How I Stay Motivated to Workout at Home
Hiya friends! Today I want to quickly answer a question I feel like I've been seeing more and more lately - how I stay motivated to workout at home. There once was a time when I did more of my workouts in a studio, but between the pandemic and family life, I can tell you right off the bat that not having a commute to a gym and literally rolling out of bed and onto my mat is really, really convenient. But this means I also understand how keeping motivation can be so hard when your bed and the couch are right there - especially during these long winter months with short, cold days (I actually share a Happy Light in this post that can help with the darkness). Below are a few things that come to mind that help with motivation, but also know that some days it's truly just not there and that's when you have to rely on the habits you've built to keep you going. :) Anyway, I hope this is helpful!
This community
Even if it sounds kind of cheesy, when I sat down and thought about my motivation, this community immediately came to mind. Doing yoga for you guys is literally my job, which at one point, seemed impossible, so I never want to take that for granted. On the hard days when I'm struggling to move my body for me, I do it for you guys. So I guess I'm saying find your why. Once you learn why you're putting in the effort, it gets easier to show up for yourself.
Switching things up
My workout schedule used to be completely made up of yoga and nothing else. For some instructors and people, this works. But in the last few years, I started to crave more in my workout routine. This led to me buying a Peloton, adding in more bodyweight exercises, sharing an ab challenge in my app, and more. It's important to remember you can always mix things up! Even as a yoga instructor, I don't always just do yoga. If you're bored or your body is wanting something different, give it a go! Stepping outside of your normal routine is a great way to spice things up and relight the fire/excitement for movement.
Remembering why I started
When I think back on my story and where I was when I started doing yoga (you can read more about my journey and timeline here) it's easy to see the transformation I've gone through, and I don't mean physically. Sure, I'm stronger than I was and I can do things like handstands and pushups that I never thought possible, but what stands out the most to me is my mental/emotional growth. Moving my body and loving movement is an integral part of that. I think when movement stops beings about "losing weight" or trying to reach some kind of physical goal and instead is something you do for you because it gives you more energy, makes you feel good, etc. - it's easier to look at it as just part of my life, not a chore I have to do.
How it makes me feel
Speaking of how it makes you feel... this one is key. When I move my body, it's amazing the clarity and energy it gives me. Unless I'm sick, I crave that feeling and it's something only movement can give me. It just checks a box for me that I can't replace with anything else.
I'm not sure if any of these tips resonate with anyone, but they're truly what I lean on when I'm having a day that requires a bit of extra motivation. I know working out at home can feel mundane sometimes, but if you take the environment out of it and just think about moving your body, it's amazing what you can do!