5 Mental Tricks to Maximize Your Workout Energy

Want to access that abundance of energy that is deep within all of us? It may come and go for you, but you are the real master of how you feel.

Try these 5 tricks to pump your workout up to the next level:

1. Indoors or outdoors

   I find there are two ways to get off the sofa; thinking inside or outside yourself. Close your eyes and answer this question: how do you feel? If you are feeling motivated then sit with that feeling and feed it so it grows and catapults you off the sofa. If you are feeling like taking a nap, then visualize exactly what you want to look like at the beach in your swimsuit. Use this picture to drive you to action.

2. Schedule

   Make appointments on a weekly basis with yourself, just like you do with your friends to go to dinner. Mark it on your calendar and honor yourself by committing to exercising during this time. Show up on time for yourself. You deserve it.

3. If/Then

   I do this all the time with items on my to-do list that I do not want to do. I do them first and say to myself, "If I finish A, I can treat myself to B (a sushi lunch)." The only way I can get B is if I do A. Otherwise no meal for me.

4. Cross pollinate

   We all have different categories in our life. Check off items from two categories at the same time. Want to hang out with a friend? Choose going for a hike, or find a trainer that can train two people simultaneously. Want to get more hobbies? Schedule with a pro and get exercise in while you learn something new.

5. Jump for Joy

   Take your exercise to the next level. Think of ways to challenge yourself. The mind and your muscles need stimulation, otherwise boredom sets in. Once you have a specific goal, write it down and then celebrate that you did it. Tell your friends what you were able to do, pat yourself on the back, and say to yourself, “I did a good job.”

   Example: Do 25 pull-ups. Call a supportive friend and tell them, "Can you believe I finally got 25 pull-ups?"

Do you have any other mental tricks to boost your workout energy? Share them in comments below.