Summer is almost here. Did you promise yourself to get in better shape at the beginning of the year but haven’t become serious enough yet to get results? The problem is probably something most of us struggle with at times—procrastination.

If you don’t make exercise a priority, it’s easy to let yourself spend time doing something that feels more productive, like work, for example. This is especially true in our society that focuses on work success over health. Or maybe exercise just doesn’t feel enjoyable to you, and you allow yourself to put it off until tomorrow.

Procrastination is a powerful roadblock to our goals, but we have some tricks to overcoming it. Here are ten proven ways to keep procrastination from ruining your fitness goals:

• Remember your “why”
  When you focus on the reason why you want to improve your fitness, it becomes easier to work toward your goal. Do you want to have the energy you need to keep up with your kids or grandkids? Do you want to stay independent as you age? Are you training for a race you want to complete in? Are you trying to overcome a health problem? Keep your why in mind and you’ll have increased motivation.

• Focus on how you’ll feel right after exercising
  When you’re trying to start an exercise session, take a moment to remember what it feels like right after you’ve finished. You feel proud of yourself for completing the workout and ready to continue tackling your daily tasks. You often feel a new sense of energy and calm. Remember that feeling for motivation to start next time.

• Give yourself permission to quit
  It may sound counterproductive but give yourself permission to quit early if you want to. Usually the hardest part of exercising is just getting started. Tell yourself that if you want to quit after 15 minutes, you can. Chances are at that time you’ll feel ready to keep going. And if not, 15 minutes is better than nothing!

• Make it social
  Research shows that working out with others helps maintain motivation. People expect to see you, and that helps you show up. At Outlaw FitCamp, you’ll be meeting with your personal trainer or participating in a group fitness class. That makes it easier to keep your workout commitment!

• Dress for a workout
  Invest in some new workout clothes and lay them out so they’re ready to go. It will be easier to get motivated to exercise when you’ve spent money on the gear and it’s in reach.

• Know your personal best times for energy
  All of us have times in the day when we normally feel more energy. Pay attention to your circadian rhythm. If you start the day feeling energized and then lose steam during the afternoon, work out in the morning. If you drag through the mornings and then pick up speed in the afternoon, work out then.

• Set achievable goals and break your overall goal into small, easy steps
  If it seems like too much to think about a workout session, just take it one step at a time. Get in the car. Tell yourself to just start driving while you think about going to the gym. Walk to the end of your street if you’re trying to make yourself take a walk or run. Have your gear and workout clothes already laid out. Make your exercise goals achievable and easy.

• Choose exercises you enjoy
  The main reasons that people give for avoiding exercise is that they find it boring or too strenuous. At Outlaw FitCamp, our training sessions and group fitness classes are not boring at all. They may be strenuous, but it will be in a good way, and you’ll enjoy the feeling it brings. Our personal training sessions and group fitness classes are fun!

• Put exercise in your daily schedule to make it a habit
  If you have a workout session built into your schedule, it will be much more likely to happen. Again, at Outlaw FitCamp, you’ll have a set time for a personal training session or group fitness class. When you’re planning on a certain time, you’re likely to stick with it.

• Reward yourself
  Incentives help you stick to your fitness routine. Reward yourself for the progress you’ve made!

Just start!

Use the above tips to help you overcome procrastination in achieving your fitness goals. We can help! Having an appointment with a personal trainer or a group fitness class can go a long way toward keeping you on track.

Give us a call today and we’ll talk to you about getting started. It’s time—start working toward your fitness goals now!