# Best Strategies for Keeping Motivated while Exercising

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health and well-being. It can help you prevent or manage chronic diseases, improve your mood and energy levels, boost your self-confidence and self-esteem, and enhance your physical appearance and performance. However, finding the motivation to start or stick with an exercise routine can be challenging for many people. Sometimes, you may feel too tired, busy, bored, or discouraged to work out. Other times, you may lose interest or enthusiasm after a while and give up on your goals.

How can you overcome these obstacles and keep yourself motivated to exercise regularly? Here are some strategies that may help you:

1. Define your 'why'. Before you start exercising, ask yourself why you want to do it. What are your personal reasons and benefits for working out? Do you want to improve your health, lose weight, look better, feel happier, or achieve something specific? Write down your 'why' and keep it somewhere visible, such as on your fridge, mirror, or phone. Remind yourself of it whenever you feel like skipping a workout or giving up.

2. Set realistic and specific goals. Having a clear and attainable goal can help you focus and measure your progress. For example, instead of saying "I want to get fit", say "I want to run 5 kilometers in 30 minutes by the end of the month". Make sure your goal is SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Break down your goal into smaller steps and celebrate each milestone.

3. Track your progress. Keeping a record of your workouts can help you see how far you have come and how much you have improved. You can use a journal, an app, a spreadsheet, or a calendar to log your activities, duration, intensity, distance, calories burned, etc. You can also track other indicators of your fitness level, such as your weight, body fat percentage, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, etc. Review your progress regularly and reward yourself for your achievements.

4. Schedule your workouts. Treat exercise as a priority and a commitment, not an option or an afterthought. Plan ahead when and where you will work out each week and put it in your calendar. Treat it like an appointment that you cannot miss or reschedule. If possible, choose a time that works best for you and stick to it. For example, if you are a morning person, work out first thing in the morning before anything else distracts you.

5. Find a workout buddy. Having someone to exercise with can make it more fun and enjoyable. You can also motivate each other, hold each other accountable, challenge each other, and support each other. Find a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor who shares your fitness goals and interests and arrange to work out together regularly. You can also join a group class or an online community where you can meet new people who share your passion for exercise.

6. Choose an activity that you like. If you hate running, don't force yourself to do it. Find something that you enjoy and look forward to doing. There are many types of exercise that you can choose from: aerobic (such as walking, cycling, swimming), anaerobic (such as lifting weights), flexibility (such as yoga), balance (such as tai chi), etc. You can also mix up different activities to keep things interesting and challenge different muscles.

7. Listen to music or podcasts. Music can help you get in the mood for exercise and make it more fun and exciting. It can also distract you from fatigue and pain and help you keep pace with your workout. Choose songs that match the tempo and intensity of your activity and create a playlist that motivates you. You can also listen to podcasts that interest you or inspire you while working out.

8. Change things up periodically. Doing the same workout over and over again can get boring and monotonous after a while. It can also lead to a plateau where you stop seeing results or improvements in your fitness level. To avoid this, change things up periodically by varying the frequency (how often), intensity (how hard), time (how long), or type (what kind) of your exercise. For example, if you usually run three times a week for 30 minutes at a moderate pace on a flat surface,