Exercising is tough. In fact, I’m exhausted just thinking about it. Why work out when lounging with a box of pizza sounds SO much better?

It’s time for an intervention.

You, my friend, need to work out regularly, and I’m here to motivate your fat ass. Too far?

Here are 5 ways to motivate yourself to work out:

1. Quit Saying “Later” & Do It Now

We’ve all done it – lied to ourselves about starting something “later,” and then acting surprised when it doesn’t work out. Ahem, excuse me… when YOU don’t work out.

I’m not saying to quit eating junk food because that would make me a hypocrite. Diet starts NEVER… am I right? I work out solely to feel better. If I wanted a six-pack, I’d go to the store and pick up some beer, which I will do right after I’m done writing this.

What I’m basically saying is this: Drop the beer (for now) and hit the gym.

2. Quit Weighing Yourself Every Day

If you tell me you weigh 130 lbs one day and 133 lbs the next… I. Will. Punch. You. All right, not really. But PLEASE, for the sake of your sanity and mine, stop weighing yourself every day. It will drive you crazy. Your weight is always going to fluctuate 2 to 4 lbs because, well, you’re fucking human.

And the worst part about this is that it will demotivate you entirely when it comes to hitting the gym. You’ll say, “What’s the point?”

But there is a point! There are more reasons to work out other than losing weight, and you will realize that when your endorphins are high and you’re happier than you’ve ever been. You’re welcome.

3. Commit Daily

When you’re in a relationship, do you make it a priority 4 to 5 days a week? No, you work on it every single day because that’s the only way it will work. For me, that’s how I am with working out. In the past, I would go through phases where I’d work out 4 to 5 days a week for a couple of weeks, then not see the gym for a couple of months. In order to fully commit, I tell myself to find at least 30 minutes every day to exercise (even if it’s in your room lifting stuffed animals).

“I don’t have time” is not an excuse. FIND TIME. (Obviously there will be those days where you slip up or you really don’t have time because… sleep).

4. Find a Friend & Help Each Other

What NOT to do: Find a friend who’s in ridiculous shape to “train you.” (There’s nothing like looking at a toned body in front of your not-so-tone bod to demotivate the hell out of you).

What to do: Find a friend who needs you as much as you need them, and motivate one another! Some competitiveness never hurt anyone. It’s actually fun and incredibly inspiring to see you and your friend both doing so well. If your buddy tells you that they just had an intense workout, then you’ll look down at your bowl of ice cream and think: Fuck, I really need to get my shit together. And you will.

5. Think About Someone That You Don’t See Often…

…and how impressed they’ll be the next time they see you. For some of you, this may be a crush. For others, this could be an ex or an enemy.

“That’s the best revenge of all: happiness. Nothing drives people crazier than seeing someone have a good fucking life.” –Chuck Palahniuk

AND LOOK GOOD WHILE HAVING A GOOD FUCKING LIFE, TOO. No, but seriously. Think of this person and it will not only make you go to the gym, but it will make you work out ten times harder.

Or just work out around hot people. That works, too.

 

At the end of the day, you’re all beautiful. But what makes people more beautiful? Happiness. And exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands.