28 Little Ways To Convince Yourself To Workout

1. If you can, pay a little more for your gym membership. It can act as a reminder to not waste your money.

2. Tell yourself you can watch that deliciously awful reality TV show, but only if you’re doing it from the lofty perch of the stairmaster.

3. Follow the group fitness teacher on Twitter. (They’re all on Twitter.) Tell them you’ll see them in class for instant accountability.

4. Sleep in your workout clothes so you have no excuse not to lace up your sneakers.

5. Set your coffee pot’s automatic timer so that it starts brewing five minutes before you wake up for a little extra energy.

6. Create a playlist filled with at least a hundred of your favorite songs.

7. Listen to a playlist on shuffle rather than its standard track listing so you don’t have to constantly create new playlists to offset aural fatigue.

8. Commit to a healthier lifestyle with your friend, and hold each other accountable accountable.

9. Try one new workout a week. Gyms often offer trial classes, so sign up for as many as you can to keep things interesting.

10. Buy new workout clothes or shoes that you really love and will want to wear—you know, for their intended purpose.

11. Be active in telling your friends that you’re going to workout after work. They will remind you if you decide to ditch.

12. Make friends with the front desk staff at the gym. They will remind you when they haven’t seen you in a while.

13. Sign up for work-study at a yoga studio. Not only will you save money, but sometimes we value our time more than we value our wallets. If you’re spending your time there anyway, you might as well stick around to work out.

14. Pay yourself for every work out you complete. Drop a dollar in a jar for every workout you do, and buy something you like whenever you amass enough money. It’s easy change every day, but it adds up quickly.

15. Dangle proverbial carrots in front of your eyes, like getting a pedicure after you go for a run, going to a workout class next to a really awesome bakery for easy treat accessibility, or a new magazine to flip through later.

16. Make friends with your fellow gym-goers. They’ll help give you tips, watch your form, and ask you where you’ve been if they haven’t seen you in a while.

17. Although it is important to go to the gym solely for yourself, the eye candy that you’ll find there is a powerful bonus. If you happen to have a yoga may next to a cutie and end up on a date because of it, so much the better.

18. Give yourself a goal. Sign yourself up for a race, or book a vacation a few months away.

19. Join a social league or a running club instead of a gym. Make friends while you work up a sweat, and grab a drink or two afterwards. Remember that working out can—and should—be fun.

20. Remind yourself how great the shower will feel when you’re done.

21. Buy really nice shampoo you can only use after you workout. Leave it in your gym bag or locker, or cover it with a post-it note to remind yourself that this is strictly A.G. (after gym).

22. Take a friend’s dog for a walk. Who said working out had to be heart-poundingly difficult?

23. Remind yourself how great your body will feel when you’re done.

24. Search on YouTube or on the app store for tons of programs for all levels.

25. Give yourself little goals rather than large demands of working out an hour a day, six days a week. Aim for two or three 30-minute sessions a week.

26. Remind yourself how working out clears your mind. It’s proven to raise your mood and helps you feel better all around.

27. Always guide yourself back to your goals and remember why you wanted to begin working out in the first place. Remind yourself that it makes you healthier and happier, and is an investment in yourself.

28. And if you miss one day, don’t beat yourself up for it. Just take it one day at a time.