Do you ever have those workouts where you think to yourself “ What am I even doing here!?” and you just aren’t feeling it, so you half-arse your workout and leave after 15 minutes. I know I’ve definitely been there, so I would like to share with you five easy tips to lift you up when working out seems pointless.
#1 Do something you love
We are way more likely to do something if we genuinely enjoy doing it. So explore exercise, movement, group classes, sport, active hobbies and find something that you find fun! If you go to the gym and continually do exercises that you do not like, I can guarantee that will be a short-lived habit.
#2 Surround yourself with people that inspire you and lift you up.
Humans are social animals. The size of your social network and level of interaction has even been linked to our lifespan. So as the tip states; surround yourself with people that inspire you to push harder, keep you accountable, bounce ideas off of and those that you get along with. Working out with friends and family is always better than by yourself.
# 3 Reflect on how far you’ve come
Next time you think working out is pointless, look back at where you started. Remember the time when 2 kg dumbbells were really pushing your limit and you didn’t know what a squat was, let alone the hundreds of other movements people in the gym were doing! Now look at you, you’re eating 10 kg dumbbells for breakfast and are doing exercises that you previously thought only gods were capable of.
# 4 It’s okay to ask for help
I do it all the time. “Could you please give me a spot?”, “How does my form look?”, “Do you know where I’m supposed to feel this exercise?”. You will never know unless you ask. Reaching out for help allows you to grow and become more confident in the gym so that next time you will be able to push out an extra rep or feel the right muscles working.
# 5 Do it for you
When all else fails, reflect on why you workout in the first place. We all have goals whether we admit it or not. It could be because you want to be a great role model for your kids, or you’re fed up with constantly getting out of breath from everyday activities, or a doctor has cautioned you that without exercise your shoulder will not get better. Whatever your reason for exercise is, remind yourself regularly and use it to keep you on track.