It’s easy when you have the young 20 somethings, with just themselves to worry about, telling you to just “get motivated to workout.”
But for most of us, life isn’t that simple anymore. Especially when little people have invaded our lives.
Whether it’s your full time professional career, heavy family demands, being a parent, or other aspects of your life:
getting in that workout and finding that motivation is tough, especially those moments you just feel too tired to workout from life’s demands.
All you want to do is sit in front of your tv and relax with a nice large cheese pizza!
You know you SHOULD be getting that workout in but you have no motivation.
How do you find the motivation to exercise when you’re tired?
The truth is, you don’t. Motivation might get you started, but it is fleeting. What will keep you in the fight to achieve your fitness goals is DISCIPLINE.
Ok then…but how do you find that discipline to workout when you’re just too tired?
You do it by incorporating habits, tricks and tips into keeping you on track long enough that getting in that workout all cost will become a natural habit. I guess you can call them “motivational tricks and tips to workout when you’re tired”.
Here are 9 tips to help you get in that workout when you are tired!
1. Don’t listen to your brain, just move your body. IGNORE YOUR TIREDNESS!
When people ask me how I find the motivation to workout when I am tired, I tell them I don’t, I just built the discipline.
Motivation is there one moment and gone the next, so I rely on the discipline to JUST GO.
When they continue asking me how I do it, I tell them the exact conversation I have with my brain and how my body responds:
My mind: don’t go today, just relax
My body: getting off the couch.
My mind: come on, it’s cold. You worked the whole day, just relax.
My body: preparing my gym bag.
My mind: dude you were busy with the kids all day, just sit down!
My body: putting on my shoes
My mind: have some pizza and watch netflix, the gym will be there tomorrow!
My body: starting the car
My mind: ah screw it he’s going anyway! We are going to have to get use to it.
What am I saying here?
IGNORE YOUR TIREDNESS. LITERALLY….IGNORE IT!!! TELL IT TO SHUT UP!
Your mind will continue asking of you to do what is comfortable, there is simply no way around this except to IGNORE IT.
Go through the motions and get your butt out there.
There is no trick here.
- Put your shoes on.
- Pack your gym bag.
- Get in your car and just…GO.
- JUST GO.
After a while, your mind will pick up on the fact that you are not going to give in and it will adapt. It won’t fight you as much even during those times you feel “unmotivated to workout” because it knows you are going to go anyway.
Listen, there are times to listen to your mind/body and take a rest day.
Today is not the day.
90% of the time it’s not that day.
You will know when you really need a rest day.
GET UP AND GO!
2. Think about how you will feel afterwards
I have never been in a situation where I have no motivation to workout because I am tired, went anyway, and felt worse afterwards.
After I go, I felt great every single time.
EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Just think about the weight you want to lose; maybe for a wedding, a family vacation, or just because it’s getting warmer out…think about how this workout will get you closer.
And if you catch yourself saying, “ah it’s just one day”…well..that’s a brick missing in the brick wall you are trying to build and if you keep missing bricks, you will never build that wall…and…
YOU WILL NEVER GET THE BODY YOU WANT.
3. Join a gym
If you are working out at home and have no motivation to workout when you are tired, join a gym.
While working out at home certainly has benefits, especially for busy parents, nothing beats going to an actual gym.
I equate going to the gym to going out to dinner.
Why do people enjoy going out to dinner? Sure it’s the food, but it’s also the ambience, the energy, the feeling of being OUT.
A gym can provide all that and keep encouraging you to come back even when you feel you are too tired to workout.
4. Invest in a pre-workout.
We are not sports nutritionist.
We are not doctors.
We do have an immense of amount of experience in working out and dieting, so we share our opinions.
Do your own personal research, and (if need be) in consultation with your health care provider invest in a pre workout.
The right pre-workout drink can literally give you that energy high you need to get your butt into full gear and get that workout in!!
It is perfect for those days you just feel unmotivated and low on energy, so make sure to reserve it for only such days.
We aren’t going to spam you with you affiliate links selling you pre-workouts, that is not our purpose. If you want to know more about this point feel free to reach out to us at parentinganddumbbells@gmail.com
5. Come up with a reward system
It helps to have something to look forward to.
I follow my weekly diet, 6 days a week. If I complete 6 days without going over my calories for each day, I allow myself whatever I want as my final meal on the 7th day.
Although I follow a flexible dieting approach as a parent, I can’t always fit my favorite foods because of calorie restrictions.
Believe it or not, it helps me stay accountable because I know I have something to look forward to if I stick to my program.
Do the same for your workouts.
Tell yourself something like, “If I complete my 4 workouts this week, I will allow myself to have 1 meal of my choice without feeling guilty” .
That 1 meal might just be a whole cake!
Whatever reward system works for you, find it and do it.
6. If you are able to, workout first thing in the morning.
I enjoy working out.
I like going in the afternoons, when I have had several meals in me, have been fully awake, and moving and going about my day.
But I have built that discipline to not skip that workout.
If you are lacking motivation or haven’t built that discipline, get that workout in first thing in the morning.
You won’t have much time to think about not doing it, and it will kickstart your day on a high note knowing you got it in and don’t have to worry about it anymore.
7. Switch up your workouts.
If you feel unmotivated or too tired to workout, tell yourself you will switch your workout up today.
Maybe instead of that run, go for a brisk walk.
Instead of hitting the gym, do some calisthenics at home in the form of pushups, situps, air squats, etc.
You will feel better you still did SOMETHING and again, it will train your mind to ignore those “comfort” signals and get that workout in no matter what.
Sometimes we get unmotivated to workout because we aren’t looking forward to the workout for many reasons.
Switching up the actual workout, or location, can freshen things up and help you strike a balance between not working out and getting it in.
8. Watch motivational videos before you workout
Like we said, motivation is fleeting.
BUT
Motivation does get you started.
Hop on youtube and watch some motivational videos.
They work.
TIP: watch/listen to the video as you are getting ready to workout.
Like putting on your clothes, sneakers etc. Just moving around watching a motivational video before a workout can do wonders. It gets you in the mood while your body is already moving.
9. Workout with a friend/spouse/relative/kids
If you have a friend who has a similar schedule, see if you can have certain days you workout together. Maybe it’s your spouse, or maybe it’s even taking the kids out for a walk.
It will hold you accountable because there is someone else relying on you not to back out.
Now these tips will help you in the moment when you are too tired to workout. But, we have to tackle the bigger issue here which is:
- NOT RELYING ON MOTIVATION TO WORKOUT.
The difference between discipline and motivation
The difference between discipline and motivation is one is a choice and the other is a feeling. When we are disciplined we choose to charge forwards to our goals regardless of our feelings. Motivation is primarily emotional and fleeting.
What carries you through the days you don’t want to workout is your discipline.
Motivation is a feeling at a certain moment. It can last a minute, an hour, a day or a week but it will leave. You will run into an obstacle, be tired, or emotional and that motivation won’t be there.
Those are the times you rely on DISCIPLINE.
Discipline is a CHOICE.
Discipline is telling yourself that no matter what happens in your day, you will take a step closer to accomplishing your goal.
No matter how you feel, whatever your mind is telling you, whoever is upset with you, you will take that step regardless.
Discipline is being on auto pilot. You’re not worried about being tired, or doing the work, you are just DOING THE WORK. Even if it means going through the motions.
That is the main thing on how to find motivation to workout, you don’t. You just do it. It really is that simple.
There are also ways to plan ahead, be less tired and have more energy throughout your day. Even if you have the starting motivation, if you feel you have no energy that can make you quit early on.
How do you get motivated with no energy?
You make sure your body has the right tools to stay energetic. Here are two main ways:
1. Prioritize sleep.
If you are not getting enough sleep during the night, the simple day to day tasks of work, parenting or life in general will wear on you much harder.
God knows sleep isn’t the easiest as a parent, but we aren’t chasing perfection here.
When you are able to take a nap, or get a full night’s rest, TAKE IT.
Too often we will stay up watching tv, or working on projects etc.
If you are serious about fitness, make sure you get your sleep in. You can then rest assured your “lack of motivation” to exercise when tired, isn’t due to lack of sleep.
2. Watch your diet.
What we eat can either improve our energy levels or wreak havoc on it.
Focus on eating foods rich in nutritional content, and focus on it daily. Maybe you can’t meet it everyday, but by focusing on it daily you’re ensuring your body is getting more nutrient dense foods than it has in the past.
Studies have shown that eating junk foods, and foods high in fat can lead to a decrease in cognitive abilities and physical endurance.
If you have trouble or time constraints eating completely nutritionally balanced meals, just being aware of the problem can help.
For example, I made it a point everyday to take a multivitamin and eat a cup of blueberries.
Blueberries are delicious, easy to eat and their nutritional benefits are just immense!
I don’t like vegetables, my food intake is pretty “clean” but I know I can do better.
A small step like adding a cup of blueberries to my diet EVERYDAY is providing my body with a myriad of essential nutrients. Other energy boosting foods to increase your energy levels over the long run include :
In conclusion, the tips and tricks provided here will definetely help you get a quick burst of motivation to get that workout in, but the real key is developing the DISCIPLINE to do it regardless of how you feel.
Don’t forget to check out our ways to stay fit as a parent for ways to help jumpstart your motivation when you are too tired to exercise!