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I am a former athlete so there was a point in my life where I really enjoyed intense workouts everyday for multiple hours a week. Since setting track aside, I have had to find my own motivation to continue exercising and finding a new routine that works for me. One of the biggest problems I face is just wanting to go do it, getting there and then staying engaged throughout the workout time. These are just a few of the ways that have helped workouts seem fun rather than like extra work.
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Listen to Music
This one is a given. I do not know many people that hit the gym without popping in their ear buds first. This is step one in hyping yourself up to workout. The key to this though is creating a non-skippable playlist. You want this playlist to be full of bangers to the point where it always keeps your energy up and you like every song. By doing this, your workout stays fun since you are singing along to tunes the whole time and you never have a moment to question yourself or think about quitting.
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Watch a TV Show
This can be done either with the fancy new screens on treadmills these days or in the comforts of your own home in front of the TV in your living room. I enjoyed this the other day when I brought my dumbbell weights into the living room and did some arm reps while watching New Girl. Because of watching the TV show, my workout went by as quick as a snap and I was happily moving on to a second episode where I was able to do an ab workout during that one to keep my momentum going. It is nice to watch a show rather than be listening for your Tabata timer to beep and tell you when to break and exercise.
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Go Outside
Now that the weather is nice, it is so easy to want to throw on my tennis shoes and walk out the door. There is just something truly refreshing about being outside, breathing fresh air while you run and feeling the sun on your skin or the wind in your hair. If you are not a running person, that is okay because you can also go to the park or somewhere to do a bodyweight circuit or even simply go for a walk. This allows you to still be outside for any of these activities rather than stuck in a warm, sweaty fitness center.
