9 Ways To Stay Motivated To Work Out When You're Stuck At Home In Quarantine
Get off the couch. You got this!
Getty Finding the motivation to workout seems like a constant struggle. Add in the stresses of a global pandemic and the inability to visit the gym and you’ve got yourself enough excuses to last a lifetime.
During this time it can be hard to even get out of bed, let alone know how to stay motivated to work out when you're stuck at home in quarantine. With a loss of routine and no friends to workout alongside you because you're social distancing, exercising may feel like the last thing you want to do.
But the reality is, working out is one of the best things you can do for your body and your mind. Exercise makes you feel stronger, happier, and improves your self-esteem. If that’s not enough reason to get to work, think of it as one aspect of your life that is totally in your control.
You don’t have control over the length of the lockdown, when the coronavirus will subside, or if you’ll be going back to school in the fall. But you do have control over when and how you move your body.
Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do and it’s time to start treating it as such. If you are able to run a mile without stopping, even if it’s a terrible experience, be grateful.
It’s important to push yourself and set attainable goals. Maybe this is exactly what you need during a lockdown. Take advantage of this opportunity to focus on yourself. Who knows when you’ll have this much free time again?
Quarantine at home could be the very thing to create lasting motivation to workout. Once it becomes part of your routine, it’s harder to think about a day without it. That’s a great place to be.
And although this is a good time for self-improvement, it doesn’t need to be your only priority. You don’t need to reach your goal weight or turn into a whole different person. Remember to go easy on yourself. This is a marathon, not a sprint.
If you haven’t found the courage to work out yet, here are 9 ways to stay motivated to work out while you're stuck at home in quarantine. I believe in you!
1. Make exercise part of your day-to-day routine.
Knowing that a workout is on your to-do list every day will make it harder to avoid. By setting aside time to be active, you are committing to yourself.
Decide what time you’re going to work out every day and always be there. Decide how long your workout will last that way you know how much time to carve out.
Treat your workout as a necessity for your day. No questions asked you will be moving your body.
2. Switch up your workouts to keep things fresh.
If you have more than one workout option, it won’t become so tedious. It also gives you a choice to make each day. Do you feel like following a Pinterest workout or doing some yoga?
Switching up exercises will help you work on different parts of your body and create a noticeable physical change.
3. Make do with what you have at home (no special equipment required).
Working out from home often seems like a disadvantage. If you’re like me and don’t have equipment or weights, it may feel impossible to get in a good workout.
But this is far from the truth. You just have to get creative with what’s at home. Use your couch for tricep dips or a sack of potatoes for lifting.
Stop viewing your house as the place where workouts come to die and take advantage of exercising in a sports bra.
4. Watch free workout videos on YouTube.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know how to work out effectively and find it hard to push myself. This is where the beloved workout videos come into play.
There are so many videos to choose from, ranging from all different lengths, with equipment or without. Once you find some trainers you like, it almost becomes enjoyable to exercise. Imagine that!
5. Eat healthy (most of the time).
As much as it may suck, eating healthy and working out go hand in hand to achieving your physical goals. If you eat healthily, your body will have the energy needed to crush a workout.
Although most of the time you should choose the raspberries over the raspberry sherbet, it’s okay to treat yourself. As a matter of fact, you should. Focus on balance and fueling your body.
6. Remember that some movement is better than no movement.
It’s easy to get caught up in the all-or-nothing mindset but that’s exactly the way to lose motivation. By telling yourself, “I just need to move today,” it doesn’t feel so intimidating.
It won’t be so hard to get off the couch if you know you don’t have to do the best workout of your life. You just have to do something.
7. Walk after dinner every night.
Summer is approaching and with that comes warmer weather and brighter nights. During this lockdown, I’ve stumbled across the comfort of an after-dinner walk.
This has helped keep me on track with my fitness goals. It has also become something I look forward to, in turn making my view of exercising more positive.
Explore how a walk after dinner makes you feel and if that’s all you do in a day, be proud of that.
8. Quiet the inner voice that makes excuses.
Talking yourself out of a workout is much easier than talking yourself into one. It’s important to be mindful of the little red devil in your head.
She’d rather watch another rom com instead of doing a few pushups. But she needs to shut the hell up!
Push through the uncomfortable and make a decision for the better. Bring the white angel to light and listen to her, she knows what she’s talking about.
9. Be kind to yourself.
Not every day is going to be perfect. You’ll skip a workout, find your run really challenging, and lose and gain weight. But this is all part of the journey.
You won’t stay motivated if you’re being mean to yourself. Be proud that you’ve made the decision to create a healthier lifestyle during these uncertain times. Keep up the good work and talk to yourself with kindness.
Isabella Pacinelli is a writer who covers love, relationships, self-care, body confidence, women’s health, college, and entertainment topics.