We all know this, but knowing it and exercising are two very different things.
Lack of motivation, procrastination, and lack of time are some of the biggest obstacles we face in maintaining a regular exercise routine. Our success is often determined by how much we want it and what we are willing to do to achieve it.
Impulse
The hardest part of any business is taking that first step. Once we take that first step, we start to gain momentum. With the momentum comes a great surge of motivation.
After we start to gain motivation, the workouts get easier and easier. Staying motivated is the key to long-term success.
Now that we’ve talked about how momentum creates motivation, let’s take a step back and ask ourselves …
How do we get the motivation to take that first step?
Motivation in the form of a conscious decision is what is required to take that first step. That’s what often makes that first step so difficult.
We have to create the initial motivation to start, after all, “energy in motion wants to stay in motion, while energy at rest wants to stay at rest.”
Motivation
Motivation is the catalyst to build momentum. A little motivation goes a long way and can create endless momentum if channeled correctly. Staying motivated requires a conscious choice and decision to move on.
Find your reason for exercising and use it as motivation. The more you want it, the more motivated you will feel.
Imagine for a moment the things you do in your life on a regular basis and why you do them.
For example, if you watch soccer every week without fail, consider why.
If you love going to the movies, like yourself, why?
Do you mow your lawn every week, why?
Do you clean your house regularly, why?
Are you going to work every day? Why?
All the “why’s” are the motivators that keep you doing those activities.
While some of those mentioned may be fun activities, cleaning the house and mowing the lawn are not so much, and we still do them on a regular basis.
Work is another good example of something we don’t necessarily enjoy, but we still do. Why? Because we have to work to earn money to buy food and pay rent or else we will end up homeless and hungry.
Well, at some point you accepted these facts and did not question them while going to work, even on the days when you prefer to do anything else.
It is possible to achieve that same level of commitment to fitness, with the proper motivation that it is.
Common motivations for exercising
Here are some of the most common reasons people commit to fitness:
- Health
- Be a role model for children
- Weight control
- Have a warm body
- Prevention of chronic diseases and premature death
- Healthy aging
- Energy and vitality
- Meeting new people at the gym
You need to find yours and take it seriously as you can end up homeless and hungry when you don’t go to work, so you can end up sick, fat and facing premature death without exercising.
Action steps to stay motivated
- Set a goal and focus on it and put all your energy into it. Don’t get overwhelmed with a ton of tasks at once. Even taking it a week at a time can work wonders, as you build momentum and work your way up from there.
- Be passionate about what you are doing. Passion is motivation in a bottle.
- Stay away from people who will hinder your motivation, such as the television addicts that we all have in our lives. Instead, meet people at the gym who have a fitness mindset and create a network of fitness-minded friends.
- Pick a set time to exercise and stick with it. Use television or social time as a reward after exercising.
- Keep track of your progress and the goals you have achieved. These accomplishments are key to helping you stay motivated.
- Practice a healthy lifestyle along with your workouts. Eat healthy, stay healthy.
- Have fun with your exercise routine, choose wisely from the hundreds of workouts available, enjoying your workout will make you much more likely to stick with it.
- Challenge yourself! Don’t let your exercise routine get boring. Add new challenges to stimulate and motivate you.
- Join a group fitness class. They are fun and highly motivating and also offer a wide variety of ways to reach any fitness goal.
There are many different ways to increase your motivation and keep it strong, as long as you are willing to take action and create the necessary momentum.
Ultimately, it all depends on you. Take the time and do it right by creating and sustaining motivation.