I’m on the run…literally!
Happy (almost) fall y’all! I have been extremely busy trying to settle into my new routines. Do you feel the same?!!
A couple of weeks ago, my family vacationed in Florida and we had an absolute blast! It was one of the highlights of our summer, and the whole family looked forward to it with eager anticipation. As I prepare for the trip each year, I always have to plan to workout while I’m there so that I can: 1) maintain my cardio endurance, and 2) be ready to teach my classes when I return.
I think it’s way easier to plan the workout than it is to be motivated to workout when the time comes. Let’s be honest, when you’re in vacation mode (or away from home for other reasons), your routines are off and it’s harder to hold yourself accountable. My best vacations have no schedules or very light agendas (and absolutely no stress), so finding ways to motivate myself to workout when I’m away from home is a big deal.
Because I know that I’m not the only one who struggles with this, I thought it might be helpful to share 4 tips on how to motivate yourself to workout when you’re away from home. Let’s dive in:
How to motivate yourself to workout: Tip #1
I stay motivated by keeping a good mindset. This is huge, y’all! In my mind, I know that I want to workout because I’ll reap major benefits from doing it. Then, I make a promise to myself to do it. That promise is valuable, important, and has weight to it. It’s not flimsy and shallow. When I think about it that way, it becomes a priority to me. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone tells me they will do something and then they don’t follow through with it. So imagine if I did that to myself and I said, “I’m going to do this”, but then I don’t? I just lied, and I did it to myself. At that point, I have to ask myself if I respect myself more than that. The answer is absolutely “yes”! I want to keep my promises, honor my word, and make my commitment to workout a priority.
How to motivate yourself to workout: Tip #2
I pack for it. As a compulsive list maker, it’s helpful for me to make a clothing list by activity as I’m preparing to pack. When it comes to my workouts, I list everything that I’ll need. I’ve found that making lists helps me be less forgetful. After I’m satisfied with my list, I pack all of my gear including sunglasses, sunscreen, bug repellant, and shoes. It’s important to be mindful of weather-specific gear too such as jackets, thermals, etc. I get my gear together in advance so I’m ready to go when the time comes.
How to motivate yourself to workout: Tip #3
If you’re not a morning person, this tip may be a tough one. The third thing that I do to motivate myself to workout is to plan to do it first thing in the morning. That means I go to bed early enough to ensure that I can get up on time. Also, I set a time limit for my workout. So even if I would rather be in my bed, at least I know that I only have to dedicate a set amount of time towards my workout. Afterward, I get to do what I want (or need) to do!
Running is one of the workouts that I do when I’m away from home, and most of the time I hate being outside early in the morning. As I’ve said before, I would rather be in my bed! However, I’m typically an early riser so I do use that to my advantage in situations like this. Instead of trying to sleep in, I just go and do it. Just get it done. Here’s another advantage to working out early: by getting it done early, you take out any options for distractions and you’ll feel so accomplished after you get it done. Trust me!
How to motivate yourself to workout: Tip #4
My fourth tip is the most simple of all of them but requires some willpower. It is this: just start moving! Just get out and execute. Some days it may feel like you’re fighting with yourself because your mind may give you all sorts of excuses why you shouldn’t do it. In those situations, get your legs moving. To be honest, the first five minutes may be dreadful but the more you do it, you’ll find your rhythm. Before you know it, you’ll be 25%/50%/75% done. At that point, you might as well finish because you’ve already come so far. Trust me, you’ll be happy that you did!
As a bonus, here’s a little video that I shot right before I went on my first run in Florida. I’m talking about my 4 tips for finding the motivation to workout!
So there are my 4 tips on how to stay motivated to workout when you’re away from home. No more excuses, right? Go ahead, get your workout done because you’ll be happier for it.
Have a good one everyone!
Mrs. Traylor is a Fitness Instructor, NASM Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach, AFPA Certified Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness Specialist, wife, and momma who provides actionable advice for positive lifestyle changes with fitness, nutrition, and wellness. Read about Wendy’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey, and subscribe to Wendy’s newsletter here!
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