The 3 Biggest Things That Motivate Me to *Keep* Working Out

I think the biggest reason people don’t stay on track with exercise is because they just aren’t motivated enough. There has to be something that motivates you to workout. These “somethings” will vary from person to person, but there has to be at least 1 thing that can help to keep you on track.

The biggest tip I can give about how to keep working out is to give it at least 30 days. Once you’ve been doing something for 30 days it tends to become habit and you won’t even have to think about it, you’ll just do it. Also, never think of exercise as a chore. Find something you really enjoy doing, get moving at the very least, and then work up from there.

Here are the 3 biggest reasons I continue to be motivated to workout:

My tattoos. Mainly the one on my hip and the one on my lower back area. In order to keep those tattoos from stretching out and looking gross, I need to keep my body slim and toned. This is definitely one of my biggest motivators. I’m not suggesting you go out and get a tattoo just so you can be more motivated…but it is working for me!

Loud Music. Period. I don’t even know that it really matters what I’m listening to, it just needs to be LOUD. Well…I don’t think polka music would do it for me, but you never know! I used to love listening to polka with my Grandma before she passed. Music with fast beats always help me push extra hard during cardio workouts and rock music really helps me with lifting weights. It just gives that extra push – helps me clear my head and focus completely on my workouts.

Seeing Results. Another great motivating factor is seeing results. If I know that what I’m doing is working because I can see it in the mirror, that really helps me to push on and even work harder. About every 6 to 8 weeks, I’ll try to remember to take photos. Though I’m not big on taking photos of myself, I find it easy to see results when you can compare photos of yourself. Wait at least 30 days in between photos so you don’t get frustrated. It takes time to see the results, but every 30 days should be sufficient.

Helen Mirren. Okay, this is a bonus for ya! This woman can pull off wearing a bikini at the age of 62. I always thought that as people got older, they automatically got bigger. My assumptions were thrown out the window when I saw the photo of her in her bikini. Sure the skin might wrinkle a bit, but if you continue to eat right and exercise regularly, you can get yourself into amazing shape no matter what your age.

If you haven’t yet found what will motivate you, think about any short term goals that you’d like to set. For example, losing 5 pounds or losing 1 dress size. Once you meet that goal, set new short-term ones and even some long-term goals as well. When you begin to meet goals, it’s easier to push on and go for new ones!

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