I live in Florida, where it is unbearably hot around 11 out of the 12 months a year. Don’t ask me why but I love jogging. Outside. Don’t get me wrong, gyms are great. I had a membership for about a year, but it got old, I hated the feeling like I was being watched, and I found myself dreading going.
As long as you can handle the heat, working out from home can save you up to $40 a month. SCORE!
I feel as if some people are born with a natural sense of athleticism and others have to push themselves to work out. I would say I am somewhere in between. I love running, especially when you get half way through the run, and you feel your heart pumping strong thus leading you to feel the effects of endorphin’s being released. *ahhhhhhh*
Now the thought of having to put on all my gear and actually get myself outside is a whole different story. Sometimes working out feels like a chore and in most cases it is. You have to set a chunk of time aside, not only for the workout itself but for the shower time and however long it takes getting ready for your day. Now that I am staying home full time, I have more freedom in deciding when I will work out but that doesn’t mean that I want to.
How I Get Motivated & Stay Motivated:
- One of the most important tips I can give is that you have to pace yourself! Something I noticed about myself (and have had to correct), is that once I get motivated I’ll dive in head first and work out for two hours a day, seven days a week. Well, after about two weeks, I get burnt out and I quit altogether. *tisk tisk tisk* You have to work your way up to running 5 miles. You can’t just dive in and expect your body to be a pro athlete within a week. It just doesn’t work that way. Lesson learned. How I started off: Run one mile every other day for a week. The following week I would run 1.5 miles every other day. Every week adding half a mile until I could run three miles without needing to stop and walk. This method worked out well for me.
- You have to mix things up. Running five a days a week can get super boring and after awhile you’ll lose interest. I prefer to run three days a week. The other three days is dedicated to strength training and Sunday is considered a “rest day.” Below is my personal chart that I made for myself to help keep track of what I do each day. Note: If you would like to know the type of workouts I’m dedicated to follow my Pinterest Board: Workout
- Splurge on some nice outfits. I am self-conscious of my legs so I tend to run in yoga pants rather than shorts, I have a reliable pair of shoes (price around, these can be expensive but DO NOT purchase a cheap pair of running shoes, as they will damage your feet and legs), a supportive sports bra, a breathable tank top, and my arm band (this one is fantastic because it can hold a key and cards/money). Although having cute outfits is obviously not necessary, it tends to help me feel more confident. Ladies keep in mind, when I run outside, I carry pepper spray and keep a pocket knife attached to pants. And to be safe I NEVER run outside at night unless my husband tags along.
- If you notice yourself running out of energy make sure you’re getting an adequate amount of sleep and you’re eating the right foods. I’m not a big fan of red meat, and I’ve had my blood tested revealing that I am deficient in both iron and b12. I take a liquid b12 vitamin (talk about energy boosting!) every morning and I drink a 16 oz glass of green tea. The combination of the tea, vitamins, and a light breakfast ensure that I will be able to run my 3 miles effectively leaving me feeling energized.
- Change your scenery. Instead of running 3 miles every other day going the same direction, I like to take different routes. Same goes for my strength training and yoga. Try doing your workouts outside or in a different room of the house. I have found that mixing things up like this will help the time go by faster and make working out more enjoyable.
- Listen to music. My arm band holds my phone therefore giving me the capability to listen to Pandora or Milk Music rather than using a MP3 player which plays the same music over and over. Pandora has special workout stations that are upbeat and help keep me pushing myself. I also like to use Map My Run. It’s this handy little app that keeps track of how long you’ve been running, where you ran, and it will automatically lower your music so this lovely little voice can come through telling you the pace you ran for every mile. Check it out!
- I like to find girls with the type of body I would like to have someday and put it on the background of my phone or stick a photo next to my running shoes. That way when I don’t feel like working out, I’ll see the picture and it’ll help to keep me motivated. Also, take before pictures of yourself in every angle and every month take them again. I promise, as long as you keep it up, you’ll see results!
I believe that exercise has not only helped me get more toned, but it has reduced the amount of stress I have. It is used as an outlet for both my husband and I to get our anger and anxiety out. And by keeping active it has reduced my restlessness. Yoga has helped to relax my mind, it’s a great tool to relieve aching muscles, and has helped me sleep better.
What do you do to keep motivated? What’s your favorite exercise technique?
