Photographer: Shelby Bell

Need some tips on how to get motivated to workout? Going to the gym is hard. I get it. I used to workout all the time when I was doing cheer in high school. When I started attending college, everything changed. I stopped going to the gym, but I wasn’t really gaining weight or anything. However, I did notice I was getting weaker and once I turned 21, I started going to the bars every weekend for a month. I definitely noticed the loss of definition in my abs. Fast forward to two months later, I started going to the gym regularly and have been eating clean.

I remember I was looking in the mirror in my bathroom, and I lifted up my shirt to flex my abs and it looked absolutely the same. No definition in my abs. This was a pivotal moment because I was like, I have to change my drinking and workout habits. Since then, I rarely rarely rarely ever drink.

Here are some tips on how to get motivated to workout!

1. Ask Yourself Why

Ask yourself why you want to start working out. Is it because you want to look better? Is it because you want to be healthier? Maybe because you recently broke up with your significant other and trying to get a hot bod to get back at them? Whatever the case may be, just make sure you’re doing it for yourself. It’s important to find motivation within because if you’re using an outside source to fuel your motivation, sooner or later, the candle is gonna burn out. (Does that make sense? I swear there’s a better quote/explanation about this but I can’t seem to find it!)

2. Have a Gym Buddy

At the beginning of me working out regularly, I would always go with a friend. The first time I went to the gym, I did leg day and I went with one of my friends so he can spot me. It’s fun when you have a gym buddy and don’t lie, we’re all competitive and lowkey trying to show each other off. Even though my gym buddies are usually guys, I still want to show off that I’m pretty strong (even though the weights I’m using are usually half of what they’re using haha)

3. Track Your Progress

This is so crucial for me. I have a journal where I write down what I do every time at the gym and I would put notes. For example, it would be something like:

• 65lbs Back Squat 1×10
• 100lbs Back Squat 3×8
• 120lbs Back Squat 1×3 (Bailing on 4th)

So by the time I do leg day again if I did more than 3 reps of the 120lbs, I know that I’m getting stronger and that itself fuels my energy and I get so pumped!

4. Have Goals

This goes along with tracking your progress. For me, I had a goal of hitting the “100 Club” for my back squats by Christmas, I ended up hitting that goal in EARLY November! Now my next goal is to hit the “200 Club” by Valentine’s Day and the “100 Club” by Christmas bench pressing. Having small and steady goals is key in my opinion.

5. Workout Clothes

I don’t know about you guys, but my boyfriend LOVES workout clothes, especially Lululemon. He’s always constantly buying new workout clothes and his excuse is that it gets him motivated to workout. For me, due to how expensive athletic wear usually is, it takes me a while to rip off the tags because I always feel like I need to wait a week or two to really want to keep the item. Because who knows, what if something happens and I’m financially in trouble! Returning those Lululemon leggings might save the day! Haha…

6. Inspiration

I love following fitness people on social media for inspiration. I love watching clips of workout videos and my “saved” collection on Instagram is filled with them. Some of my favorite include Ashley Flores and Whitney Simmons.

Hopefully, you all find this helpful and are motivated to workout! Feel free to leave any tips you guys have in the comment section below. Check out my other fitness post here.