You’re far from alone in finding an excuse not to work out when you’re not in the mood. “Low motivation to work out or just not being in the mood is common and normal,” says Amanda Capritto, an ACE-certified personal trainer and nutrition coach at Trainer Academy who is based in Miami. “Even as a fitness industry professional, it’s rare that I’m fueled exclusively by motivation.”
So how does motivation link to your willingness to work out? We explore the often complex relationship between exercise and motivation, as well as how to overcome the roadblocks that keep you from a sweat session on days when you’re simply not feeling it.
Motivation, Routine, and Exercise
Relying on motivation to fuel behavior change can indeed be a pitfall, says Greg Chertok, a certified mental performance consultant in New York City who works with athletes and coaches of all levels on mental toughness training.
High performers don’t wait for motivation to strike. Rather, they identify actions that align with their values and commit to following through by creating routines that reinforce these actions, he says. “We’d all be pretty unimpressive exercisers, romantic partners, or professionals if we only did the right thing when we felt like it,” he says.
That’s not to say that motivation is useless or that working out should often feel like a drag.
However, the study authors did find that setting specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound goals may be more enjoyable for more active individuals.
“Doing something for the sake of the task itself, instead of boosting your ego, works best,” says Sam Ryan, a sports and performance psychologist with the Clontarf Rugby Club in Dublin.
Given that there will be days when you don’t feel like sticking to an exercise routine, here’s how experts say you can overcome a meh attitude and get moving.
1. Dig Into Your Why — Particularly the Immediate Payoff
It bears repeating: If you’re only exercising because you think you should, you’ll rarely be in the mood.
“Switch from an achievement goal to an experiential goal, so that it feels like something that is going to nurture you and your day, as opposed to something that feels like a chore,” recommends Michelle Segar, PhD, a sustainable change researcher at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
2. Ask Yourself, Why Not?
Saying you’re not in the mood to work out is often a guise for procrastination, Chertok says. So ask yourself: What am I trying to avoid? Physical discomfort? Judgment from others at the gym? The need to shower once it’s over?
Once you can name the real reason you’re not in the mood, you can address it. Maybe you remind yourself that progress only comes from discomfort, plan to wear something that makes you feel more confident, or simply invest in dry shampoo.
If your reason is more basic — for example, you’re not well rested, fueled, or hydrated — address those needs and see how you feel, suggests Domenic Angelino, CSCS, a personal trainer at Trainer Academy who is based in North Providence, Rhode Island. “If you feel low energy, try having a healthy carb-dense snack to increase your blood glucose and prime yourself to feel more motivated to work out,” he says.
3. Prioritize Workouts You Genuinely Enjoy
If someone is struggling to come to class consistently, it’s often because that particular workout doesn’t light them up, says Cesar Vasquez, a certified personal trainer and Les Mills national presenter based in Somerset, New Jersey.
“I may direct them to something they enjoy,” he says, like a dance class instead of strength training or a mindfulness-centered workout like yoga instead of high-intensity interval training.
4. Focus on Just Getting Started
Identify the first few steps to get started with your workout and commit to them. Maybe you can tie your shoes, do a few jumping jacks, or start the car.
“Play music from your favorite playlist or have a pre-workout snack that you enjoy,” Ryan says. “Build a habit that signals your body into action, staving off the necessity of calling upon willpower.”
Once you get started, you’ll likely want to continue. “The reality is that motivation often comes after starting something, not before,” Chertok says.
5. But Don’t Push Through if You Dread a Workout
There’s a caveat, though: Building up motivation by taking small steps is different than forcing yourself to complete a workout you dread.
“Going against what you want to do will lead to you developing more negative associations with being active,” Angelino says. “That’s not ideal and will not serve you long term.”
Even knowing that you’ll feel better after your workout isn’t the best fuel if you dislike the workout itself, adds Dr. Segar. “Pushing through it is a recipe to develop a greater disdain for exercise,” she says.
So if you’ve started your workout and still don’t feel motivated to continue, try a different activity or call it a day. “Give yourself grace and really honor and be aware of the fact that you’re making a conscious choice because of what you’re feeling today,” Segar says.
6. Switch It Up
Angelino recommends creating or following two basic workouts: one for the upper body and one for the lower body. Then make four versions of each workout: a long and short one you can do at the gym, and a long and short one you can do at home.
“Instead of forcing yourself to adhere to working out in a specific way, it’s much more effective to tailor the way you work out to how you’re feeling and your life circumstances,” Angelino says.
You can also create exercise options by cycling through various workouts you enjoy or feel in the mood for on a given day. Maybe you dance in your living room instead of going for a jog, or you take a long walk in the neighborhood if you miss a fitness class. “When you say, ‘I’m not in the mood,’ what you’re saying is, ‘I don’t feel like doing what I plan to do,’” Segar says. “It’s all about getting creative and rethinking what the options are.”
7. Skip the Workout and Move More Instead
If you don’t feel like doing an official workout that requires a change of clothes and a list of exercises, you can still reap the benefits of physical activity by incorporating more movement into your day.
Walk to take care of the errands on your list or do a few burpees in your living room, says ACSM-certified personal trainer and weight loss author Jorge Cruise. “It’s a matter of doing something that’s realistic, whether it’s eight minutes or two hours,” he says.
The bottom line is that some movement is better than none.
8. Take a Rest Day or Week
“If you’re feeling a deep-set fatigue and that’s what’s causing low motivation, you may be better off going for a walk or doing some light stretching in place of your usual workout,” Capritto says. “Rest is an important component of a fitness routine.”
The Takeaway
- Relying on motivation alone to exercise often doesn’t work, so experts recommend creating routines that align with your values and prioritizing the immediate benefits like a mood boost or stress relief over distant goals like weight loss.
- If you’re not in the mood to work out, try starting with just the first few steps, like tying your shoes or playing music, but don’t force yourself through a workout you dread, as this can create negative associations with exercise.
- Having flexible workout options, such as short and long versions you can do at home or at the gym, allows you to tailor your activity to how you’re feeling on any given day.
- If you’re experiencing deep fatigue or declining motivation, it may be a sign of overtraining syndrome, so take a rest day or week, and consider lighter activities like walking or stretching instead.
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