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Struggling to get motivated to work out and take good care of yourself. Wanna get in shape but you just can’t find the motivation? Read the six tips below to cure it:

1. Figure out what emotion is your main driver and then expand on that.Are you a competitive person? The kind that just has to win or at least perform well? Sign up for a five or ten K or some fitness program, like who can do the most spinning classes in a month. Make a bet with a friend who’ll lose the most body fat in a month. NOT WEIGHT: You’ll lose the most amount of weight by going on a crash diet. Most of that weight will be water and lost muscle. Once you start eating normal again, you’ll gain it all back again and probably more. Is fear of getting old, sick and decrepit driving you? I can assure you it’s driving me. You can’t stop getting older, but you can definitely age with grace and fitness. Getting older does not suck if you’re taking care of yourself. I personally feel I’m in better shape now that I’ve turned 50 then when I was 25 because fitness is not just physical but also mental. I’m much happier now than I was back then. Also, I eat healthier, stretch a lot, and take generally better care of myself.
   
2. Fill your surroundings with positive quotes/memes/like-minded, fitness-obsessed people.Get rid of toxic, negative people who judge you for trying to be your very best. Look your very best. You become like the ones you hang out with. Who wants to become a small, jealous person? You don’t have any fitness-obsessed friends? Then make new ones! Join a running club, a gym, take group ex classes, sign up for a competition. Live at the gym like I often do. Friendships will form organically. Here are some of my favorite memes to motivate me when I need inspiration:

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3. Change your mindset and be honest with yourself. I love drinking alcohol and eating pizza and other crap just as much as the next person, and I still do those things, but not that often any longer. I don’t care what anyone claims, life is not more enjoyable as a couch potato than as a fitness freak. By fitness freak, I don’t necessarily mean someone who’s working out 3 hours a day and consider eating an apple “cheating.” Maybe a better way to describe what I’m trying to say is being fitness-focused. Use the 80-20 rule, or at least, as in my case the 70-30 rule. I’m 70% good and 30 % bad in my life, working on making that 80-20 because it’s healthier and I want to stay healthy for the days I have left. But when I cheat I don’t deny myself anything. I love sweets and wine most of all. Don’t leave any cake or chocolate near me and expect it to still be there when you come back for it. This is why I never keep stuff like that in my house.

4. Refuse to be a victim.Feeling sorry for yourself all the time is poison for the mind. No matter how bad your life is, remember, someone has it worse than you. The saying What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger is so true. Things won’t always go our way. Life isn’t fair. Just try to make the best of the situation. Do what you can. Being healthy and fit and strong will make it easier to deal with bad stuff in life. Everyone has bad stuff even if it seems like their life is perfect on the outside. So you’re 60 now? It’s never too late to get fit. Look at these people who started working out and taking care of themselves late in life:

5. Compare benefits to be fit vs. not being fit when you don’t feel motivated. While all I’m listing won’t apply to you, I’m sure a lot of them will. Here are the benefits of being fit:

• you’ll be more confident.
• you’ll be stronger, which will help you stay independent.
• you’ll be physically more attractive. Feel much younger.
• you’ll save money on health care and be less sick
• your mental health and brain functions will improve, especially for older people. 
• you’ll develop willpower when you push yourself.
• you’ll be able to play with the grandchildren.
• your organs will be healthier. 
• your sex life will improve.
• you’ll move and FEEL better. Endorphins are for real and create a natural high. You’ll be naturally happier!

Benefits of not being fit:

• It feels good to eat and drink whatever you want and unlimited amounts of it. Until it doesn’t. 
• Curling up on the couch is comfy and cozy. It’s nice never having to leave your comfort zone.
• You can laugh at “fitness-focused” people, feel superior to them because you’re not “that vain or self-absorbed.” There are more important things in life. Like binge-watching the latest Netflix series.

The choice is easy and while the price you pay to get/stay fit is discomfort, especially in the beginning, it’s not very high, comparatively speaking. Besides, it’s good mental training for you to endure discomfort. You’ll be a lot tougher afterward. There’s a reason no one ever said, Boy do I regret that workout. I have said that plenty of times when I went out partying and drinking too much, though. 

6. Set a SMART goal that INSPIRES you to be good/change. 

SMART is an acronym for goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. The key here is that the SMART goal has to really inspire you whenever you think about it. If it doesn’t inspire you, that goal is a waste of time. The goal you choose has to give you a sense of purpose. It’s often good to connect a SMART goal to a big milestone in your life. Write down your goal and post in places at your house you often look at. Examples of such SMART goals include:

• Getting married. 
• High school reunion.
• Big birthday.
• Big vacation (often somewhere warm)
• Sign up for a marathon or a 100-day challenge to improve your fitness.

I turned 50 recently and my SMART goal was to get in the best shape of my life. I’m almost there:)