New Years Motivation

Now that the New Year is here… I find this time of year especially motivating for obvious reasons (new year, new beginnings, new habits!). I’ve taken a little fitness break the last two months, but I’m already full steam ahead! If getting in shape is one of your goals, here are some tips on how to get motivated!

Make the commitment to yourself. You deserve to be the best you! Take a stand and commit to SOMETHING. And this “something” only has physical, mental and emotional benefits. Find your inner strength and exercise it. You can’t lose! Once you start exercising your will power, you’d be surprised at how many other things fall into place.

Find a gym with atmosphere. When I moved to where I currently live, I went to several gyms to check them. I find that when there’s good looking, fit people working hard in the gym, I know that that is the one for me! The gym that I am signed up for is Equinox.. It is the best gym I have ever been to (I also went to the one in Orange County while I lived there several years ago).

If you’re not the gym type, get outside. Maybe you can’t stand being being in one place with the same scenery day after day.. Get outside and find a trail and a beautiful sunset. Bonus points if you find a hill! You can even hit up a tennis court, basketball court, ballet studio, etc.

Put together a motivating playlist. I do not like working out without music whatsoever.. Truth be told, I have driven out of the parking lot after realizing that I didn’t have my head phones with me.. which is a terrible thing to do, but hey! I need some motivating music! I often go with popular music or remixes with some major beat!

Buy a new work out outfit and/or work out shoes. As a female, I get very excited to wear new things, and even more excited to go to the gym when I get them. Put those yoga pants to work vs just wearing them as pants (which I’m incredibly guilty of!). Also, make sure your shoes are comfortable!

Get on a schedule. Once you’ve made the commitment to yourself, get on a schedule. Write it down! How many days a week do you want to work out? Morning or afternoon? For me, personally, I need to work out in the first half of the day. I am usually too mentally and physically tired to do it in the afternoon.. Fortunately, I have the luxury of being able to choose am or pm. Do you want to do cardio or weights? How long per day? Which body parts?

Take classes. This is my favorite, I LOVE taking classes! I currently take a mix of cardio barre (my absolutely favorite), spin, streamline and pilates classes. My gym has an app that lets me schedule my classes daily and reminds me about them (see above: get on a schedule), so I can plan out make week of classes ahead of time, and figure out what days I’m just going to do cardio and a weights work out by myself. I am also purchase some classes at a separate barre studio (Studio Barre) for when I want to mix it up. The great thing about classes is that you can’t sell yourself short on a work out!

Remember that you’ll be SO happy after your work out is over. No one ever regretted a work out at the end of it. When I’m on the floor (after stretching), exhausted, breathing heavy and drenched in sweat, I’m 1. so happy that it is over, but also 2. I feel super accomplished and ready to move on with the rest of my day. It’s similar to making my bed in the morning.. Accomplishing a task first thing in the morning, then working out, I am motivated and ready to take on the world and get to work for the day!

Signing off to go do a home workout of my own today!

What is your favorite activity to work out?