{"id":31380,"date":"2021-03-09T12:00:37","date_gmt":"2021-03-09T17:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=31380"},"modified":"2022-02-17T08:27:39","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T13:27:39","slug":"workout-motivation-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/workout-motivation-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Science-Backed Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor’s Note: We’re revisiting some of our most popular posts! Enjoy these helpful tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Are you looking to make your occasional strength class<\/a> or Sunday spin session<\/a> a regular ritual? You may be one of many casual exercisers who wants to sweat more often, but struggles with finding the workout motivation to make fitness a part of your daily routine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conventional wisdom hasn’t been particularly helpful in figuring out how to get in the groove and become that person who says, \u201cI\u2019ll meet you for brunch later. Gotta fit in my run first<\/a>.\u201d You\u2019re told you have to \u201cwant it\u201d enough. Or that you have to do something 21 days in a row<\/a> before it becomes second nature. But what do you do on the 29th<\/sup> day when it\u2019s raining outside and you\u2019re dying to skip your run and sleep for another hour instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 DIY Pinterest Projects to Get You Motivated<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fitness Motivation Made Easy<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, economists and psychologists have been studying how to crack the code of what compels us to repeatedly do something we don\u2019t always want to do. Here are some of their best strategies to boost workout motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Give Yourself a Real Reward  <\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sure, some people might be motivated by vague goals such as \u201cbetter health\u201d or \u201cweight control<\/a>.\u201d But if that\u2019s not doing it for you, journalist Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business<\/a><\/i> advises making the benefits of working out more tangible, such as by treating yourself to a smoothie<\/a> or an episode of Game of Thrones<\/i> afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAn extrinsic reward is so powerful because your brain can latch on to it and make the link that the behavior is worthwhile.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

He describes creating a neurological \u201chabit loop<\/a>,\u201d which involves a cue to trigger the behavior (setting out your spinning shoes next to your bag), the routine (making it through spinning class<\/a>) and then the reward. \u201cAn extrinsic reward is so powerful because your brain can latch on to it and make the link that the behavior is worthwhile,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt increases the odds the routine becomes a habit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong>  The One Habit That Could Slash 1,400 Calories Per Week<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, the motivation becomes intrinsic, as the brain begins to associate sweat<\/a> and pain with the surge of endorphins<\/a> \u2014 those feel-good chemicals released in the brain that are responsible for that \u201cI-feel-freaking-amazing\u201d rush you get after a great gym session<\/a>. Once you\u2019ve trained your brain to recognize that the workout itself is the reward, you won\u2019t even want the treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Element5 Digital<\/a><\/strong> from Pexels<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Sign a Commitment Contract<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We can make promises to ourselves all day long, but research shows we\u2019re more likely to follow through with pledges when we make them in front of friends<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can up the ante even more by signing a contract agreeing to pay a pal $20 every time you skip Pilates<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s a simple notion of changing the cost,\u201d explains Jeremy Goldhaber-Fiebert, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University who studies health decision science. \u201cI say I\u2019m going to make a commitment to do something for a certain amount of time<\/a>, such as exercising 30 minutes three times a week for 12 weeks. If I don\u2019t do that, I\u2019m going to pay some kind of penalty, whether it\u2019s monetary or the embarrassment of having friends know I didn\u2019t live up to my word.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In studies<\/a> of people who created online contracts via the site stickk.com<\/a>, Goldhaber-Fiebert and his colleagues found that those who signed longer contracts ended up exercising more than those who agreed to shorter durations. \u201cWe have to get past the initial experience of displeasure in order to recognize the longer-term benefits<\/a>,\u201d he says. \u201cThe challenge is designing tools to help make that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by RODNAE Productions<\/a><\/strong> from Pexels<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Rethink Positive Thinking<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Devotees of positive thinking<\/a> have long promoted visualizing the benefits of a behavior as a motivational strategy. For example, when I\u2019m deciding whether to get out of bed to go running in the morning, it helps to imagine how the sun will feel on my face as I run around<\/a> the reservoir. Or how delighted I\u2019ll be when I see my new muscles developing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter you imagine the obstacle, you can figure out what you can do to overcome it and make a plan.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

But such feel-good fantasies are only effective when accompanied by more realistic problem-solving methods, according to Gabriele Oettingen, PhD, psychologist at New York University and author of Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation<\/a><\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Just Not Feeling It Today? 33 Sources of Workout Motivation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the rest of the formula: After identifying your wish and visualizing the outcome, you have to identify what\u2019s holding you back \u2014 a technique she calls \u201cmental contrasting.\u201d In one study<\/a> of 51 female students who claimed they wanted to eat fewer junk food snacks<\/a>, researchers asked each woman to imagine the benefits of nibbling on better foods. Those who identified the trigger that made healthful snacking difficult for them \u2014 and came up with a plan to reach for fruit when cravings hit \u2014 were most successful at sticking to their goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feel too tired to go to the gym after work? \u201cAfter you imagine the obstacle, you can figure out what you can do to overcome it and make a plan,\u201d explains Oettingen. For example, you can switch to morning or lunchtime workouts<\/a> or go straight to the gym instead of stopping at home first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 19 Reasons to Work Out (Beyond the Perfect Body)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by dusan jovic<\/a> on Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4. Find Your Fitness Tribe<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s face it: No one can pay you to do more squats<\/a>, rack up more miles or lift heavier \u2014 and science proves it. Researchers in a recent study<\/a> from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that rewarding new gym members with $30 or $60 gift cards for exercising made little to zero impact on their workout motivation. While it might sound like a sweet deal to get paid to sweat, what will ultimately inspire you to get up and start moving<\/a> is a strong, supportive community<\/a>. The laughs, high fives and words of encouragement from the bonds people make are things money simply can’t buy. From CrossFit boxes<\/a> to run clubs<\/a> to yogi circles, there\u2019s a fitness squad for everyone. Find a workout that makes you feel good and surround yourself with people that help build your confidence as much as your strength. The cost of putting yourself out there? Priceless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Zen Chung<\/a><\/strong> from Pexels<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at\u00a0dailyburn.com<\/a>\u00a0and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally posted August 27, 2014. Updated August 2017 and March 2021.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read More
<\/strong>Got Workout Burnout? 4 Tips to Bounce Back
<\/a>275 Bodyweight Exercises to Shake Up Your Routine<\/a>
What Happens to Your Body When You Skip the Gym<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Desperately in need of some workout motivation? Check out these research-proven ways to make fitness a permanent part of your life. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":66537,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6],"tags":[202,289,104,332,237,103,341,343,100],"class_list":["post-31380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-brain","tag-exercise","tag-goals","tag-habits","tag-inspiration","tag-motivation","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-workout"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}