While having a home gym and the ability to exercise at home is a fantastic luxury, it can also be incredibly difficult since you’re solely responsible for keeping yourself accountable and responsible. In the privacy of your own home, it’s all too easy to give up without anyone ever knowing. Here are a few ideas on how to motivate yourself to work out at home.
Make Exercise Enjoyable
The biggest hurdle to overcome is simply the fact that exercise isn’t very enjoyable. It’s hard, it’s boring, it’s uncomfortable, and that can make it endlessly tempting to simply skip out on your routine. So, the key here is to trick your brain into enjoying exercise by creating an association. Listening to your favorite music, podcasts, or audiobooks is a good way to make exercise more appetizing because your brain begins to associate exercise with the pleasure of what you’re listening to while exercising. This association will become stronger as you make progress and find your body more accustomed to strenuous exercise and being pushed to its limits.
Get a Friend Involved
A good way to motivate yourself to work out at home is by involving a friend. Their involvement doesn’t necessarily have to be in-person either. Coordinate with a friend or family member to work out alongside you so that you exchange the details of your progress. This helps you share accountability and puts a bit more pressure on you to get up and go through your exercise routine, even on days when you’re not feeling it. It’s also a good opportunity to breed a bit of friendly competition that will have you challenging each other to strive further and further.
More Carrot, Less Stick
A lot of people new to working out typically don’t give themself enough reward or time to take a break and celebrate their achievements. Instead, they cut out everything they enjoy in fear of falling to temptation and relapsing into their old habits. Give yourself a “carrot,” a reward that you can work towards and enjoy if you manage to accomplish your goals. Having your favorite cheat meal on a rest day, for example, or rewarding yourself with something that you’ve been wanting for a long time. Remember that every bit of progress you make is worthy of celebration, albeit in moderation.
