How to Stay Consistent with Your Workouts (Even When You’re Not Motivated)

Struggling to stay consistent with your workouts? Here’s how to stay on track, even when you’re not motivated, build long-term habits, and achieve your fitness goals.

Staying consistent with workouts can be hard, especially when you lack motivation. But motivation is not the real key to progress; consistency is. Today, I’m talking all about how you can stay on track (without motivation), build long-term habits, and achieve your overall fitness goals.

1. Shift Your Mindset

Treat your workouts like your morning coffee or matcha—non-negotiable. Shift your mindset from “I have to” to “I get to”. You don’t have to drink your morning coffee or matcha every morning, but you get to. Just like you get to spend 10 minutes a day keeping your body happy and healthy. Focusing on discipline and routines rather than motivation will keep you on track to achieving your goals.

2. Set Smaller, Achievable Goals

Having an all-or-nothing mindset will ruin your progress. Setting aside a 15-minute workout is better than nothing. My favorite “trick” to help me stay on track is telling myself “just a 15-minute walk,” but then it turns into 30-45 minutes. Setting smaller, achievable goals is great to create momentum and build consistency. You start with a small goal of working out every day for 15 minutes, then soon it’ll turn into every day for 30 minutes. Small goals = big wins.

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3. Schedule It Like a Meeting

If you haven’t started time blocking, then now is the best time to start. Time blocking is a time management technique where you divide your day into dedicated blocks of time for specific tasks or activities. This can be done in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Notion. I like to schedule the workout as an event and set an alert so I’m notified at the time of the event. Creating visual cues or reminders will help you stay consistent and serve as a reminder. This especially helps if you’re new to working out, because you might forget! Be sure to create a schedule that fits your life.

4. Have Your Essentials Ready

The easiest small habit you can create when it comes to consistently working out is keeping your workout clothes or equipment visible. When you see a visual reminder of a task, you’re more likely to do it. The night before or morning of, prep your water bottle, yoga mat, and weights. This is easy to grab before the gym or as a reminder to work out at home. My go-to essential is making sure to have electrolytes before a workout.

5. Make It Enjoyable

This is going to be the main reason you stay consistent instead of just relying on motivation. Making your workout enjoyable and doable. Try different movements like walking, yoga, strength training, dance, or pilates. Try exercising at home, at the gym, or with a class. Experiment with it and figure out which one you enjoy the most. Use your favorite dance playlist during strength, listen to a podcast during your walk, or do a workout video at home if you don’t like the gym. Also, it’s important to do something you enjoy that day. If you’re not feeling the gym, do an at-home workout. If you’re not feeling strength training, then do yoga. Give yourself permission to do what feels good that day.

6. Track Your Progress & Celebrate Wins

When it comes to tracking your progress, try using a habit tracker, workout planner, or journal. I personally use my workout planner in Notion, so I track my fitness goals, plan workouts for the week, and keep a library of my favorite exercises. You can check it out here! Celebrate consistency instead of results, like weighing yourself. For example, “I worked out 4 times this week!” instead of “I lost 1lb”. This keeps your mindset focused on consistency rather than just results. It keeps you on track to achieving your bigger fitness goals!

Overall, motivation comes and goes but small habits are what keeps you going. Keep showing up for yourself every day, whether it’s big or small. You just need to be 1% better every day. Be sure to share your favorite fitness tip in the comments, and if you need a little extra push for your workouts then don’t forget to hydrate with Cure Hydration!