Tips & Tricks: Staying Motivated to Work Out

Sooo it's that time of the year where we start to lose motivation to keep up with our new year's resolutions and hit the gym. Even though a great work out can happen in less than an hour, we all are busy with work, school, or kids and it can feel pretty impossible to cut time out everyday for ourselves.

After I left the gym this morning, my friend Katie and I walked to the lincoln--I was in the best mood!! On our walk home I thought, why not blog about keeping up with exercise?

So without further adieu, here are a few of my treasured tips and trips to help keep me on track at the gym.

1. Start going with a friend - Whenever you fall into a slump and simply cannot for the life of you get your butt to the gym, go with a friend! Coming back to campus after Winter Break, my friend and I didn't have any classes together and were in need of the same thing--someone to motivate us to go back to the gym, and some free time so we would be able to see each other throughout the week. Going to the gym with a buddy is always a great idea, and it makes you less likely to skip out at the last minute.

2. Make a Schedule - If you're anything like me, you need a schedule to make sure things get done. Try sitting down and take a look at your week--when do you have an hour or so you can set aside? Does the morning work better or does the evening fit your schedule best? After you've figured out when you have time, make a cute schedule and post it on your desk, or in your planner, somewhere you will always see it. This is my schedule and it hangs on the bulletin board above my desk :)

the kitten picture and inspirational quotes are just for fun ;-)

3. Pack Your Bag the Night Before - Right before I head to bed, I pack my school bag and my gym bag. I put my gym bag right by my desk, all ready to go, so that it pretty much makes it impossible for me to come up with another excuse on why I should skip the gym that day. In my bag I keep: a water bottle (necessary!!), my headphones, iPod/iPhone, a towel, a lock, and a little cosmetics bag (body spray, deodorant, chapstick). Give this a try tonight! Pack your bag for the gym, set aside your cute workout outfit, and guaranteed, your trip to the gym will be so much easier!

4. Treat Yourself to a Cute Exercise Outfit - (My favorite, of course!!) One of the easiest ways to get yourself motivated is to buy a bunch of cute work out gear. I love buying work out clothes at Nike, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Lululemon (a bit more pricey). Try looking for something that is comfy, flattering, and confidence-boosting. I promise this will make you look forward to working out instead of having to force yourself to get there!

5. Make an Awesome Playlist - Great music helps your workout in so many ways. It keeps your intensity up, switches up the pace, and keeps you going hard for longer amounts of time. Whenever I feel bored with working out, I make a new playlist and the whole experience in the gym changes. I recommend fast paced songs especially during cardio, and of course, your favorites!! Here is one of my running/gym playlists that can always pump me in the gym. 

This playlist in particular is more EDM/Electronic based but I also love working out to Beyonce (of course), Miley's new album Bangerz, Shakira, and anything new on the radio!

That is it for my top tricks to stay motivated to go to the gym! I hope y'all find some of this useful and can apply some of these tips to your everyday life to get excited about working out :) 

If you have any questions, or would like to see more fitness related posts, leave a comment below!!

What is your favorite way to stay motivated?