17 Must-Know Fitness Tips To Stay Motivated During Every Workout

Staying fit and healthy can often feel like a daily battle with your own body.

On one hand, you know it takes hard work and dedication to get the body you want. But, on the other, you really don’t feel like going to the gym today.

Sticking to a consistent fitness routine does take a lot of drive and determination, but sometimes you just need a little extra motivation to keep going.

To keep you working toward your healthy fitness goals, here are some quick tips to help you stay motivated in every single workout:

Running

1. Put a little pep in your step by creating an upbeat playlist that you can set your pace to. This way, each song will help you power through different speeds throughout your run.
2. Use the first five minutes of your run as a warm up to prepare your mind and get your blood flowing before speeding up.
3. Run outside to improve your mood and overall performance. The uneven terrain will force your muscles to work just a little harder with each step and the fresh air will help clear your mind.
4. Raise the incline on the treadmill by just 5% to burn up to 100 extra calories during your workout.
5. When running up hills, focus on the top of the hill to open your airways and motivate you to run faster.
6. Prevent running injuries by following the 10 per cent rule: never increase your weekly mileage by more than 10 per cent of the previous week.

Cardio

1. Take advantage of interval training in any type of cardio you like—not just running. On the elliptical, switch up your speed and resistance every few minutes to burn more calories and get rid of belly fat faster!
2. Mix up cardio machines throughout your workout, so your muscles don’t get bored and tired of one machine alone. Try the treadmill, bike, stair master, and elliptical in one session. You’ll feel the difference in your muscles tomorrow!
3. Combine strength training and cardio to maximize your time at the gym and burn the most calories—and keep you from feeling bored!
4. Push yourself to move just five extra minutes every week to burn 50 more calories during each workout.
5. Try high-intensity interval training by adding 20-30 second bursts of intense movement every few minutes during your workout. Not only will this help you burn more calories, but it will also encourage you to build up your speed during every workout.

Strength Training

1. If you’re usually a big fan of cardio, add three strength training sessions a week to maximize your time at the gym.
2. Try full-body exercises (squats, lunges, planks, etc.) to burn more calories than mindlessly lifting heavy dumbbells.
3. Make your body work harder to create stability by standing on one leg or doing your exercises on a BOSU ball.
4. Always keep moving! You’ll burn way more calories by doing squats at the same time as your bicep curls than simply standing in the same spot.
5. Keep your muscles guessing by mixing up your speed with strength training exercises. Try lifting slowly and lower quickly, or pause in the middle of your reps!
6. As you start feeling stronger, add more weights to your workout. If you don’t feel tired after two reps, it might be time to add a little extra weight.

How do you keep yourself motivated during every workout? Tell us in the comments!

Photo Copyright © 2012 Chris Hunkeler/Flickr