Exercising regularly is key to living a healthy life. But this is easier said than done, since typical routines can feel repetitive and the comforts of your bed often sound more appealing. Thankfully, all is not lost, as you only need a special source of motivation to help you get moving. That said, here are 5 uniquely fun ways to encourage yourself to get out there and exercise.
1. Turn It into a Bingo Game
For a truly entertaining source of motivation, you can incorporate the exciting game of bingo into your exercise routine. As we’ve previously outlined in our article on ‘Fun Fitness Activities with Bingo’, the classic game improves cognitive abilities because it enables people to think much clearer.
And the best part is, it’s pretty easy to set up. This method makes use of US bingo cards, which come in a 5×5 grid. To help you get started, you can create your special exercise bingo cards by filling the boxes in with different workout moves, such as jumping jacks, push-ups, and burpees. You can even invite your friends over to join the fun for some healthy competition.
2. Stage a Concert
Music is a great motivator for working out, as TIME reports that studies have discovered how listening to songs can help enhance your mood, improve your blood flow, and even relieve pain. But, instead of playing tunes on a loop, you can take it up a notch by staging your own concert at home.
Unleash your inner Beyoncé or Michael Jackson by creating a setlist of songs that you can match with various cardio exercises. What’s more, you can even set a schedule for your “concert dates.” This way, you have an extra source of motivation, since you don’t want to disappoint the crowd — or your body, for that matter.
3. Integrate it Into Your Workday
The best way to make a healthy habit out of working out is to change your mindset. Instead of viewing it as punishment, and something that will take up precious hours of free time include it in your workday. A post by Gala Bingo suggests making time for exercise during your lunch break, as it is not only an effective distraction from work, but also the perfect pick-me-up you didn’t know you needed. Julia Dellitt’s feature for Self details how working out at lunch made her “a more productive employee, better able to lead my teams, and most of all, less stressed and more committed to exercise as a whole.” To make things truly exciting, try something new every week like adult ballet or indoor rock climbing. By shaking things up with fun activities, you might not even notice you’re getting a workout in!
4. Create Your Own Highlight Reel
When it comes to results from your exercises, the usual way to trace them is to weigh yourself on the scale. However, getting on the scale daily can lead to misleading or inaccurate calculations. And if you aren’t happy with the outcomes of your weigh-ins, it’s highly likely that you’ll lose the motivation to exercise.
A creative and more realistic way to see the results of your routines is to build your own highlight reel. You can track your progress visually by taking pictures or videos of yourself daily before your exercise, as this will paint a clearer picture down the road. And when you reach a certain number of weeks, you can even make a short movie showing how far you’ve come.
5. Plaster a Motivational Poster
Even with all the motivational methods set in place, there will be some days when you wake up feeling like you’d rather stay in bed than completing a workout. It’s essential to be focused on your fitness goals no matter what you’re feeling.
A great way to help you avoid a roadblock like this is to put up a motivational poster somewhere easily seen, which will firmly remind you to stay on track with your exercise routine. Indeed, Fast Company reveals that images with well-structured messages can significantly change the way people view matters. On that note, you can plaster a poster on your bedroom door with an inspiring motivational quote like, “Remember why you started!” or “Good things come to those who sweat!”
The post 5 Unique Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise appeared first on Learning Patience.
