Finding the motivation for gym sessions when you have kids is tough. Kids are a handful and need constant attention. It’s easy to skip workouts with your kids as an excuse. But unfortunately, those excuses add up.
Before you know it, you’ve skipped way too many gym sessions and have gotten out of shape. A healthy body is essential not only for your own sake, but for your children’s sake. Your kids need you; therefore, you need to make sure you can be around for as long as possible. How to get motivated for workout sessions when you’re exhausted from parenting is difficult but not impossible.
Keep reading for 5 tips to find motivation for gym sessions that will help you live a long, healthy life.
5 Tips To Find Motivation for Gym Sessions
1. Plan It
As a parent, you’ve likely realized by now that nothing of importance happens unless you plan it. Long gone are the days of spontaneity. Your life is much more structured now, and if you and your friends want to have a get-together, plans must be made weeks in advance.
Your workouts should be no different. It’s easier to find motivation for gym sessions when they are planned out ahead of time. You are much more likely to stick to these plans if you’ve already cleared your schedule for them.
Plan your workouts around times you’re most likely able to get them done. For example, when your partner, friend, or family member can watch the kids, when kids are at school, or when the little ones are napping. Planning your workouts keeps you motivated to stay on a workout schedule and gives you less excuse to skip one.
2. Workout With a Friend
How to get motivated for workout sessions when you’re a stay-at-home parent? Find another parent friend and plan workout sessions together. Working out with others is not only more enjoyable but also holds you accountable.
You will be less inclined to cancel a gym session if you know your friend is counting on you to show up. Make a fitness pact with your friend and do your best to stick to it. If your friend also has kids, try incorporating your kids into your workouts.
Go for walks or jog alongside your kids as they ride their bikes or plan your workouts around each other’s parenting schedules. You could even take turns watching each other’s kids while one of you is working out. Staying on track with your fitness is easier when you have someone there to keep you motivated.
3.Try Something Different
It’s challenging to find motivation for gym sessions when you are not excited about your workout. Switching up your workouts can help you stay motivated because it gives you something new to look forward to. Doing the same gym routine repeatedly can get boring.
You can also hit an exercise plateau, which is when your body becomes too familiar with your exercise routine, and you stop seeing results. Switching up your routine keeps your body guessing; therefore, you continue to improve your fitness.
Sign up for a fitness class or follow along with a fitness instructor on a fitness app or YouTube video. Experiment with different forms of exercises and gym routines until you find something you like and enjoy. When you’re excited about your workout, you’re more likely to want to show up.
4. Reward Yourself
How to get motivated for workout sessions when you’re feeling blah? Plan a reward for yourself after you get it done. However, make sure you aren’t rewarding yourself with food or alcohol, as those are counterproductive to your fitness goals.
Instead, think of other rewards that are just as enjoyable. For example, maybe you can reward yourself after your workout with a luxurious bubble bath. Or you could reward yourself with a new outfit once you’ve hit a certain weight or fitness goal. Maybe your reward could be something as simple as allowing yourself to binge-watch a few episodes of your favorite show.
What you choose for your reward will depend on what you value. Staying motivated to workout is easier when you have something to look forward to right after.
5. Think of Your Reasons Why
When all else fails, find your motivation for gym sessions by remembering your reasons for exercising in the first place. We all have our personal reasons for wanting to get fit. Most parents would agree that staying healthy for their children is a major reason they choose to exercise.
But your reasons for working out could be anything. Maybe you have an event in the near future that you want to look your best for. Or maybe you signed up for a race that you need to be in shape to complete. Perhaps you need to work out to improve your mental health and reduce your stress levels.
When you’re finding it difficult to find your motivation, remember all your reasons why you started in the first place. Remember the importance behind your decision to get fit. Let it inspire you. Write down your reasons on a piece of paper or in a notebook and look at them whenever you are feeling like quitting. They will remind you why you need to keep going.
Find Your Motivation
We all have different goals, struggles, and obstacles when it comes to getting fit. But where there is a will, there is a way. Find your motivation to be healthy and let that guide your decisions.
You won’t be perfect all the time, but that’s okay. Life is full of unexpected events; all you can do is try your best. But every day, we have a choice to do something good for ourselves, whether that’s choosing to work out or choosing to refrain from snacking on junk food.
Every day is a chance to be better and get closer to your fitness goals.
