Fitness Friday: Find Your Exercise Motivation!

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I always thought that the people who make exercise commonplace in their lives simply enjoy it more than those who don't, but maybe that correlation is backwards. Maybe those people find activities they like and ways to enjoy it so they want to exercise often. I spoke with Stacy Berman, an exercise expert and founder of Stacy’s Bootcamp in NYC, about easy motivation tricks anyone can use to ensure exercise success:

1. Work out with a friend. “A buddy will help you laugh through the harder parts and high five you when it’s over,” says Berman.

2. Add music. “Music has been scientifically proven to stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain,” she says.

3. Set goals—and celebrate when you accomplish them. Berman urges her clients to reward their successes through the 80/20 rule: 80% of the goals you hit should be rewarded with non-food treats such as a manicure or a new outfit while the other 20% can be a trip to your favorite restaurant.

4. Pay attention to accomplishments that don’t revolve around the number on the scale. “Victories can be seen through the extra room in your jeans or a noticeable increase in energy,” says Berman.

5. Change your attitude. “Motivation is often talked about in terms of ‘shoulds’ and ‘should nots’ which connotes guilt,” says Berman. “It’s more uplifting to think of the benefits exercise brings rather than the negative implications of what will happen if we skip our workout routine.”

What tricks do you use to stay motivated?

--Leanna Lynch, WD Intern/Guest Blogger