Whip Six Womens Active Running, Triathlon, Cyclist Apparel

To copy the wise marketers of Almond Joy…

Sometimes you feel like a workout, sometimes you don’t.

Yesterday morning, as my boot campers zombied their way into class (it’s 6:30am after all), I could feel an air of dread. A few of them just weren’t feeling it, but they somehow had dragged themselves out of bed, into their workout clothes, and managed to drive to the gym.

Yes, -zombied- is a real verb. The act of being a zombie. I am certain it is in Webster or the Oxford Dictionary. After all words like Po-Po and Guyliner have made it in. What the hell is guyliner?

Moving on…

So a few ladies zombied in and openly told me they just weren’t feeling it. Wednesdays are tough.

Then, someone asked me if there were ever days when I felt like skipping a workout.

We’re all lazy

I could have tried to come off as the badass, motivational trainer and proudly said, “Of course not! I look forward to every single workout! I love to workout as often as I can, it’s good for the body!”

That would have been a big fat lie.

So, I answered honestly. Like I always do. “Of course there are days when I don’t want to workout. When it’s the last thing I want to do. There are days when my body and mind fight over being lazy and being active.”

Lately, I’ve been on a pretty sweat workout track, motivated by all the races and events on the calendar.

But even still, sometimes right before I start a workout, I look back at my office and think about walking right back in and forgetting about the workout I’ve written for myself on my personal workout board.

I did this two days in a row… holy arms!

Why?

Because we are all lazy. Humans that is.

If our bodies had it their way, they would sit all day, do nothing and eat. The body has to work hard enough just to run itself, it doesn’t want to literally run too.

Even though it’s good for it. Even though we feel better afterwards. Even though we know we need to. Funny, huh?

I guess that’s because 100 years ago, we didn’t have to workout. We lived life and life was demanding enough, there was enough movement and enough functional fitness that when we weren’t living life we could just sit and be lazy without consequence.

Too bad that’s not the life we live any longer. But to be honest, I think that’s a good thing! I couldn’t imagine not having my 30 minutes to swing a kettlebell, or an hour to myself to log in a few miles.

Even on days I don’t want to.

What to do on days you really don’t want to exercise.

So let’s talk about those days.

We have a few options on how to handle them.

1. Reschedule your workout. Now this option isn’t for everyone, but if you wakeup after a wretched night of sleep and you’re suppose to workout at 6 am yet when the alarm goes off you barely have enough energy to turn it off. Perhaps you are better off rescheduling the workout for after work or on a lunch break. Sleep is that important, and if you’re tired the workout may suffer as will your day.
2. Suck it up buttercup. Then there is the option, I tend to do with the most. Take a deep breath, think about how great you’ll feel after and do it anyways. After all, it’s likely that after 5 minutes you’ll get into the workout and forget all about your distaste for it on that particular day. You’ll celebrate at the completion of your session, giving yourself a pat on the back.
3. Take your workout some place new. If you can, workout outside at a new park or open area. Just a change in scenery for a day can do a body good. We are filming a workout at a gorgeous park overlooking the harbor today (picture below). I’m pumped.
4. Skip it. Yup, that’s right. I am suggesting not doing it at all, today anyways. Sometimes not wanting to workout is a sign of overtraining or fatigue. If you’ve had several solid workouts without much rest, it’s likely your body is telling you point blank it doesn’t want to workout. Take the rest day, and push the workout off until tomorrow.
5. Grab a workout friend. If you know you’re not overly tired, and you know that you should get a workout in then grab a workout partner to hold you accountable. I have come to appreciate my fit friends more than words can say. They are more often than not, the most motivating force in my life.
6. Try the 5 minute rule. Like I mentioned above, most of the time, after 5 minutes into a workout you’ll get into the groove and forget all about not wanting to get started. But not always. Give yourself 5 minutes… if after 5 minutes you’re still not feeling it, then toss in the towel and take the rest day. No shame, you gave it the old college try.
7. Do something completely different. Maybe it’s just the type of workout that you’re planning on doing that has dropped your motivation? Try something new… a new class, a new form of cardio, a completely new workout, get creative. Dan hates to run, but knows he needs cardio, so sometimes we’ll grab a frisbee and play for 20 minutes sprinting about the fields. It’s fun, it’s different and it’s a way for him to not dread running.
8. Are you nutritionally balanced? I leave you with this… if you’re finding that you’re dragging your feet more and more often, make sure that your nutrition is sound. Iron levels good? Getting Vitamin D? Hydrated? It’s funny how our nutrition can affect so many areas of our life. Make sure you’re fueling for the life you want to live. Yes?

Those are the main recommendations. Of course the list can go on and on on how to motivate yourself. Below you’ll find a few simple self-motivators that really don’t need much elaborating yet can make a world of difference.

The small tweaks, we will call them.

• Make a new music playlist.
• Say out loud why you workout and what you want to accomplish.
• Read your favorite motivational quotes, listen to your favorite song, or watch a motivating video.
• Wear a new workout outfit (what girl doesn’t love sporting new clothes?)
• Use social media to hold yourself accountable. <— If you post on Facebook that you’re going to the gym then you really should go to the gym, right?

Don’t get me wrong… I am one of those weird people that truly loves working out a lot. But there are those days when I have to resort to the list and get myself pumped up!

And I love adding to the list, so let me know…

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