What Motivates You to Workout?

One of my goals in 2019 was to get in better shape. Producing events used to be so hard on my body. Between event set-up, event day itself, and event tear down my body would be wrecked for days. I was sick of feeling like I got hit by a bus after every event I put on, so I made a goal to work out at least three days a week.

With all the moving and changes in our life, I didn’t start working out consistently until April of this year. I have learned a few things about myself since I have been doing it for three months now.

The first realization I had is that I hate the gym.

I just do. We have a gym with a great view in our apartment building and I was so excited to use it when we first moved in. I would go downstairs after work and run on the treadmill and use some weight machines. I hated every minute of it. I don’t like having to wait for the machine I want to use. I don’t like watching other people work out. I just don’t like the experience. I will still use the treadmill or elliptical on occasion. If I need a quick workout, or on the days our apartment was too hot I went downstairs to the air-conditioned gym, but those days are few and far between.

I much prefer to use an app or an exercise program and workout in my living room.

I have been using the FitBit Coach app since April and I love it. I have tried a few other apps like Sweat, BetterMe, Beachbody on Demand, and others. I like FitBit Coach the best. The workouts vary in time from 5 minutes to 60 minutes. I choose a program and my next workout is loaded and ready to go when I open the app. I can also use the app on my FitBit device, but I prefer to do so on my phone.

I needed to track my food intake again.

I can work out all I want, but weight loss begins in the kitchen. I have tried many apps and methods in this space too. I used My Fitness Pal for years, but I would always fall off the wagon. I have been using Noom for 11 weeks and it has been great. Noom is not a free app, but it is more than a food and calorie tracker. It gives you daily tasks that help break bad habits like ending each meal with a piece of chocolate (I was guilty of this one). If you are looking for something like this, you can check it out here.

My most recent realization is that I workout so I don’t have to blowdry my hair.

I know that sounds silly, let me explain. We all need to find the motivation to get off the couch and move our bodies, and that motivation is different for everyone. Most people are not motivated by simply wanting to be in better shape or healthier. We need to dig deeper and find a real reason that motivates us. For a lot of people, it is so they can play with their kids, or so they can run a 5k. My motivation is deeper than not blowdrying my hair, but that seems to be the thing that helps get me off the couch most days.

I come home from work and talk to Aaron for a few minutes, then he heads to his Kung Fu class in Chinatown. I have the apartment to myself for a couple of hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, so those are my workout days. Once Aaron leaves I need to get off the couch and change my clothes. I have started to only wash my hair on days I work out, so that is what I think about. If I don’t do a quick 30-minute workout I will have to wash my hair in the morning and then I have to spend 15 minutes blowdrying it. I hate blowdrying my hair. That is usually all it takes to get me off the couch.

The point is, your motivation to exercise or eat better doesn’t have to be deep. It can be something as simple as washing your hair at night to save time in the morning. It has worked for me for 3 months, and I have lost 12 pounds because of it.

What is your motivation to workout?