Fall is here, and as the trees lose their leaves and the temperature plummets, you may notice your motivation levels also start to wane. Whether it’s due to holiday stress or seasonal depression, this lack of motivation can make it difficult for many bariatric patients to stick to their exercise routine.
Last year, we covered some tips for staying motivated to work out in the midst of the pandemic. This year, we unfortunately find ourselves in a similar situation. With that said, here are some more tips for exercise motivation during the winter slump.
Choose Exercises You Enjoy
Sure, exercising isn’t always enjoyable, but nothing saps your motivation to work out like knowing you have to do your least favorite exercise. The solution is simple—do something else.
If you hate running, try other methods of cardio until you find one you enjoy, whether it’s cycling or jumping rope. As you progress further into your fitness and weight-loss journey, you’ll get a better idea of what sorts of physical activities you enjoy. Explore and try new exercises frequently to shake up your routine and avoid becoming bored. While you may not look forward to your workout, at least you won’t dread it.
Put Money into It
When you’ve got skin in the game, it’s harder to skip a workout with the excuse of “I just don’t feel like it.” Whether it’s buying a gym membership or a nice set of free weights, it may be easier to motivate yourself to exercise if you frame it as “getting your money’s worth.”
This isn’t to say you need to suddenly drop a bunch of money on fancy workout gear. Even just calculating the price of each gym visit compared to the cost of your membership may help you motivate yourself to go more often.
Alternatively, you can try rewarding yourself for consistent exercise. Put a dollar in a jar for every workout you complete and treat yourself to something once you have enough saved. Maybe it’s a massage or a golfing trip, but don’t reward yourself with food—this can create an unhealthy cycle.
Something is Better Than Nothing
Sometimes, there are just days where, no matter what you do, the motivation to exercise just isn’t there. Hopefully, these days don’t happen often, but when they do, it’s important to do what you can.
Take a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood, do a short yoga flow, or try a high-intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) workout. A small, short exercise session is better than nothing, and when you’re done, you may find you have more motivation than you thought.
Weight loss isn’t easy, but you don’t have to go at it alone. If you’re considering bariatric surgery, visit the Lap-Band® of Louisville website to learn about qualifications for the Lap-Band gastric banding surgery.
