7 reasons to work out even when you don’t feel like it

At the start of each year most gyms are full of people with impressive ambitions to exercise regularly in order to look and feel healthier than they do now, only to find that life gets in the way come February - March and their ambitions fizzle away until next year.
Maintaining the momentum over the course of the year will have obstacles that get in the way. Obstacles such as bad habits, occupation, stress, and partners are barriers to use as an excuse not to stick to your program.
Wouldn’t it better to maintain the motivation of a daily routine that has you being happier, healthier and more productive on a daily basis, rather than going from one extreme to another?
Below are my top 7 secrets to maintaining and enjoying exercise all year round, even when it is cold and dark outside.
1. Measure results – Choose your benchmark to which you wish to measure your progress towards that goal. If it is fat loss, then measure your waistline rather than looking at the scales. If it is to look leaner, then buy some scales that measure fat-loss percentage to see change in body composition. If it is getting fitter, then measure what you are capable of doing now (distance, time, intensity level).

2. Boost your metabolism - Regular exercise will build your lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism. The higher your metabolism...the more body-fat you burn and the easier it is to keep the weight off. A routine that includes as little as 30 minutes of strength training will elevate the metabolism for up to 48 hours after your workout.

3. Schedule your workout – Arrange your work-outs like you do your occupation. At the start of every week schedule your exercise at a time that will work. If you can exercise at the same time every day you will build a familiar routine and increase your likelihood of sticking to it.

4. Your Daily detox – Detox (short for detoxification) is our body’s natural ongoing process for elimination and neutralizing toxins from the body that can be potentially harmful to us. Every day we are surrounded by substances that will make our bodies sluggish like pollution, pesticides and chemicals in our food and water, coffee, cigarette smoke, alcohol, household cleaners, medications, and heavy metals like lead (which can enter our body when we ingest or inhale them). Exercise assists you to sweat them out to keep your body working efficiently so you feel healthier and energetic.

5. Increase your self esteem – Low self esteem stems from a poor self image. Regular work-outs will make you feel good about yourself and feel important to the community and other people. Everyone can benefit from a higher self esteem. Self esteem is crucial for a positive attitude towards living. If you have a higher self esteem you will be confident, happy and highly motivated to succeed.

6. Perk up your thinking power – There is an abundance of research that shows that exercise unlocks different areas of the brain to help you come up with fresh ideas to be more creative and problem solve as well as being more productive.

7. Just start - Difficult days are part of your program. Some days are going to be harder than others to get going. It is all too easy to stay in bed when it is cold and dark outside, so just put on an extra jumper and get out there and embrace your critics, do your best and don’t think.

Author Chris Bakens is head Performance Coach with Healthy Executives, a leading Brisbane corporate health company. They work with senior executives to implement healthy initiatives in the workplace. Her experience spans more than 2 decades in the fitness industry, working as a Personal Trainer, PT manager, Group exercise instructor and co-ordinator in some of Australia’s large gym chains. She also established a highly successful Personal Training studio in Brisbane and personally coaches Personal Training studios with strategies and tips to dramatically transform and master their trainers.