I’ll admit that I can get a bit bored with the gym and staying motivated can be hard. There are days when I love it and I can smash out amazing workouts. And then other days I find myself leaving after 20 minutes. It’s a perpetual battle. And if I’m honest, it’s mostly a mental battle. I find that when I don’t really enjoy the environment I’m working out in I don’t want to workout. At this point I’ve accepted I vibe off the space I’m in and if I don’t like it, there’s strong chance I’ll find an excuse to not work.

With that confession being said, I’m not just giving up on my fitness all together. I’ve been making changes that are more suited to my goals and me as a person. I know not everyone loves the gym or has the extra time to workout in a gym setting. So today I thought I’d share how I’m staying inspired with my workouts when I currently hate the gym. Exciting right?

Making daily activity a priority

I think working out is great. If you find the right activity or gym partner, it can be a good mental and physical release. But instead of putting all my pressure on a daily workout, I’ve been striving to just generally be more active these days. For me that looks a little different each day. I strive to get in a morning walking just to get my blood flowing and some time away from my desk. Or I’ll squeeze in a few small mini workouts through the day. Maybe 5 minutes of jump rope here and 10 minutes of my Sweat app* there. Letting go of the pressure of having an amazing workout every time has helped keep me more motivated.

Getting friends in on the fun

I recently broke down and invested in an Apple Watch*. Two years ago when they came out I wasn’t interested. I didn’t want any more technology in my life. But in the past few months I’ve been really considering it. I finally caved at the beginning of the month and I love it. You can share activity with friends and I’m enjoying seeing my friends crushing their daily goals. One of my friends is currently training for a half marathon and it’s just a daily reminder for me to get moving. Plus you can send little messages of encouragement. I may not have a gym buddy but it’s awesome to be able to have that extra push of motivation every day.

Having a semi-plan for each workout

In the last month or so, I’ve felt a bit lost whenever I would go to the gym. Personally, I know that I need to find a new one. I’m just not loving the environment of mine anymore. But I’ve also not really gone in with a plan. Yes, I like to be flexible with what I do based on how my body feels. But I also know that I do a lot better when I have an idea of what I want to do in the gym for the day.

Some times I’m really great at planning ahead and saying I’m going to do this workout. Other days, I’ll find a video while i’m going a warm up on the treadmill and use it for the day. Whatever planning looks like to you, I know that when I have some kind of guidance I feel better about my workouts. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment and like I actually completely something. Rather than feeling like I just did a bunch of random machines for 20 minutes which happens more than I’d care to admit.

Switching up my workouts

I feel like this is something you hear a lot but it’s quite true. Now if you know you love cycling, I’m not saying you have abandon your love. Soulcycle is amazing and I would happily spin away if there was one close to me. But I also know that I’m that type of person that when I feel like I have to do something I no longer want to do it. Being active is a lifestyle I’m striving to create for myself. So if that means I’m a lifting weights and smashing it in the gym one month and the next taking walks and doing yoga at home, I’m okay with that. I try to find ways to stay active that work for both my body and my mind. And remember some times finding your thing takes time. You thing might even change. Be open to the idea of switching it up. It’s all a part of this healthy lifestyle we are creating.

Setting a goal to motivate myself

Am I looking to run a half marathon or any other kind of race anytime soon? Not currently. Right now my goal is to hit my daily activity goal each day. However I do that changes daily but it’s my goal. It’s small and it keeps me moving. Maybe your goal is to walk each morning or to be able to do 10 push ups in a row. Give yourself something to work towards and when you hit that goal set the next one. No one says you have to be a runner to be fit. You’re perfectly capable of defining what healthy looks like in your life.

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