Sometimes you feel
like you're running on empty because you are. Go through a pragmatic
checklist: Are you dehydrated, hungry, injured, or sleep-deprived? If
you answer 'yes' to any of those questions, listen to your body and
consider giving yourself a break. But if not, it's time to switch up
your mentality and finish your workout strong. Ready? Try these tips:
Have a FitnessMantra
Use a phrase with a
personal connection that you know will light a fire under your butt.
Pump Up the Jams
Research shows that
music motivates you to work out harder and for longer—so having
"Happy" by Pharrell at the ready might be just what you
need to bust out that last set of burpees. Plan ahead by making an
"Emergency Playlist" full of get-pumped tunes that you can
turn on when you’re about to call it quits.
Negotiate With
Yourself
Make a deal with
yourself that when you finish your workout, you can have a reward,
says Bergland. "You have to dangle a treat in front of
yourself." Visualizing that post-workout prize helps you take
yourself out of the present tense for a moment and makes that last
rep or mile seem worth it, he says.
Remember the Good
Times
When you feel like
you're ready to quit, tell yourself, "I've been through this
before, and I've overcome it before," says Bergland. If you're
running a race, think back to your long training runs and say, "Last
time I had trouble on the fourth mile, but I pushed through it, and I
was so glad I did.
See Your Results
Lagos says imagining
yourself accomplishing your goal can help you push through a mental
roadblock. When you're stuck at mile three, visualize how you'll look
after mile six. "You have to be able to see it in order to be
able to do it," says Lagos.
The original article published on womenshealthmag
