How to work out when you don't feel like working out

Now I love working out, but I would be telling you a big fat lie if I told you I wake up excited to work out every day of my life. In fact, most days I don't feel like working out. "I'm tired." "I'm sore." "I worked out yesterday." "I'll just work out tomorrow." Sound familiar? Working out can be fun, but most days, it isn't. So how do I get out of bed every day and still get a sweat on? Keep reading and I'll tell you my secrets ;)

1. Put on your favorite workout gear

Let's talk about your workout wear. It's hard to find motivation to workout when I don't love my outfit (am I the only one?). Try finding a few "power" pieces, those articles of clothing that make you feel awesome. You'll know a power piece when you put it on and you just feel good in it. My power pieces include a pair of black high waisted leggings, a neon yellow sports bra, and a loose fitting blue tank top. I feel good when I wear these pieces, and when I wear them together, I feel unstoppable. Pro-tip: none of these pieces were expensive. The leggings were from Old Navy (somewhere around $20), the tank top was from Walmart (under $10), and the sports bra was a hand me down from a friend. I also love going to my local thrift store to find some lightly used items in good condition.

2. Pump up the jams

You know that song that you can't help dancing to? Make a whole playlist of songs like that one and start jammin' out to it before your workout begins. Your mood will improve, and you might just start dancing. Pro-tip: spontaneous dance parties are the best warm-up to any kind of workout.

3. Hydrate

Drink water!!! Did you know that one of the signs of dehydration is fatigue? So drink up girl! Water is the best pre-workout drink and having a glass or two first thing in the morning will help your internal organs fire up and start working. Drinking water before your workout will also prevent you from feeling nauseous or ill during a really high intensity workout. Pro-tip: continue drinking water throughout the day to help with recovery and fatigue.

4. Start moving

Showing up on your mat, in the gym, or wherever you like to get your groove on is the hardest part. Once you accomplish that, the rest is easy (sort of). If you promise yourself to do at least 10 minutes, you may end up doing more because you get into a rhythm. Pro-tip: set a good, better, best goal of what you want to accomplish each day. For instance, a good day for me might look like 15 minutes of yoga in the morning. A better day would be a 30 minute workout. A best day for me might be a full hour of yoga, cardio, or a toning workout. As long as you move for a little bit, you are on track to making positive changes. So take the first step and just keep going (hmm life lesson?).

5. Pick a reward

Working out is hard work, and you deserve a small trophy for all the work you do! So treat yourself to a delicious, nutritious, and balanced post-workout meal. But it doesn't have to be food related. You can reward yourself with your favorite TV show, or allowing yourself a little extra down time later in the day. Just the other day, I really didn't want to workout, so I got on the stationary bike and watched a show on Netflix. Was it the most productive workout I've ever done? NO! Not by a long shot, but the point is I got it done and I had fun doing it!

6. Remember why

Why are you doing this? Why is this so important to you? If you don't know, now is a great time to do some self reflection and figure out why you think working out is going to improve your life. Pro-tip: don't make it about body image. It took me years to figure that one out, but once I did, working out became so much more enjoyable. Some examples of non-body image related whys: to have more energy, to have a stronger body so you can do more cool things, to increase your health, to clear you mind, and my personal favorite: to get in some much needed me time.

So there ya have it. My top 6 tips for working out when you don't feel like it. But remember, always, always, always listen to your body, sometimes a light easy stretch or walk just to get the blood moving for 10 minutes is all you need! Make it a goal to move a little each day, and before you know it, you might find you really enjoy it!