How to stay motivated to work out after a long day at work

I prefer working out before work, but if I do it after, I take advantage of de-stressing from a long day at work. I guess it depends on how well you like your job and if you hold frustration in your body! And yes, also the energy for the rest of the night

I like to do my exercise after work and before dinner. I come home and walk the dog and then hit the exercise bike 3 times a week (that is my goal anyway.) It's convenient to have everything at home. Can you go to work earlier and get home earlier? Can you eat your main meal at lunch so that dinner can be more like a snack?

I found out that if I go home after work, I rarely leave. Therefore, I try to bring my workout clothes with me and I walk at lunch time at work and I go straight to the gym after work- with my kids. If I have to go home, I leave my clothes in the kitchen and dart out within 30 minutes- I don't sit down at all.

I was facing that same problem today. I don't want to work out in the morning, because I already wake up at 5:00 am for work, and I don't want to get up any earlier. So when I'm having motivation problems I just think about how much better I'll look and feel after my workout, and what a "responsible adult" it makes me. Also, my workouts are the only times I get to listen to my favorite podcast.

I know for myself that small steps worked - I think it's easy to try to go from 0 to 60 in five seconds, and really new habits take a while to form and get accustomed to. Something that has worked for me in the past (though I now work out after work) is to start with just ten minutes. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's more than zero. Set your alarm only 15 minutes earlier, get ready in 5, and do something for ten. Do that for 5-7 days, then up it by another 5-10 minutes.

I'm a big believer in small steps...before you know it you will be getting up an hour early and rocking the workout!

You can DO IT!!! One of my mantras I repeat to myself daily is "Small Steps to Success"....Any time I get down on myself because I "only" worked out for 20 minutes, or I "only" worked out three days of the week, I remind myself of my mantra, and the fact that ANYTHING is better than NOTHING.

My work out habit has taken 7 months to create. That isn't meant to be discouraging - it's just the opposite for me. This is the best I have done with sticking to a lifestyle change, and I FIRMLY believe it is because I didn't beat myself up early-on for going slow. I focused on small steps. With eating, the only thing I did for two weeks was stop after dinner snacking - and it was HARD! But I have never done it again. And I believe that's because I gave myself two weeks to only focus on that one "bad" habit (I use quotations because it wouldn't be a bad habit for everyone, just me). After that, I focused on one small goal to get me toward a complete healthy diet. And I am still setting goals!!! Obviously I have a ways to go, but now I know I can do it!

That is another benefit of small steps - when you prove to yourself you can accomplish a goal, no matter how small, your sub-conscience takes note - and starts thinking, "Well, maybe I actually can do something." And the process starts building self confidence.

With working out, I did just what I told you. Used to be if I couldn't give it an hour and make it "worth it" then I was convinced there was no point. That is ridiculous, self-defeating thinking.

Anyway, I will jump of my soapbox now

PLEASE remember - you can DO THIS!!!!!! You are worth it!