Quoted: Workout Motivation

We asked our in-house editorial team at Healthline how they stay consistent with physical activity, despite challenges like low motivation and demanding schedules.

These habits, hacks, and prompts may help you meet your workout goals with more discipline, but in manageable, practical, encouraging ways.

Enjoy your exercise

“I find it much easier to consistently exercise if I’m doing a type of physical activity I really enjoy. For example, I’m not a huge fan of running, but I love dancing, so trying dance workouts turned exercise into something I now look forward to and want to maintain.” — Meg

Remove points of resistance

“If I lay out my clothes the night before, it helps so much. I’m usually working out in the morning because it’s my only free window, so in those early hours, it’s one less thing to have to think about.” — Catherine

Remember, working out can be NEAT

“I like adding non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) activities. It’s amazing how many calories we expend vacuuming or doing squats while cooking!” — Ren

Get it done early

“I’m more likely to meet my fitness goals if I complete them early in the morning. It also means I’m less likely to skip if something comes up, particularly on weekends, when days are busier. It gives such a mental boost knowing it’s only 8 a.m. and you’ve already started working through your to-do list!” — Anisha

Create accountability

“Exercising with a friend is my best motivation. It’s a mutual relationship — you benefit by receiving encouragement and motivation, and you can also provide it in return. They hold you accountable and vice versa.” — Sarah

Focus on the first step

“When there’s no motivation, just focusing on the first step helps. Instead of telling myself, ‘I’m going to go for a 30-minute power walk,’ I just say, ‘I’m going to put on my trainers and go outside.’ Once I’ve crossed that threshold, I’ve already made the effort to get started, so I might as well continue.” — Amy

Find activities that engage your mind

“I incorporate at least two outdoor activities during the week (rock climbing, hiking, or running) to keep my settings varied. Rain or shine, for me, being outside doesn’t really make it feel like exercise, as I’m often interacting with the landscape and seeing new places, which occupies my mind.” — Alex

Think about how you feel after, not before

“I see physical activity kind of like taking a shower: It can be hard to will yourself to get up and do it, but once you’re doing it, you want to keep going, and once you’re done, you feel even better than you did at the start.” — Sarah

Do it imperfectly

“Sometimes, my original plan for physical activity can seem too overwhelming. When this happens, I like to take a ‘done is better than perfect’ approach. Fifteen minutes of exercise in the living room instead of the gym is much better than nothing. Remembering to adapt — with the nonnegotiable of getting some kind of movement — means I haven’t completely skipped a workout in a long time.” — Alex

Across our team, reframing mindsets around exercise and ruling out barriers with realistic, practical adjustments have helped make regular activity more achievable.

Staying consistent with physical activity can be challenging, especially given the many other demands on time, energy, and attention.

However, getting started by focusing on manageable steps, building accountability, and creating enjoyment can help reignite and sustain motivation.