Top ways to stay motivated during your exercise journey

Exercise is important for everybody. If you are new to exercise or it's been a while since you exercised regularly, it can be tough knowing where to start or how to stay motivated.

In this article, we’ve got some top tips to help you stay motivated during your exercise journey, regardless of your fitness level.

Find what you enjoy

Exercise can sometimes be a chore, even if you generally enjoy it. Finding activities that you like can motivate you to work out on those tough days and increase the chance that you'll stick to your routine. If you're new to exercise, explore a variety of activities, such as walking, biking, yoga, and group fitness classes.

Set SMART goals

The SMART goal framework is designed to make goals specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. Making your goals as specific and detailed as possible makes it easier for you to create an action plan. Detailed plans give you a clear vision of what you need to do, how often and the ability to measure your successes.

Find a workout buddy

Exercising on your own can sometimes be lonely and boring, making it harder to stay motivated. Finding an exercise buddy, such as a friend or relative, will enable you to hold each other accountable on your fitness journeys.

You can celebrate each other's successes and provide support during challenging times. Having a workout buddy can also make your exercise routine more enjoyable and social.

Create a routine and stick to it

Creating a routine can help you make exercise a habit and reduce the likelihood of you skipping workouts. Schedule your workouts at a specific time and day, and try to stick to your preset schedule as much as possible. However, it’s important to have some level of flexibility in your routine to avoid stress, feeling overwhelmed and burnout.

Track your progress

When you can see how much you’ve already achieved, it motivates you to continue going on your fitness journey.

For example, if you are performing weekly strength training sessions, consider tracking your workouts to keep a record of the sets, reps and weights you’re lifting. This makes it easier to continue progressing as you’ll be able to see what you were previously lifting, so you can choose a slightly heavier weight or perform a higher number of reps and sets in your future workouts.