Workout Motivation Tips When You’re Home Alone

Katie, from Right Fit Training, writes about how to keep yourself motivated if you’re working out from home and exercising alone.

The pandemic forced us to live life differently and in many ways, it has given us the opportunity to see that we can do many things from home. Besides working from home, working out at home also became a better, and for a time, the only option to exercise while gyms were closed.

Where does your exercise take place now? Do you workout regularly from home as a consequence of the pandemic? Did you previously enjoy going to the gym and now prefer home workouts? What keeps you motivated to work out alone?

Motivation to Workout at Home

Getting fit and losing weight by joining a gym works well for many people. However, gym memberships can be expensive, and some people decide to purchase expensive equipment like a treadmill or exercise bike. Very often though, gym memberships and expensive equipment remain unused. 

We all too often and too quickly lose the impulse and motivation that once prompted us to make small investments in keeping healthy and fit.

Here are several ways to stay motivated when working out at home alone:

• Make a realistic plan
• Find a good fit
• Follow along
• Pose on demand
• Join an online community
• Exercise fast and furiously
• Turn exercise into a game
• Prepare the night before
• Try online training plans
• Get into a routine

Make a realistic plan

Setting goals and creating a workout plan is the first step in getting started. Your goals should be small at first and attainable. For instance, rather than working out every day, start by working out three times a week.

Find a good fit

There are all kinds of workout options. Everyone has their own approach when it comes to an exercise plan. Your plan should work for you and your lifestyle. Try out a variety of workout options until you find the perfect fit for you.

Follow along

After you’ve chosen the type of training you think you will enjoy, finding a YouTube video or DVD to help is a free way to set your pace and get started. Try workout items such as dumbbells and resistance bands and if you’re trying out new equipment for the first time, it might be an idea to purchase them second-hand, to begin with, and see if you enjoy the routines and the equipment you are using. 

Pose on demand

Ready, set, strike a pose! There are many online step-by-step videos available to help you learn yoga. To go along with the videos there are also yoga apps such as Down Dog and Daily Yoga.

Join an online community

Online communities can be a helpful way to get motivated. They become a support team you can rely on. Teaming up with others can boost motivation, and friendly competition can help push everyone along.

Exercise fast and furiously

Another free option, Max Capacity Training, is user-friendly and suited to people who lack workout equipment. The fitness program involves exercising for 16 minutes a day, three days a week, for 12 weeks, and combines high-intensity interval training with progressively challenging body-weight exercises.

Turn exercise into a game

There are many fitness apps available to make exercise fun. A couple of popular apps are:

Zombies, Run! 

This app turns a run into a survival adventure as players collect supplies to build a town, dodge zombies, and explore the story with each mile.

RockMyRun

This app serves up music with tempos based on a runner’s heart rate or steps per minute.

Prepare the night before

You can eliminate stress by preparing the night before. Set out or sleep in gym attire, pack a lunch, and do whatever else is possible to keep a lack of time from leading to a missed morning workout.

Try online training plans

For one-on-one support and advice, a personal trainer is hard to beat — but pricey. To keep costs down, opt for an online program that personalizes the experience, such as Daily Burn ($20 a month).

Get into a routine

Instead of adding exercise to your to-do list, make it a priority and incorporate exercise into your lifestyle. If you do, workouts will become routine where other tasks get scheduled around and once it is part of your routine, it will become a habit that’s difficult to break.

Motivate Yourself to Workout Alone

Working out from home alone can be even more challenging when it comes to motivation. It can be much more fun and easier to workout with a friend or go to the gym where you’ll be surrounded by people. Exercise can be social. However, if you plan to workout alone, here are some tips to help motivate you.

• Lighten up your goals
• Track your progress
• Delete guilt
• Stay self-focused
• Get a cheering squad
• Make it fun and convenient 
• Forget the past
• Reward yourself

Lighten up your goals

Setting goals gives you a focus and vision aiming for where you hope to end up. What results are you looking for? It’s important to make sure your goals and standards are attainable. Setting unreasonable goals will only leave you frustrated and discouraged, giving you a reason to quit.

Track your progress

Tracking your progress is essential. If you’re not tracking your progress, how do you know if you’re meeting your goals? Tracking gives you the opportunity to switch up your workouts so that you’ll see the changes you want over time.

Delete guilt

Don’t expect too much of yourself and your workouts. You’re bound to miss a day or two. Don’t let that set you back.  Just keep moving forward.

Stay self-focused

Fitness should be all about you. It’s fun to workout with others but your plan may not be the same as your friend’s. Don’t ever compare your workouts to others or try to keep up with something when it’s too hard.

Get a cheering squad

We all need some encouragement. Find a friend, family, or an online community to help and inspire you to keep working.

Another option would be to hire and work with a personal trainer. They can help you set up a personal workout schedule and teach you the correct exercise techniques. Personal trainers will share their expertise, encourage, and help you meet your fitness goals. 

Make it fun and convenient 

Fitness should be fun! You don’t have to go to a gym or stay inside. Instead, go on a bike ride, hike or swim. Whatever you decide, choose activities that are fun and work for you.

Forget the past

Put the past behind you. Maybe you were the best athlete in high school and now 15 years later you’re not. If exercise was never any fun – maybe you were the kid who struggled in gym class and was always picked last because you weren’t athletic at all. Whichever category you’re in, forget the past and start fresh! There is an exercise routine out there for you that will fulfil your expectations and fit in with your lifestyle.

Reward yourself

Lastly, once you’ve met your fitness goals find something fun that you enjoy. You can reward yourself by going away for the weekend with some friends or going out to dinner. Be creative!

Fitness should matter to everyone. It doesn’t take a gym full of friends and equipment to exercise. There are apps and many other resources to make working out alone worth it.