The Sunday Post: Staying Motivated

I'll admit it. Exercise and sports have never really been my thing. I like a bit of swimming but it wasn't until the beginning of this year that I started to do any real exercise. I signed up to the gym and joined my local running club and now, ten months later, I'm really feeling the benefits and even took part in a colour run to raise money for the North East Autism Society, something I wouldn't have dreamed of doing this time last year. So today's post is just a few little tips about how to stay motivated when you really don't want to exercise; trust me, I've been there!

T R E A T   Y O    S E L F 

For me, having gym clothes that I love and feel comfortable in is essential for helping me motivate myself to exercise. When I first started exercising, I was wearing these awful, grey, oversized sweatpants and an oversized top I got at a festival about six years ago, layered with any jacket I could find because I was bloody freezing. Not a good look. At all. In fact, it's quite embarassing when I think back to what I must have looked like! Now though I have a drawer full of gym clothes that I actually like, the newest of which are these pieces from Elle Sports. 

The *warmwear tights have fast become my favourite running trousers and I've been looking for a pair similar to them for literally so long. They're full length rather than three quarter and have stirups at the heels to keep them in place while you're exercising (c'mon we all know how easy it is to get a builder's bum!) They're comfortable and keep me warm at the start of my run, but are also thin enough to help me cool down when I'm getting a little bit sweaty. The *double layer mesh bra has also become a favourite of mine, despite it not being the usual style I go for. I'm always a bit self conscious of my stomach when I'm in the gym so I don't usually go for cropped styles but I have been wearing this one a hell of a lot recently. I just think it's really flattering and stylish, whilst at the same time being fit for purpose, and it gives me lots of confidence instead of making me worry.  

F I N D   T H E   R I G H T    E X E R C I S E

Finding the right exercise for you is essential for motivation. You're much more likely to drag yourself out of bed for something that you enjoy a little bit rather than for something you absolutely hate. I hate spinning (and when I say hate I mean hate) even though everyone else seems to love it. I just find it incredibly dull and I much prefer to run on the treadmill, something which I know a lot of people hate. A lot of gyms and centres put on fitness classes which I know a lot of people enjoy and it can really help you motivate yourself to try harder if you're in a group of people. Think outside the box and try a variety of different things rather than doing what everyone else enjoys because it doesn't necessarily mean that you will enjoy it.

W A T C H   Y O U R   P R O G R E S S 

You can easily track your progress and fitness through apps and little programs. I know a lot of people swear by my Fitness Pal but since I got my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge I've been addicted to the Samsung health app that it comes with. It tracks not only the amount of steps you've done every day, but it also tracks how far you've ran and how many minutes you've been active. You can input your meals and track your heartrate and stress level, as well as your weight and blood pressure. It's super clever! Also, you can put in when you're about to start a run with a goal, and it vibrates and tells you when you've reached a certain distance. It's really helped me motivate myself when I can actually see what I'm doing.

What do you do to motivate yourself?

Amy x