Some days, getting to the gym feels easy. Other days, putting on workout clothes feels like a workout by itself.
If you’ve ever sat in your car debating whether to go inside, promised yourself you’d work out tomorrow, or lost motivation after taking a few days off, you’re definitely not alone.
The trick isn’t figuring out how to feel motivated all the time. It’s learning how to make starting easier, even on the days when motivation isn’t there.
If you’re struggling to get yourself to the gym, try these strategies to get moving again.
Stop Waiting to Feel Motivated
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is waiting until you feel excited to exercise.
Motivation comes and goes. Your workout routine doesn’t have to.
Instead of asking yourself whether you feel like going to the gym today, make your workout part of your schedule. Choose a time and treat it like an appointment you’ve already made.
If mornings work best for you, plan for mornings. If you’re more likely to exercise after work, build your routine around that.
The best workout schedule isn’t the one that looks perfect on paper. It’s the one you can realistically follow.
Make Your First Goal Just Getting There
If you’re having a hard time getting motivated, lower the barrier.
Don’t tell yourself you have to complete an hour-long workout.
Tell yourself you just have to go.
Once you’re there, start with 10 or 15 minutes on the treadmill, elliptical, or rower. Do a few exercises. See how you feel.
If you want to keep going, great. If today ends up being a shorter workout, you still got yourself moving.
A short workout is still a workout.
Get Your Workout Ready Before You Need It
Sometimes the hardest part of exercising is everything that happens before the workout.
Where are your shoes? What are you going to wear? Do you have headphones? What workout are you doing?
Remove as many of those decisions as possible.
Pack your gym bag the night before. Leave your shoes where you’ll see them. Save your workout on your phone. If you’re heading to the gym after work, bring everything with you instead of going home first.
The easier you make it to start, the fewer opportunities you have to talk yourself out of it.
Pick a Workout You Actually Want to Do
You don’t have to do the same workout every time you go to the gym.
If you’re tired of your current routine, change it.
Nick’s Fitness Club has cardio equipment, free weights, strength machines, boxing equipment, turf space, and fitness classes, so there are plenty of ways to move without repeating the same workout every visit.
Maybe today isn’t a heavy lifting day. Spend some time on the StairMaster and do a few dumbbell exercises instead.
Not feeling cardio? Head to the weights.
Want someone else to lead the workout? Take a class.
Finding exercise you enjoy can make getting through the gym doors much easier.
Make a Workout Playlist You Only Use at the Gym
Give yourself something to look forward to.
Create a playlist you love and make it your gym playlist. You could do the same thing with a favorite podcast or audiobook.
Save it specifically for your workouts.
Over time, pressing play can become part of the routine that tells your brain it’s time to get moving.
It sounds simple, but sometimes a little extra incentive is enough to get you out the door.
Find Someone Who Will Notice If You Don’t Show Up
Accountability can be a powerful motivator.
Ask a friend to meet you for a workout. Sign up for a class. Tell someone which days you’re planning to exercise.
You can also work with a personal trainer if you want more structure and accountability.
At Nick’s Fitness Club, personal training is available for members who want individualized workouts and guidance based on their goals.
When someone else is expecting you, skipping your workout becomes a little harder.
Try a Class When You Don’t Want to Plan a Workout
Sometimes you don’t lack motivation. You’re just tired of figuring out what to do.
That’s one reason group fitness can be helpful.
You show up. The workout is already planned. Someone else leads you through it.
Nick’s offers several ways to change up your routine, including boxing-inspired classes, yoga, strength and conditioning, kickboxing, HYROX-style training, and other class options.
Instead of planning every exercise yourself, all you have to do is get there.
Remember How You Feel After a Workout
Think about the last time you regretted completing a workout.
Probably not very often.
Now think about how you usually feel afterward.
Maybe you’re more energized. Maybe you’re proud that you went. Maybe your head feels clearer after a stressful day.
Regular physical activity can provide immediate benefits, including reduced feelings of anxiety and improved sleep. When you’re tempted to skip your workout, try focusing less on how you feel before exercising and more on how you know you’ll feel afterward.
Don’t Turn One Missed Workout Into a Long Break
You missed Monday.
That’s okay.
You don’t need to wait until next Monday to start again.
Missing a workout, a few workouts, or even a few weeks doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Your next workout is simply your next opportunity to get moving.
Skip the guilt and get back to it.
The longer you wait for the “perfect” day to restart, the harder restarting can feel.
Give Yourself Permission to Have an Easy Day
Not every trip to the gym needs to be your best workout.
Some days you’ll lift heavier. Some days you’ll move faster. Some days you’ll have plenty of energy.
Other days, showing up and walking for 20 minutes may be enough.
Building a fitness routine means learning to work with your life instead of expecting every day to look the same.
When you’re struggling with motivation, an easier workout can help you maintain the habit without forcing yourself through something you’re not ready for that day.
Find Your Motivation at Nick’s Fitness Club
You don’t need unlimited motivation to make fitness part of your life. Sometimes you just need to make the first step easier.
Nick’s Fitness Club gives Lubbock gym-goers plenty of ways to find a workout they enjoy, including cardio and strength equipment, free weights, boxing equipment, fitness classes, turf space, and personal training.
And because Nick’s is open 24 hours, you can build your workouts around the time that works best for you.
Don’t worry about having the perfect workout today.
Just get through the door.
Ready to get moving? Visit Nick’s Fitness Club in Lubbock and start your free trial.