Ready, Set, Go! Tips on living a more active life!

We all know that exercise is good for our bodies and we admire people who are gym rats, we just wish we can be more motivated like them! The hardest part of being active is knowing where to start and how to keep yourself driven to conquer those goals. 

Throughout my life finding that motivation is the hardest obstacle I had to figure out for myself. Do I really have to do this 6 a.m. workout? Is one more rep really going to make that much of a difference? I'm so busy today I don't think I'll have time to workout. I'm so sore, a workout won't be good for me today..

These are all thoughts that have crossed my mind millions of times throughout my life but turning these thoughts into a more positive outlook is one thing that helped me push past them. Instead of thinking do I really have to do this 6 a.m. workout, think about how much better you will feel after you're done, and because it's an early morning workout you'll have the entire day to do whatever you'd like! Having a positive mindset really helps you push for your goals. You can build endurance into you mind just like you can in your body, but you have to train for it it doesn't come easy. 

Simple tips from prior experience that have helped me stay motivated:

- Wake up early, and get that workout in first thing! Studies have shown that early morning exercise helps improve our focus and mental abilities for the day. It also increases the energy we have during the day which keeps us more active and puts us in a better mood. How I incorporate this into my student athlete schedule is most days I wake up around 6-7 a.m. and get a walk in. Since my lift and practice is scheduled in the afternoon, I can't rely on my team practice to be the exercise I get in the morning so going on a nice walk helps my mind and body prepare for the day!

- Don't use your phone to set alarms! We all know that once we turn off our phone alarms, we then go on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. and it turns into a 30 minute phone break first thing in the morning which is not good for our minds. It relaxes the body even more making us more unwilling to get up and out of our cozy bed. Limiting screen time keep us more focused on our daily goals, which helps keep us on track! 

- Instead of going out to eat with friends, go on a hike or walk with them! When making plans to hang with friends we instantly think going to grab a bite to eat which is totally okay! But... it doesn't always have to be that way, we can make being active a social thing as well! Going on a pretty hike or a nice walk in your town is a perfect combination of being active while also getting to see your friends and catch up! 

Incorporating some of these tips into your life will help you keep your motivation high which can improve your activity! Staying active is important in our lives because endorphins help boost our endurance and muscle strength. I now challenge you to try at least one of the tips I told you that helped me stay more active, and let me know how it helped you!