Stuck Inside? How to Stay Motivated During Indoor Workouts
Finding that motivation to squeeze your workout in can be tough sometimes. We have all been there.
It has been a long day. I am too tired. The weather is cramping my style. I just don’t feel like it.
You can’t seem to find your fitness inspiration and motivation. And you can’t seem to kick your butt into gear and get that workout done.
Being stuck inside doesn’t help either. Your relaxation zone has become your office space and everything might seem kind of topsy-turvy at the moment. Plus, you can’t exactly go to the gym right now which sometimes tends to spark that motivation you need.
Indoor Exercise Can Be Fun
Well, we’re here to remind you that working out indoors or working out at home doesn’t have to be boring. Nor does it have to deflate your drive to stay healthy or get back in shape.
So, how can you stay motivated with your indoor workouts? What can you do to make them more enjoyable?
You have to get creative. Inside, there is likely less room. You also don’t get that beautiful sun shining down or the awe-inspiring outdoor scenery. You might also be seriously limited on workout gear. But we can make it work!
How to Stay Motivated During Indoor Workouts
There are ways to motivate yourself and change your viewpoint - Here’s how!
1. Get a Workout Buddy
This isn’t groundbreaking news by any means. A lot of people have gym buddies. Do you have a friend who has similar fitness goals to your own? Team up! And it doesn’t have to be at the gym. Throw on a YouTube HIIT or yoga workout and get your sweat on, together - virtually, of course.
Turn that zoom video on and the video workout on another device and you are ready to go.
Having a friend forces you to plan your workouts ahead of time so that it works for both of you. It also keeps you accountable. Bailing on your friend last minute is a huge no-no. Use each other for fitness inspiration. Encourage each other to stay positive and push forward (Trust us - it 100% works).
2. Find Motivating Beats
Who doesn’t love a good jam?
Research indicates that music is not just motivating because it improves our mood, but it also makes us feel more awake and alive. This means you have more energy and are more attentive to anything you set your mind to do.
Music can help create a positive association with exercise. You will adhere to your exercise plans better and enjoy your workouts more. So, find your tune, or throw on a playlist you’ve never heard and discover something new! Get creative by making your own playlist. Zone in on it and get moving!
3. Watch TV While You Workout
Position your treadmill or stationary bike in front of the TV. Indoor cardio can bore most people. Staring at a wall or the same window for 30-60 minutes makes time drag. You end up staring at your timer and wondering when it will end.
A sitcom or soap opera lasts about 30 minutes. Watch one and get your cardio on. Or, throw on that Netflix show you have been binge-watching. Time flies when you are immersed in a show or movie.
4. Write Down Your Goals
Setting goals gives you a reason why - Why are you working out? What are you hoping to accomplish? Your goals may be to lose weight, get toned or build muscle, run that first race, improve mental health, or just to maintain all that work that you have put in previously to get into shape. Whatever they are, write them down.
Writing your goals down and laying them out gives you a second to visualize them. Feel what it would be like to accomplish your goals. Feels good, doesn’t it?
It also sets your intention, giving you something to work toward. Goals provide that sense of purpose when it comes to working out. Set your goals and rediscover your fitness inspiration and motivation right here and right now.
Get Started: Discover a New Goal-Setting Method
5. Track Your Fitness
We see devices, such as the Fitbit, everywhere. And it is no wonder these companies are doing so well. When we track and measure our activity, we are forced to be honest with ourselves. The data and numbers don’t lie. No room for excuses.
Now, you don’t have to go out and throw hundreds of dollars at a fitness tracking device. You can track your progress and workouts in a journal or on your phone. There are tons of fitness apps you can download for free that are specialized for fitness tracking.
But, why bother tracking your workouts at all?
Tracking and seeing how far you have come can provide motivation for your next workout. It can show you how far you have come, and how much closer you are to reaching your goals. You want to keep moving forward, as opposed to taking steps back.
6. Attend Classes
During these tough times, hundreds - if not, thousands - of gyms are offering freebie workouts online. There has also been a huge sore in virtual workout on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Find one you love! Or at least, commit to showing up to it and the set live stream time.
It can further throwback the ‘fun’ into your workouts. Sometimes we need a change to find our fitness inspiration. We need to mix it up. Virtual fitness classes can help you with that.
On a side note, hiring a personal trainer can also help you vary your workout and make it interesting again (and many have turned to virtual means to help improve others’ lives!) Try both or one or the other - whatever works for you.
7. Reward Yourself
And no, we don’t mean with a bag of chips or a couple of bowls of ice cream. Treat yourself to a post-workout smoothie or smoothie bowl (Uber Eats, anyone?).
Or, simply ride that endorphin high and use it to fuel your motivation. Know that you will feel better after your workout, even if you feel pretty lousy right now. You’ll never regret a workout at the end of the day.
8. Make a Contract
Studies have proven this works for exercise adherence. What kind of contract, you ask? You could make an agreement with a friend. If you skip that fitness class or that workout, you have to take your friend to the movies. Whatever the “punishment” for breaking contract, make it a worthwhile consequence.
There are even websites designed for this kind of thing. Stickk.com works in a similar fashion and has helped many people accomplish their goals, including getting that workout in, quitting smoking, and breaking other bad habits. It is all online and forces you to stick to your goals.
Conclusion
Find your fitness inspirations. Don’t fall off the bandwagon! Try different motivational tactics - you got this.
If you do happen to miss a workout, don’t get discouraged. Life happens! As long as it doesn’t become a regular occurrence, missing one workout isn’t going to make or break you. Sometimes, we just run out of time or unexpected events pop up. The problem arises when you make excuse after excuse not to workout.
Find that something that motivates you. Indoor workouts can be positive experiences! them fun and dig deep to get yourself to get that workout completed, even when you just don’t feel like it. Make yourself proud!
Try this: At-Home Burst Workouts to Help You Ride Out Self-Isolation
