{"id":41107,"date":"2016-01-11T07:50:01","date_gmt":"2016-01-11T12:50:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=41107"},"modified":"2021-11-18T08:51:16","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T13:51:16","slug":"workout-motivation-beyond-perfect-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/workout-motivation-beyond-perfect-body\/","title":{"rendered":"19 Reasons to Work Out (Beyond the Perfect Body)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Let\u2019s face it: While you know hitting the gym is good for you, sometimes your workout motivation plateaus \u2014 or downright plummets. Whether you\u2019re new to fitness or have been at it for years, dreaming of six-pack abs won\u2019t power you through your workouts forever. So what\u2019s the magic sauce that will turn you into a five-days-a-week fitness buff?<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 4 Science-Backed Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe aesthetic benefits of working out no longer have the same appeal for me,\u201d says Shauna Harrison<\/a>, Under Armour-sponsored athlete and creator of the #SweatADay<\/a> challenge on Instagram. \u201c\u2026It\u2019s about self-integrity \u2014 that is, holding a commitment to myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you need a little extra motivation to get out the door, we\u2019re here to help. We talked to some of our favorite fitness professionals and bloggers to find out what keeps them amped to do what they do day in and day out. Their answers have little to do with getting the perfect physique. Instead, they focus on the mental replenishment, confidence and joy that workouts provide them. Because as actress Lena Dunham said in her gone-viral #sweatyselfie, \u201cIt ain\u2019t about the ass, it\u2019s about the brain.\u201d<\/p>\n

19 Ways to Get Real Workout Motivation<\/h2>\n
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1. The Mental Release
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pounding the pavement or retreating to the weight room can work wonders when you\u2019re feeling a little extra anxiety. \u201cIt clears my mind of past and future stress and helps me focus more on the here and now,\u201d says Jay Cardiello<\/a>, strength and conditioning specialist and fitness expert, who\u2019s worked with celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Curtis \u201c50 Cent\u201d Jackson and Julianne Hough. When the pressure of city life gets to be too much, Casey Schreiner, founder and editor-in-chief of Modern Hiker<\/a>, hits the trails. \u201cHiking is a form of walking meditation<\/a> \u2013 a way to focus on the present moment and not waste mental energy worrying about the future or replaying the past.\u201d<\/p>\n

“When I walk away from a workout I\u2019m a different person. I call it the \u2018joy factor.\u2019\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> From Day Hikes to Mount Kilamanjaro: Why Women Are Hitting the Trails<\/a><\/p>\n

2. The Ability to Say \u2018Yes\u2019 to Adventure
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You want to be able to tackle all the cool opportunities life presents you, right? \u201cGo for a hike? YES! Go skydive? YES! Go backpack across Europe? HECK YES!\u201d says Dai Manuel<\/a>, a CrossFit coach and author of the upcoming book The Whole Life Fitness Manifesto<\/a><\/em>. \u201cWithout a strong foundation of health, fitness and wellness, the ability to do the things we want most in life becomes more and more difficult. Don\u2019t miss out, allow yourself the power to choose what you do, rather than letting your health decide for you.\u201d Paige Kumpf, the voice behind Your Trainer Paige<\/a>, definitely doesn\u2019t want to miss out on the fun in her home also state of Colorado. \u201cThere’s so many outdoor activities and adventures, and staying strong and fit allows me to trust that my body will be able to take me through all of them,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

3. The Whole Body Benefits<\/h3>\n

The quest for better health is the primary reason why Krysten Siba Bishop, the blogger behind The Misadventures of a Darwinian Fail<\/a>, hits the gym. Bishop lovingly calls herself a \u201cDarwinian fail\u201d because she has both a rare arrhythmia in her heart and the BRCA1 gene<\/a>, which increases her cancer risk. \u201cI don\u2019t have the luxury of taking my health for granted,\u201d she says, so she\u2019s dedicated to maintaining a healthy diet and exercise. For blogger Katrina Pilkington<\/a>, certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, exercise helps keep her blood sugar in check. \u201cDiabetes runs on both sides of my family so I try to be proactive, balancing exercise with a proper diet so my body uses \u2018fuel\u2019 properly,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

4. The Joy Factor
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Thanks to the flood of endorphins, working out can literally make us giddy. \u201cIt doesn’t matter if I\u2019m sad, tired, angry, uninspired. When I walk away from a workout I\u2019m a different person. I call it the \u2018joy factor,\u2019\u201d says Holly Rilinger<\/a>, a personal trainer and FlyWheel instructor. Brian Kelly, the blogger behind Pavement Runner<\/a> says, \u201cI wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t some sort of joy or happiness that came from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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5. The \u2018Whoa, Look What I Can Do,\u2019 Feeling
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The human body is an amazing machine. \u201cThere\u2019s rarely a day that goes by that I\u2019m not in complete awe of what my body is capable of doing,\u201d says Harrison. \u201cIt\u2019s continually challenging myself, exploring what my body can do on a given day and playing with those edges [that motivates me].\u201d Over the last four and a half years, Erica Giovinazzo, a Head Coach at Brick CrossFit<\/a> in West Hollywood, has continued to surprise herself. \u201cI\u2019ve gone from not being able to do a pull-up<\/a> to being able to do a muscle-up; from doing an overhead squat<\/a> with an empty barbell to being able to squat my body weight for multiple reps,\u201d she says. \u201cWe are limitless. Every day I train and every accomplishment I reach reminds me of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a0The 7 Best Strength Training Exercises You’re Not Doing<\/a><\/p>\n

6. The Results, Baby
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s nothing quite like setting a personal best<\/a>. For Kumpf, seeing the results of hard work in the gym keeps her coming back<\/a> for more. \u201cThe feeling of empowerment I get from efficiently performing a squat with more weight on the bar than my previous lift is indescribable,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a rewarding feeling to know your work yields actual, tangible results that have nothing to do with the scale.\u201d Heather Balogh, the author of the blog Just A Colorado Gal<\/a> agrees. \u201cKnowing that I have the ability to push my body to the absolute max is fulfilling. There\u2019s no greater sense of accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI train hard, so I can eat that pizza\u00a0and enjoy it without any guilt.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

7. The Confidence Booster
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s nothing like serious gains<\/a> to make you feel great about yourself. That\u2019s one main reason why celebrity fitness trainer Lacey Stone<\/a> loves fitness. \u201cWorking out adds to my confidence levels in my everyday life,\u201d she says. Roni Noone, the author of the book What You Can When You Can: Healthy Living On Your Terms<\/a> <\/em>says, \u201cFor me it\u2019s all about confidence building, \u2018me time\u2019 and getting stronger,\u201d she says. \u201cBy setting small goals, I feel accomplished lifting something I couldn\u2019t just a few weeks earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Body Image and the Power of Exercise<\/a><\/p>\n

8. The Mental Strength
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you work out, you flex more than just your physical muscles. \u201cWhen I hit a wall in my workout and feel like I can\u2019t possibly keep going, but then I force myself to push past it, there\u2019s a radical shift in my mentality,\u201d says Adam Rosante<\/a>, celebrity trainer, wellness expert and author of The 30-Second Body<\/a><\/em>. \u201cI start to question what else I\u2019m capable of in other areas of my life. It\u2019s a game changer.\u201d That empowerment can translate to success outside of the gym, too. \u201cYou learn so much about yourself, about discipline, about pushing your limits and about your capabilities when you train,\u201d says Dan Trink, strength coach, nutritional consultant and personal trainer at Peak Performance<\/a> in New York City. \u201cAnd these traits are very easily carried over to your job, your relationships<\/a>, your abilities as a parent and so many of life’s daily challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. The Post-Workout Fuel
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Even fitness buffs like their post-workout munchies<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019d be lying if I didn\u2019t say that food wasn\u2019t a motivating factor,\u201d says Kelly. \u201cIf I’m in the middle of a run and I need something, anything to get me to keep going, I might choose a reward meal. Sounds funny, but the thought of a burger with cheese, avocado, bacon and some sweet potato fries<\/a> can get you to run that extra three miles.\u201d Katie Uhran<\/a>, founder of She Rocks Fitness, admits that her love of food keeps her going. \u201cI train hard, so I can eat that pizza<\/a> and enjoy it without any guilt.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

10. The Power to Inspire Others
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sometimes, actions really do speak louder than words. \u201cOne of the key reasons I started this adventure was to lead by example,\u201d says Bishop, of her Darwinian Fail blog. \u201c\u2026My goal was to show that small changes add up<\/a> to big changes over time.\u201d Whether you\u2019re hitting up a class or run club, if everyone shows up ready to work out, everyone benefits. \u201cWe are who we surround ourselves with,\u201d says Rilinger. \u201cI know people look up to me and watch what I do. I want to inspire others to change and when I show up every day \u2014 they follow.\u201d For Stone, she knows that it inspires her clients and students to work hard when they see her do the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cI work out now so I can continue to climb mountains when I’m in my 70s.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The 20 Most Inspiring Runners in the U.S.<\/a><\/p>\n

11. The Kids
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While your fitness habits may influence your friends and peers, they also have a direct impact on the next generation. \u201cAs a father<\/a>, I see my daily fitness regimen as having a positive impact on my son,\u201d says Cardiello. \u201cKnowing that his father cares about his health, my son will also will develop a deep respect for his body.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 17 Tips from Fit Mom Bloggers on Finding Time to Exercise<\/a><\/p>\n

12. The Connections
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sometimes working out isn\u2019t just about the exercise. It\u2019s about the company you keep. \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for the community<\/a>, I most likely would have stopped running a long time ago,\u201d says Kelly. \u201cIt\u2019s feeling like you belong.\u201d Working out makes even the big city of LA feel a little smaller, for Southern California-based Schreiner. \u201cI pass the same people every time I\u2019m running the trails. It\u2019s a nice way to get some real, human interaction in a city where most people spend too much time by themselves, enclosed in metal boxes on clogged roads.\u201d<\/p>\n

13. The Anti-Aging Effect
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Want to feel younger than your years? Rilinger says that people can\u2019t believe that she\u2019s 40. \u201cI can attribute this to working out and being happy. It\u2019s never too late to stop that clock.\u201d Research shows that staying fit can help improve bone density<\/a> as you age, too. \u201cI plan on continually adding bone and muscle density by training heavy and consistently,\u201d says Jessi Kneeland, founder of Remodel Fitness<\/a>. \u201cEventually, Mother Nature will try to break down both, and I want to have as much as possible to start with.\u201d As for Balogh, she wants to keep up her mountain adventures. \u201cI work out now so I can continue to climb mountains when I’m in my 70s.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a0The 15 Most Underrated Exercises, According to Trainers<\/a><\/p>\n

14. The Love of Sweat
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Admit it: Sometimes there\u2019s nothing better than working hard and getting sweaty. \u201cSweat is such a tangible product of hard work and that\u2019s why I love it,\u201d says Harrison.<\/p>\n

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Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

15. The Pressure of Achieving Your Goals
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cI trained for a marathon through Boston\u2019s worst winter in history,\u201d says Jonathan Levitt, blogger at Real Fit Social<\/a>. \u201cIf I didn\u2019t have a goal, I would have been much more likely to bail when it was below zero or a 21-mile run on an indoor track.\u201d Having specific goals can keep you honest \u2014\u00a0but long-term aims are important, too. \u201cWhat gets me out the door is my motivation to create a better life for myself,\u201d says Kimberley Brown, founder and\u00a0\u00a0 editor of Manifest Yourself<\/a>. \u201cEach day that I dedicate time to working out keeps me closer to my goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a07 Fitness Goals to Set for 2017 and How to Crush Them<\/a><\/p>\n

16. The Momentum
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Remember how painful it was the first time you tried to run more than a mile? \u201cStarting anything is the hardest part, especially when it comes to physical activity,\u201d says Kneeland. \u201cSometimes I train just to keep the motion going.\u201d<\/p>\n

17. The Habit
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

After a month or so it will feel weird not<\/em> to go to the gym. Trust us. \u201cWe get better by focusing on habits, by doing the work day in and day out,\u201d says Giovinazzo. \u201cI can\u2019t necessarily control the outcome, but I can control being consistent, persistent, focused every single day I train and never missing a rep. If I focus on my day-to-day \u2018work\u2019 in the gym, then results are inevitable,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a0What Trainers Really Eat When They Dine Out<\/a><\/p>\n

18. The Me Time
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sometimes it\u2019s not a bad thing to be selfish. \u201cThat time slot is entirely devoted to me and no one else,\u201d says Balogh. When you take care of yourself, you can handle the challenges that your day throws at you. \u201cMy workout before I start the day is a great way to clear my mind. Sweat it out and take care of me before I have to take care of everyone else,\u201d says Uhran.<\/p>\n

19. Because You Can
\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cOne thing that really drives me to push past boundaries and sometimes just to shake off laziness is to think about all the people who would give absolutely anything to be able to move their bodies in a dynamic way, but can\u2019t for any number of reasons,\u201d says Rosante. \u201cThat gratitude gets my ass moving in a flash.\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally published June 2015. Updated January 11, 2017.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If dreams of six-pack abs aren’t doing the trick, here are 19 better ways to get workout motivation\u00a0\u2014\u00a0that have nothing to do with sculpting a great body. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":41124,"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":[21,24,6],"tags":[134,289,104,103,341,343],"class_list":["post-41107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-body-image","tag-exercise","tag-goals","tag-motivation","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41107","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\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}