In this blog, you’ll see that you’re not the only one that falls in and out of fitness due to the lack of energy and motivation. We’ve all been through this and overcoming it seems daunting. If you feel like you’ll never get your drive back to worko…

7 Ways to Workout When You Lack Energy

Are you struggling to find the energy you need to get through a workout? When the time comes to exercise, are you just skipping it altogether because you have no desire to do it?

A few years ago, I'd train clients all day at my gym, loving the fact that I was a big part in their body transformations. They inspired me daily as I watched them push through obstacles they never thought possible. I'd cheer them on, give them hugs and wished nothing but the best for them.

My work day would end, and it was time for me to get my workout in. I'd tell myself all day, no excuses, just do it. I could get my clientele to do hard things; I could undoubtedly get myself to do it.

Well, not exactly. I'd start yawning and feeling like I'd just hit a wall. I'd sit at my desk, blankly staring at the gym floor with not an ounce of desire to go out there and get my workout in. A few minutes later, I'd be in my car on the way home, skipping the exercise entirely. I would tell myself it's ok; I'll do it tomorrow. I'd remind myself that I encourage others to take breaks, so I was just taking my own advice.

As the evening rolled on, the guilt would start setting in, and I'd regret not pushing myself and getting it over with. I'd go to bed feeling like a fraud to my clients. How could I lead them to success but not make myself do the same?

Sometimes, when you're in the middle of it, you can't step back and see the small little tweaks you can make to overcome your problems. I thought I'd lost my drive and willpower forever. Maybe I was burnt out on my fitness life, and I'd never get it back. I was freaking out inside, but I still couldn't make myself workout. This went on for months, and I struggled greatly with it.

I knew I had to overcome this once and for all. There was no way I was giving up on my fitness. It was my career, my life, and my real passion. I just needed to find my drive again.

Once I stepped back and made a few small adjustments, I was back into my regimen, and my energy level soared. I mentally felt alive again. I'm not saying that I now work out every day and that I no longer have those "hit the wall" kind of moments. I do, but they are less frequent, and the next day I'm perfectly fine.

So if you can relate, I'll give you some small adjustments to help you get over this hump and start getting your workouts daily. I understand this struggle deeply, and you don't need to suffer any longer. You too can get fit without being on and off the bandwagon.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

When you begin with your fitness journey, you come up with several goals to work towards.

I want to lose 20lbs........

I want to drop three pant sizes......

I want to have abs.......

I want to look great for the beach........

Sound familiar? These are very common goals that I hear with every new client. What if I told you, these are too broad? Well, they're too general. These could take months to achieve.

When you decide on large goals that take a more extended period to accomplish, you lose sight of what you're working towards. You lose steam, and your determination begins to fade.

Choose goals that are daily, weekly and monthly.

I will drink a gallon of water tomorrow........

I'd like to workout 5 times this week...........

I want to lose eight pounds this month..........

Do you see how I break these down into smaller goals so that I'm always working towards something that is right around the corner, not months down the road?

I won't lose sight of precisely what I'm working on, and I get a boost of drive every time I reach another milestone. This will keep you motivated and focused on getting your fitness completed every day and won't allow you to skip workouts because you have months to achieve them.

YOU MUST FIND INSPIRATION

Do you find yourself all fired up to hit all of your goals? Then, the following day, how did that fire die? Yep, we gain it and lose it steadily, and that's completely normal. You're human, and you're going to find your inspiration fading daily, but you must find a way to keep it.

Most think that they aren't capable of staying inspired. They don't understand why they lose inspiration so easily. Here's the thing, you have to work for inspiration. You must rewire your brain to think of your inspiration every day and the tricks to keep it at the front of our brains, no matter how distracted or tired we get!

Inspiration boards, bucket lists, simple post-it notes, pictures, quotes, and clear goals will help you become and stay inspired. They need to be visible to you every day, as a daily reminder of what you're working towards. Freshen them up so that you look at them and absorb what you're seeing. If you look at the same thing every day, you start ignoring the importance of it. It loses its meaning to you.

Put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror with your daily goal. Stick a note on your dashboard with your weekly goals. Tape a list of your monthly goals on the refrigerator. Whatever it takes to keep your inspiration high and your energy levels elevated.

COMMIT TO 10 MINUTES

When you get to your scheduled time to exercise, and you're feeling sluggish and dreading the thought of working out, commit to 10 minutes of the exercise. You probably think I'm crazy, what could 10 minutes possibly do?

Well, those 10 minutes could transform how you feel. It may be all you have in you, or it could be 10 minutes to change your outlook on your workout. Just warming up will get the body energized and the mind clear of stress from the day.

When I was going through the lack of motivation, I started committing to 10-minute workouts. If I just tried it for 10 minutes, I would either go through with completing my exercise or say forget it. I can tell you, almost all of the time; I finished my routine.

This little trick can be a game changer for you if you're struggling with getting into a fitness regimen. Don't beat yourself up if all you have is 10 minutes. Push yourself once you start the 10 minutes and I'll bet you'll feel well enough to go through with it.

Walk on the treadmill.

Stretch

Go for a walk

Lift light weights with just your arms.

Try one of these and think only of your goals while doing it. Put away all your other worries during this short period and see if you feel like you can keep going.

ALLOW YOURSELF REST DAYS

If you're hitting your fitness routine fast and furious, but you begin losing your drive, you may need to add additional rest days. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but your lack of energy may be a signal from your body that you're overworking yourself.

Working out nonstop will inevitably burn you out, both mentally and physically so allow yourself some downtime. If you worry that this will make you fall out of your regimen, replace some two of your workout days with "active rest" days.

Get outside and go for a walk instead of hitting the gym floor. Go for a hike with your loved ones instead of pounding out cardio on a treadmill. Swim, bike, ski or try a yoga class. This will break up the monotony and still keep you in the routine of moving your body. Your mind will thank you!

RETHINK YOUR WORKOUT TIME

You've been working all day and the day has been a complete debacle.Your emails are endless, your kids have practice after school, and you still need to go to the store because you're out of everything. You know your workout needs to be done, but there's no way you can muster the energy. You're drained.

You permit yourself to skip the exercise session and get the other things done. You'll get back on it tomorrow. But here comes the guilt. You know you should've just went and got it over with. You continue to skip your workout for days, and before you know it, you've fallen completely off track. It happens, and we've all been guilty of this. It feels likes climbing a mountain to get back in the swing of exercising.

Instead of quitting, or slowly fading out, try changing your workout time. If you find your lowest energy time is right after work, get up earlier and hit the gym before your day even begins. If your evenings are super hectic, try doing it before you go to bed. I find I sleep a lot better when I hit the weights before bed. Shorten your workout times if needed.

If you do weights and cardio, split it up. Do your cardio first thing in the morning and then a weight session in the evening or on your lunch break. Play around with your routine. Don't be afraid to try new things. There is no wrong way. What is wrong is quitting all together knowing you really want the results.

ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH?

Some of the problems may be you're just not eating enough leading up to your workout. Your energy is dependent on the food you allow yourself to have. I know when you're working towards your goals, being calorie deficient is essential. However, if you're too restrictive, your energy levels will plummet.

Don't be afraid of eating carbs. Carbs for our bodies are like fuel to our cars. If our vehicle runs out of gas, it won't go anymore. Well, this is also true with our bodies.

Rearrange your diet so that you're placing some carbs before a workout. By doing this, it will help you burn through the routine both mentally and physically. Carry a carb-filled snack with you, so you're ready to go once you arrive at the gym.

WHAT DOES YOUR ROUTINE LOOK LIKE

You begin thinking about all the things you need to do to get through your workout. You will start with weight training, then a 30-minute cardio session & finish with a 10-minute stretch session. You immediately feel tired and try talking yourself out of going altogether.You begin hitting that wall, and you know you're going to skip tonight. This keeps happening, and you feel like you're just not meant to be fit. You do great for a while then out of nowhere, you quit.

You're not alone. You need to rethink your workout routine. That's a lot to get done, and unless you're training for something specific, you don't need to do that big of a regimen. Instead of doing all of that, break it down. By doing so, you'll avoid quitting and feeling guilty that you can't stick with it. Lower your cardio down to 10 minutes, weight training down to 25 minutes and do a quick stretch.

I know you think that you'll never reach your goals at this pace. Well, isn't that better than quitting altogether? Listen, consistency is the key to success in everything we do. If you keep with your fitness, no matter how big or small, you'll get the results you desire. Do this when you find yourself lacking the energy to workout. It may just be a phase you're going through. It will pass, so to keep yourself on a routine and dial it back a little bit.

Once you start feeling more inspired to exercise, starting adding a little bit to your routine, doing it in baby steps, so you don't burn out again. You'll feel so much better that you did it this way and when you're ready to hit bigger goals, you won't find yourself starting from ground zero.

Please know, you're not the only one that feels too tired to workout. You're not the only one who falls in and out of love with your workouts. It's normal and to be expected. Try some of these tweaks, and I guarantee you'll feel a difference. It will take patience as I know changing your habits isn't always easy.

Take a step back and see where you can implement these tips to make the road to all of your goals, quicker and more efficient. Write down your plan. Place it where you can see it and don't forget to add a few more carbs to your day. Your body probably really needs more than you're allowing.

Lacking energy is very common, but fueling up the body to avoid this is a must, both mentally & physically. I hope this opened your eyes to see how small tweaks can make enormous changes for you and you stick with your healthy lifestyle.

Be sure to pin this to your motivation board on Pinterest. Maybe you’ll help others find the motivation and the willpower to begin their weight loss journey!

Wondering how to find enough energy to exercise? Grab these simple tricks to get yourself up and motivated to crush all of your weight loss goals.

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.”

— Plato

If you need some fun, simple ways to keep you on track and inspired, please sign up below to be on the inside loop of tricks and tools to fast track you to all of your goals. I'd love to be a guiding light on your path to greatness!

Hugs & Love,

Aimee