If you just aren't a morning person and can't pull yourself away during the work day to exercise, an evening workout might be your only option to squeeze it in. It can be hard to muster the energy to get to the gym after a long day, getting up early and a million other things on your plate.
Making the time for yourself and to prioritize your workout will help you feel better, stay on track, and even sleep better! Here are some ways to make it easier.
1. Pack your clothes ahead of time ~ Sounds simple but a stop at home to grab your clothes and change, no matter how quick, makes it that much harder to get back out the door for a run or to get the gym. If you have it with you already, you can go straight to your workout.
2. Get dressed~ Better yet, put those clothes on before you leave work and you'll be even more likely to get your workout in. Just lacing up those shoes will send signals to your brain to get ready for exercise. Extra bonus points if your co-workers spot you, you can tell them you're heading to the gym and keep yourself accountable.
3. Make an appointment ~ Arrange to meet a friend, sign up for a class or schedule a personal training session. Do whatever you have to do to make sure someone or something is waiting for you and promise not to let them down.
4. Snack smart ~ Often after lunch we get a dip in energy and feel sleepy in the afternoon, making the thought of exercise even harder. Make sure to get in a healthy snack an hour before your workout and you feel more energized and ready to tackle that challenging class or session.
5. Remind yourself~ We all can get busy at work, but setting a reminder on your calendar or making sure to block off time for your workout can help you to get out of the office and make sure nothing else gets scheduled during that time, meaning you have less excuses to miss it.
6. Change your mindset ~ When making it to the gym seems a bit too much, just remember how great you'll feel afterwards and how much more energy you'll have. Not only that but it makes it easier to go the next day and the day after. Each time you get that workout in, it helps you set a pattern that you'll be more likely to stick to in the future.
7. Set a weekly goal ~ And stick to it. Tell yourself you will make it to the gym 3 nights a week, so you have some flexibility should something come up. This also helps you stay on track if you've missed 2 days in a row, you know you have to go the next 3 days.
8. Reward yourself ~ Specifically with something non food or alcohol related. Once you've set that goal, make a deal with yourself that if you make it to the gym 3 nights a week for a whole month you can buy those new shoes you've been eyeing or some new workout gear.
9. Do the minimum ~ Sometimes telling yourself that you only have to do 15 minutes of work is easier than thinking with an "all or nothing" attitude. Almost always though, once you start you'll feel so great you'll want to keep going and if not, doing something is ALWAYS better than doing nothing.
What ways do you motivate yourself to hit the gym after a long day? Share with us in the comments or hit us up on social!
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