Want to put your fitness motivation into overdrive, & start being consistent & disciplined with your workout plan??  I created a Weekly Workout Planner to help you do just that!  It will help you implement the tips I talk about in this article, plus it includes one of my personal workout plans.  Click below to download it for free! ☺️

If you’re anything like me, getting your workouts in every week isn’t always the MOST fun thing in your life, & you know you could benefit from a strong dose of fitness motivation every once in awhile.

Like, don’t get me wrong, working out is extremely important for your health (not to mention stress reduction, weight management, & better sleep), and I always feel accomplished & grateful when I finish a good workout…

But it’s not like I wake up each morning like an eager beaver, hardly being able to wait for my next workout. And it’s not like I look forward to exercising as much as eating a vacation meal at my favorite restaurant or snuggling up on the couch to watch a Christmas movie or an episode of The OC. 🤓 (don’t judge me, y’all!)

My point is: Exercising on a regular basis & staying disciplined with a workout plan is NOT always easy! (Can you relate to that at all, or is it just me?! 😬)

If you sometimes struggle with a lack of motivation, feeling like you don’t have enough time, or tend to be consistently inconsistent with your workouts, you’re not alone!

And in an effort to make it easier (note: I still didn’t say “EASY”) to exercise regularly, here are 8 quick tips to help you stick to your workout plan:

1. Schedule your workouts!

Literally block off a time in your calendar, allow enough time for the actual workout + pre- & post-workout transitions, and then don’t let anything get in the way of that sacred workout time!

Some people work best by “eating that frog” (aka getting the workout over with!) first thing in the morning. Other people are more consistent when they exercise in the afternoon or evening.  Find what works for you & your schedule, and stick with it.

You can either schedule your workout the night before (on a daily basis), or you can schedule all your workouts for the week — depending on your scheduling personality.

2. Plan your workouts in advance!

Now that you’ve scheduled a specific time in your calendar for your workout, try planning out your actual workout the night before (kinda like picking out your clothes the night before ☺️).

Or, you could even plan out your workouts for the week (kinda like weekly meal planning, but with exercise instead of food 🙃). Decide which days you’ll workout, which days are rest days, & which workouts you’ll do.

For some fitness inspiration & workout ideas, check out 12 of my favorite workouts here, and learn how to create your own fat-burning, high-intensity workout here.

There’s nothing wrong with being spontaneous if that’s how you roll, but planning ahead makes it easier the next day, so you’re less likely to skip it.

Looking for an easy & organized way to schedule & plan your weekly workouts?
Download the free Weekly Workout Planner below. It contains a sample weekly workout schedule(that I’ve done in my own life), plus a blank template for you to create your own weekly workout plan! There’s also a spot for you to write down your fitness goals, track your results, & record positive takeaways from your workouts.☺️

3. Find a workout buddy!

Workout buddies make exercising more fun, & they’re a great source of accountability.

Maybe it’s your best friend, your spouse, a neighbor, a coworker, or a small group of friends.

You can text each other on a daily basis — letting each other know what workouts you did, encouraging each other, & holding each other accountable. You can exercise together sometimes. Or you can even work out together via FaceTime or Skype!

I personally love doing all of those things, & I always notice a huge boost in my fitness motivation when I have active workout buddies! ☺️

4. Make it more fun!

Let’s face it: Working out might never be SUPER FUN for you (confession: it’s not always fun for me either).  BUT, there are some little “upgrades” you can make to your workouts in order to make them more enjoyable. 🤗

For me, that looks like…

Putting on some pumped up jams (usually some old school rap if I know it’s gonna be a super tough workout 😬)…

Wearing cute workout clothes that make me feel good (I know, it sounds silly, but it helps me 🙃)…

And keeping track of my results/time so I can chart my progress & try to improve over time.

Sometimes I also like to reward myself with a delish, healthy smoothie afterwards, or refreshing fruit-infused water — a healthy treat to look forward to once I finish my workout. 😋

How can YOU make your workouts more fun??

5. Set goals & track your progress!

The first goal I’d recommend setting is really simple: How many days per week do you want to work out? My minimum goal is usually 4 times per week, but I typically exercise 4-6 days per week (sometimes every day if I’m doing a health or fitness challenge).

Once you’ve set your weekly workout goal, track it each week to make sure you’re hitting it. I like to use a free habits-tracking app called Way of Life. It allows you to not only keep track of the days you workout & the days you don’t, but also make notes for each day — which is where I like to type out what workout I did.

You can also set other fitness goals & track them the same way. Maybe you want to be able to run a mile in under 7 minutes, or maybe you want to be able to do 100 burpees in under 8 minutes. Or maybe you want to be able to do 50 pushups in a row, or just keep improving your time/results for certain workouts.

Whatever your goals are, write them down & keep them in front of you — you’ll be more likely to stay on track with your goals & be motivated to stick with your workout plan.

6. Write down a positive takeaway from each workout!

After every workout, take a few seconds to write down & reflect on at least one positive thing that happened — whether it has to do with the actual workout or not.

Need some ideas??

• • Maybe you beat your best time or you did more rounds than you’ve ever done in that workout before.

 

• • Or maybe you had a super peaceful run through the woods, & you’re grateful for having access to such a beautiful place.

 

• • Maybe you listened to some of your favorite songs during the workout, which made you happy.

 

• • Or maybe you had a great idea pop into your head during the workout, or you had a chance to process a challenging situation.

 

• Maybe you felt super toned right after the workout, & you could see your abs coming out to say hello! (I always love that…😄)

Whatever it is, write it down — either in a notebook or in the Notes app on your phone. You could even post it on social media to inspire others, or text it to your workout/accountability buddy.

Focusing on the emotional highs of your workouts will help you stay motivated to keep working out — & you might even start to crave it!

7. Make a commitment!

This one might be the toughest one, because it involves becoming a person of integrity & maturity. (I’m NOT implying that you aren’t already that type of person 🙃 — I’m just trying to point out that this one deals more with our character than any of the other tips).

Make a commitment to yourself, and/or your workout buddy, your spouse, or even the Facebook world, and then don’t go to bed until you finish your workout for the day!

When you verbally commit to something (especially when you involve other people), you’re much more likely to follow through on what you say you’re going to do.

8. Find something you enjoy (or at least kind of enjoy), & that fits into your lifestyle!

If you’re short on time, or you just don’t want to spend hours working out every week (that’s me!🙋🏽), the good news is you don’t have to! Do a quick 5-15 minute high-intensity workout from the comfort of your own home (no fancy equipment or gym membership needed).

Bonus: These super short, high-intensity workouts are actually one of the BEST ways to ramp up your fat-burning hormones — allowing you to burn fat for up to 24-48 hours AFTER you’re done working out (#yesplease! 🙌).

But if you’re the kind of person that prefers running on a treadmill or jogging through nature trails — go for it! If you like dancing or playing sports — do it!

Any exercise is better than no exercise. The key is creating a workout plan & fitness habits that are sustainable for your life!

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Well, there you have it, friend — 8 quick tips to help you increase your fitness motivation & stick to your workout plan.

Download the free Weekly Workout Planner below to start implementing these strategies, creating your own workout plan, & revving up your fitness motivation!

Which of these 8 tips are you going to try?? Comment below & let me know!!

(Seriously, I love hearing from you!) ☺️