The way you walk into a workout from the mood you are in to the way you feel, can and will completely alter your workout.
Think about the times that you totally crushed your workout. You likely walked into the class you were taking or the gym with a Rocky mentality. Standing tall, shoulders back, maybe throwing a couple of quick jabs right and left, with “Eye of the Tiger” playing in the background. Then you walk out sore, but feeling even better than when you walked in.
Then think of the times you were dreading a workout. You likely half-assed it and then went home. You might be happy you went but disappointed in yourself for not trying a little bit harder while you were there.
For most of us, we have 1 chance every day to get a workout in. You want to make the most of those 30-90 minutes that you have. Trust me, I know this is not an easy thing to do every day. Sometimes you might be in a sour mood, tired, lazy, or you simply don’t want to. I get it, I have been there, but I can also say that the days I still went even if I didn’t want to, I’m always happier after. Then there are the days I don’t want to go, but I try to shift my mood beforehand, alter my state of mind and go into it with the “Eye of the Tiger” mindset, then I get a killer workout and feel on fire.
We want to make the most of the time we have, always.
These are the top 6 things that I do to get myself pumped for a workout and ready to transform.
- Set a goal.
Whenever I start anything, I always start with a goal of where I want to end up. I look way ahead into the future and think where I want this goal to ultimately take me. What will that feel like? What will that look like? How do I want this to end? Then I work backward. If I want to get there, how do I get there from where I am today.
For example, if your goal is to be able to run a 5k… picture yourself running the 5k, what it feels like to be in the 5k, how proud of yourself you are. Then you have a picture in your mind, a feeling that you are working towards.
Having that end goal is so important because that is what is going to push you through on the days you want to give up. That future memory is your fuel when your gas tank is nearly empty. That’s why we always want to start there, so we know what we are working towards so that we then won’t give up, and we can keep that fire and excitement of hitting that goal alive every time we step into the gym.
- Pick out a cute outfit that you feel good in.
This sounds so dumb, but it’s true. I wholeheartedly believe in the saying, “if you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you do good” by George’s St. Pierre.
When I have a cute workout outfit on for class, or a new top I’m excited to wear, I instantly feel different. I go to the class a little giddy, feeling a little Beyonce bossy, and work out even harder. It’s partially because I am feeling so good that I have extra energy, but I also kind of feel like I want my workout to equal how cute my outfit is. It’s really weird but true. If you feel this applies to you, know that I am not telling you to go out and spend a ton of money on clothes. Just one or two go-to pieces feel-good ones. Check out the sales online, or at TJ Maxx or Marshalls because we know they always have steals there. I will even shamelessly take my friend’s old work out clothes for free! What clothes you have doesn’t matter, but if you feel good in them, that does. That is a game-changer for me.
- Take a class or follow a program.
I primarily take classes, but I have also followed Beachbody programs online for my workout routines. I like both of these because they keep me accountable and they force me to show up and put my best foot forward.
Attending live classes keeps me extra motivated because I am getting out of my house and entering into a beautiful studio, and working out with strangers. The competitive side of me always wants to be “the best” so I work extra hard in those classes. Then the Beachbody programs or any fitness program oftentimes make you track your progress. Whether that is your body measurements, how many reps you can do, or how much weight you are lifting. But again, that tracking and internal competition that I have does well in those settings, so when I purposely place myself in a program or into a class I am naturally more inclined to go in there with a good mentality so I can crush and win. 😉
- Make a sick playlist.
I recently took a class with a playlist that was just so much fun, and it made me remember how important it is to have a playlist that just gets you going.
For me, music is one of those things that almost instantly alters my state from a bad mood to a good one. That’s why for me, listening to upbeat music on the way to the gym or workout is super important. I even pick out a “walkout song” to listen to when entering the parking lot. This is a song that should get you pumped and ready to break through walls, or just like excited and happy if you don’t want to be that intense. 😉 My walkout songs have varied drastically every month of every year, but there is always a song of the month that I am listening to on repeat that typically takes the slot.
Make your playlist full upbeat music. It doesn’t matter what the music is, just the feeling that it gives you.
For example, my husband weirdly loves to listen to Eric Thomas on Youtube doing a motivational speech when he is running. For me, I have listened to Foy Vance, The Greatest Showman playlist, or even “Wake me up before you go-go” to get me to the top of that hill. Super different, but they end with the same results. Getting us through the workout, getting each of us through the tough point to get to the top of the hill.
- Find an accountability partner.
I will toot my own horn here and confidently say that I am one of the most self-motivated and disciplined people I know, yet I still need this to get me through certain workouts.
Waking up early on a Saturday or Sunday morning isn’t difficult for me, but some days it is harder and I want to be lazy and sleep in. But if I know my friend Kait, Emily, or Rach are meeting me at the studio to take class, then you bet I am getting there.
I also have been trying out this whole running thing, weird I know, but I wanted to give it a solid try. In this effort, Dan is my accountability partner. There are certain days of the week we say we are going to run, and he makes sure that we do and that I don’t give up once we start.
Having someone meet you at a workout is the difference in showing up or not, and that is the biggest battle most days. Just showing up and getting there, and I want to make sure I am always at the very least, showing up.
- Create a healthy post-workout routine to look forward to.
This is a sneaky golden ticket to getting amped for your workout, getting amped for what you are going to do AFTER your workout.
For me, on a Saturday or Sunday morning, that might mean to go grab a coffee and a breakfast smoothie bowl with my friends after class, or to run through the Starbucks drive-through on my way home.
During the week, I LOVE taking a hot shower after I just did a hot sweaty workout at night. After I shower, I get into my comfy PJ’s and then I relax on my couch for the night with frozen berries or tea.
Both of these are so simple but do motivate me to the workout because I enjoy the end result so much.
Being dedicated and consistent with a workout routine is not an easy thing to do. There are going to be days we simply don’t want to and we want to give up. Those are the days that these little pre and post-workout pump-ups will come in handy and bring you to that next level.
Bring it. 😉
