5 Tips to Get you Off the Couch and Get Fit Again!

Even people who consistently stick to an effective health and fitness routine can sometimes fall out of the exercise habit from time to time. Getting back on track can be challenging unless ways are found to rebuild a strong desire to start exercising again.

Here are 5 ways to give yourself the mental kick in the pants that you need to stop procrastinating, get up off the couch, and get back into the habit.

• Use it as an excuse to get “me” time. If you live your life in chaos where it seems like every moment of your time is consumed with work, family, school, or household obligations, use a consistent exercise routine as an excuse to spend some much needed quality time all by yourself. Block off a part of your day where you are utterly unavailable, and tell everyone in your circle of influence to leave you alone during that time. Spend at least 30 minutes working up a good sweat every day, and during that time give absolutely no consideration to anyone or anything other than your own needs and desires.
• Put away your “fat” clothes. It’s a lot easier to put off exercising whenever we can hide our fat rolls underneath clothes that make us feel like we’re not as out of shape as we really are. Take all of the clothes that allow you to hide your extra pounds and put them in a box. Tape the box up and put it in your garage or your attic, and force yourself to wear clothes that don’t hide the lumps.
• Make yourself an irresistible offer. The idea of rewarding yourself for losing weight is nothing new. However, most people choose lame rewards like a nice dinner, or a night on the town. If you want to crank up your motivation to get in shape, don’t offer yourself something that only lasts for a few hours. Promise yourself an entire weekend of frivolity, a shopping spree, or maybe even a new “toy” like a flat-screen TV, or a new dining room set. Make your reward something that you are actually willing to work for. One lovely empowered lady I know gives herself the treat of a regular overnight at a 4 to 5 star motel, with champagne breakfast, spa and other indulgences 4 times a year. I know that would keep me motivated…
• Turn it into a social experience. Socialising is one of our primal needs, and getting fit with someone else brings along the much needed motivation of accountability! You have a friend, a neighbour, a co-worker, or a family member who also needs to get fit, so grab a partner and make a solemn pact to force each other to stick to it. If you’re single, use this as an excuse to find a mate. Don’t “hide” your extra pounds when filling out an online dating profile. Put it out there for all to see that you want to drop 20 or 30 pounds. It’s guaranteed that other people are in your same situation.
• Take a good look in the mirror. When all else fails, get naked and stand in front of a full-length mirror. Take a good look from the front, turn to the side, and even turn around and look back over your shoulder at your backside. If you need to lose even 10 pounds, the mirror will be more than happy to show them to you. At least once or twice a week stand naked in front of the mirror until you start to like how your body looks from every angle. Remember to give yourself a smile, even if you don’t really like what you see, motivation comes from wanting it to be better, not from hating what you see. So smile at yourself and tell yourself you are beautiful and then tell yourself that you’re going for gorgeous and you can’t wait to get there. J