Telling yourself to get up and get running becomes a challenge when your mind gives the say-so but your body is unwilling, or your body is ready, but you’re lagging in the road to motivation. At the end of the day, you need to be both mentally and physically up for it.
Skipping your running sessions can make you feel guilty as it becomes a habit, which is unfortunate if you really want to get fit. Sticking to a new lifestyle is a struggle, especially if you’re used to being laid-back about your health and fitness. That is why practicing a healthier way of living doesn’t come as easy and straightforward as you want it to be.
There are things you can do to help you ease the overall process and enable you to stick to a better lifestyle for good. As for running, here are some of the things you can do to get yourself up and do it already instead of just thinking about it:
Run with friends
If you’re committed, say to a local running club or with some friends, it’ll be harder to make excuses when you’re not in the mood to go for a run. With some people doing the running with you, you’re bound to get it done because you made a promise you will be there. Plus, it’s fun to run with others. Not only are you running for fitness, you’re also running for better social relationships.
Mix your training
Several runners easily get bored with their routine. That is why it is always better to make variations. Use different training runs. Use hill reps and recovery runs and track sessions. This way, you’re both encouraged and entertained. With boredom out of the equation, you’re also bound to perform better. You finish the tasks faster and with greater performance you feel better entirely. So, varying your routine not only helps you get it done, it also brings a sense of accomplishment that makes your day. You can also mix outdoor running with treadmill. Any variation can help remove the possibility of being bored and this is the very feeling you want to steer clear of in order to be consistent with your fitness routine.
Listen to songs
Surely, you’re doing this already. Some songs just have the power to get you out and moving, feeling like you have this surge of energy that gears you up for anything. For this reason, many people use music to accompany them when running. It is also has a significant effect on how you perceive things and how you feel in general. Make a playlist that gets you up and fills you with a positive vibe. There are songs that can even help you to run faster as they generate specific memories and emotions. Hence, these songs that have the said effect can be used as your motivating agent. Naturally, a song’s tempo can also encourage you to go faster. Simply put music helps you get through your running routine and get it done once and for all.
Be equipped with a healthy mind
An enhanced mental health can naturally motivate you to get up and run. Plus, the more you run, the healthier your mind becomes. This is despite the fact that running makes you physically exhausted. Overall, running helps enhance the quality of sleep, release stress, reduce depression, and sooth the mind. Experts say the brain is actually enjoying it when you run. It helps you manage your daily stressors and makes you forget about personal troubles. It frees your mind of all the unnecessary worries that make your life burdensome. It’s also a great way to combat depression.
Consider running as your personal time
Running with some friends is all fun and is a good way to socialize, but there are also times you want to go running solo and that’s fine. You can actually use the time you allot for running to focus on yourself. You can contemplate on your goals, what you want to be in life, and even ideas about anything. You can even make important life decisions while running! It’s like mobile meditation. With all the noise out there and with people’s endless opinions, it’s really good for you to just have your own personal time where you wander with your thoughts, ideas and imaginations. In other words, running allows you to concentrate on only yourself and nothing else. Who knows, you might even come up with the most brilliant idea that’ll help you change your life for the better.
So, next time you find there’s a lot on your plate and that running is already too much for you, consider the ones above to help you change your mind. In the end, getting up and going out there will make you feel better.
