How To Work Out When You Don't Want To

You planned it into your schedule. You’re lacing up your tennis shoes. But you can’t ignore the temptation to skip “just this once.” And that’s fine, if it really is “just this once.” It’s extremely important to pay attention to your body, and sometimes you’re just not feeling 100%.

But soon, sometimes becomes once a week, and then you can’t even remember where you put your gym bag. Before you get to that point, you need to remind yourself that there are ways to work up a sweat without schlepping along on a treadmill. Fitness should be fun. Here are our motivational tips.

The next time you don’t feel like working out…

• Just start moving. Getting started is the hardest part. 
• Give it just 15 minutes. If you still feel unmotivated, quit. But we bet you won’t quit. 
• Ask a friend to come with. 
• Do 100 jumping jacks. That’s it. 
• Take the dog for a walk. 
• Try yoga. 
• Try new weight lifting machines. 
• Try swimming. 
• Try a class you’ve never been to before. 
• Remind yourself how AWESOME it feels when you’re done. 
• Post on Facebook or Twitter, “Alright, who can convince me to work out today?” 
• Do 100 crunches and be done. 
• Think of the last time you couldn’t enjoy something because you were out of shape. 
• Do something light and easy, like stretching. Any movement is better than none. 
• Put on high-energy music and have a good, old-fashioned living room dance session. 
• Think about all of the people who physically can’t, and be grateful that you CAN. 

There are a lot of things in life that we should do but don't always feel like doing. Motivation is a daily effort. Willpower is just like the rest of your muscles: the more you work it, the stronger it will be. Just get yourself moving, even if it's easy, even if it's only for a few minutes. We promise, you’ll be so glad you did.

Now, it’s your turn. Fill in the blank: When I don’t want to work out, I ________________.