How Do I Motivate Myself to Exercise and Avoid Procrastination?

"How do I motivate myself to exercise," is a question you'll hear a lot from fitness newbies who want to ritualize their fitness. Signing up for a gym membership is easy — showing up is hard, and many struggle with it. To achieve results, you must consistently spend several minutes of hard work at the gym, even on bad days. But how do you keep moving when you don't feel like it? Here are six ways to empower yourself to hit the gym consistently.  1. Reframe Your Mindset Motivation stems from the mind. If you think of exercise as a hassle, trouble or torture, you can't expect the body to move willingly. When your behavior and brain contradict, the latter wins most of the time, leading to missed sweat sessions at the gym. Throw this kind of mindset out of the window. Instead, thinking of it as the best part of the day is an empowering perspective to adapt that makes you look forward to the next day. More importantly, those grunts you make every time you lift a dumbbell or endure a final push-up can act as a stress reliever. It increases the production of endorphins in the brain — the happy hormones that boost your mood. It enhances your immunity, digestive system and cardiovascular health. There's not a single negative reason not to keep moving. 2. Invest in Workout Clothes and Tools Have you tried going out with friends wearing your favorite tee, dress or accessory and felt like you're the most beautiful person in the crowd? Clothes are powerful, and they can surprisingly motivate you to exercise. The concept of "enclothed cognition" argues that what you wear influences the people you interact with and your own psychological processes.  An earlier experiment found that people who fitted a lab coat had better focus on tasks compared to those who didn't wear one. Additionally, those who wore a doctor's coat experienced increased selective attention or the ability to select and focus on a particular input while suppressing irrelevant information compared to those who donned a painter’s coat.  In a similar study, employees agreed that wearing a well-designed uniform can influence productivity. Applying the facts from this data, investing in workout clothes can make a difference in your motivation to continue exercising.  For women, compression leggings can make movement easier and a medium support sports bra for yoga, pilates or weight training can help wick away moisture to avoid the sticky and gross feeling. Meanwhile, an elasticized short and breathable tee is perfect for men. Look for good shoes, too. 3. Have Backup Clothes in the Car If you're busy with no regular schedule and rely on bouts of short breaks to squeeze in some training, include backup clothes in your car. If someone cancels an appointment or your calendar suddenly changes, stop by the gym anytime to get your heart pumping on a treadmill. Having your workout uniform available at all times can motivate you to exercise. 3. Set Realistic Goals Setting a goal of losing five pounds in a week with exercise doesn’t make sense for first-timers.  It's like saying you will win the Olympics with only a few weeks of training. What this often leads to is frustration, disappointments and feeling like you're a failure. Tailor your fitness goals to your current levels to avoid being overwhelmed. Aim to meet simple goals at first to gain momentum. Those small wins can motivate you to exercise and achieve more. Then, work your way up with better challenges. Listen to your body as exercise can be more debilitating than helpful if you overdo it.  4. Build an Exercise Plan It's basically creating a schedule for your fitness regimen. If you work with a coach, they'll give you a document showing the sequence of your workouts based on their assessments. Traditionally, a balanced exercise plan includes the following: 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly Two or more strength training sessions per week with 48 hours internal for muscle recovery Balance exercise for seniors to reduce falls If you can't compress a 30-minute daily exercise for five consecutive days, chop the time off into smaller chunks. For example, three 10-minute walks, stretches or cardio before work starts, after lunch and at night your daily recommended activity. This way, you can still stay active.  5. Post It on Social Media Flexing your daily grunts in the gym on Facebook or Instagram is a good source of motivation, not only for yourself but for others, too. If used appropriately, social media is a powerful tool to spread awareness about health and inspire others to give up their sedentary lifestyles. In a study, researchers found that some people who see images of their friends exercising, wearing workout clothes and posting about their fitness accomplishments on social media increased their motivation to move. Meanwhile, others are concerned about its negative effect on body image. It's all about how each handles their feelings when scrolling through fitness posts.  Hopefully, the people who'll see your post will be as enthusiastic as you to improve their health and change their lives through movement.  6. Place a Bet on Yourself By incentivizing, you can motivate yourself to exercise and achieve your set fitness goals. One study found this strategy to be effective for men. After offering a $150 incentive for a self-administered program, 20.9% of men lost 5% of their weight compared to only 5.9% of the no-incentive group. On average, the incentive group lost 2.4% of weight in three months.  However, the same strategy wasn't effective in women since no significant difference was observed in both the incentive and control groups. However, don't let that stop you. See for yourself if it works. Indulging yourself to a fancy dinner or new workout clothes may work well in spurring your motivation to shed those excess pounds.  Motivate Yourself to Exercise for Your Benefit Exercise offers a long list of benefits to physical and mental health. It’s a stress buster and a mood booster. While all of the upsides should be enough to motivate you to tie your shoelaces and run, the excitement of starting a new routine is often a passing fancy. The enthusiasm slowly wanes after a few days or weeks you don’t see visible results.  Try these six strategies to keep your motivation high and sustain your fitness growth. Remember, fitness rewards manifest slowly but they’re worth working hard for.

Are you going to a hot yoga class for the first time? It can be exciting to think about as everyone raves about it. Yet, as the class begins and the room heats up, you may realize that your cotton shirt feels soaked and heavy. This can be distracting as you try to follow the instructor’s poses because you need to adjust your drenched outfit.  This is a rookie mistake that many beginner yogis make, but it’s also a learning moment about what to wear to hot yoga. Choosing the right gear is important for a successful hot yoga session, so it’s essential to understand which fabrics and fit will keep you comfortable. What Is Hot Yoga? Hot yoga is a more intense form of regular yoga, where you attend class in a hot, humid room. The Bikram style originally popularized it, which involves a series of 26 postures and two breathing exercises. According to Dr. Edward Laskowski from Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine, people perform hot yoga, often heated to around 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 40% humidity. The heat is intended to warm and make the body flexible, allowing deeper stretches and increased workout intensity. Beyond increased flexibility, it also encourages the body to sweat profusely. The sweating is thought to help the toxins flush out of the body, though the primary detoxifying organ is the liver. The heat also requires practitioners to focus deeply on their breathing, which enhances lung capacity and boosts oxygenation throughout the body.  Hot yoga enthusiasts often see improvements in stamina, flexibility and mental focus. However, the aftermath of the sessions provides you with immediate stress relief. You feel good physically and mentally after sweating and putting your body through such intense conditions. What Do You Need to Wear to Hot Yoga? To ensure you get the most out of your first hot yoga class, wear clothes you’ll feel most comfortable in. The following are the top recommendations for what to wear to hot yoga. Breathable Fabrics Choosing the right fabric can be as crucial as the practice of hot yoga. In the sweltering conditions of a hot yoga studio, breathable fabrics are key to keeping cool and comfortable. Materials with moisture-wicking properties are ideal because they pull sweat away from the body. As such, this allows it to evaporate quickly and keep you dry during intense sessions.  Fabrics such as polyester, nylon and spandex are excellent choices. Additionally, some newer materials blend synthetic fibers with natural ones like bamboo, known for its soft texture and eco-friendly benefits. While these fabrics are gentle on the skin, they also provide excellent moisture management and odor resistance. As a result, they make the perfect fabric for hot, humid environments. Comfortable, Fitted Clothing Movement and flexibility are key in hot yoga, so you want to wear clothes that will move with you. While you want the clothes to be comfortable, they should also fit you well to ensure your garments stay in place. Fitted apparel is especially important in hot yoga to avoid excess fabric that can become heavy with sweat. Otherwise, it may impede your movement or keep your instructor from correcting your posture. Clothing that fits snugly but not too tightly is ideal, as it supports a full range of motion and doesn’t restrict blood flow. Look for items specifically designed for yoga or athletic wear, as they provide support and coverage while practicing complex poses. Stretchable Yoga Wear Your body needs more room for flexibility to perform the poses your instructor provides. Therefore, stretchable yoga wear is essential to prevent the limitations of stretches and poses. This is especially important in hot yoga since expansive poses and long holds are common. Plus, the heat can make your body more pliable and prone to deeper stretches.  Spandex is often the best material due to its exceptional elasticity. These materials allow the fabric to stretch four ways without losing shape or becoming baggy. Moreover, the elasticity of these fabrics ensures the clothing fits snugly and moves with your body. This will help reduce the risks of accidents, especially as emergency room visits have increased by 70% due to the growing popularity of hot yoga. Types of Hot Yoga Clothing and Accessories to Bring to Class Before attending hot yoga classes, there are different types of yoga clothes you should wear that will enhance your practice: Yoga pants or shorts: Depending on your preference, you may want to wear yoga pants since the sweat may make your legs too slippery if you wear shorts. Yet, some people can’t stand the heat, so try a pair of yoga shorts to see which provides more comfort. Sports bra: A sports bra is necessary to keep everything in place and make you feel less sweaty. Yoga tank: A tank top for a hot yoga class will be another lifesaver for absorbing sweat. Plus, it will allow more range of motion and offer more breathability. Yoga mat: A high-quality mat that provides a good grip even when wet is crucial. Some mats feature a non-slip surface that will improve your safety and performance when perspiring. Towels: You will be sweating a lot! Bring along a yoga towel to lay over your mat. These towels will keep you dry and provide extra grip. A small hand towel is also useful if you need to wipe sweat from your face and body.  Water bottle: Staying hydrated is critical in hot yoga because of the intensity of the heat and sweat. Bring a water bottle that keeps liquid cool throughout the class and ensure it’s easy to open but keeps the contents secure. Assembling these types of clothing and accessories ensures a more successful and comfortable hot yoga experience. Each item is crucial in managing the challenges presented in a heated environment. That way, you can focus more on your poses and breath control. Know What to Wear to Hot Yoga for a Fun Class Choosing what to wear to hot yoga can significantly impact your experience. Remember to opt for breathable, stretchable clothing to help you feel comfortable and enhance your performance. The right gear will help you make the most of every pose and breath, improving your overall practice. 

Most people adopt a yoga practice to relieve stress and calm their thoughts — some may be more interested in learning the various poses and mantras for inner peace. However, when it comes to yoga, there is only one type with a fully holistic approach: Integral Yoga.  Integral Yoga is relatively young compared to classical forms, having only been introduced to the world within the last century. Yet, it pulls from the most ancient yogic practices and principles for a whole-body and soul transformation.  Most importantly, you’ll learn much about the power of interconnectedness, compassion and self-awareness beyond the mat. Here is a closer look at the definition and principles of Integral Yoga, the various yoga limbs it pulls from, its benefits and how to adopt a practice yourself. What Is Integral Yoga? Sri Swami Satchidananda founded Integral Yoga in 1996, derived from the six classical yoga branches and teaching from Sri Aurobindo. The practices concentrate on spiritual transformation and divinity within all.  Satchidananda became known as the “Woodstock Guru” because his teachings on peace, service and interconnectedness resonated with people during the 1960s. The primary principle of Integral Yoga promotes the triple transformation into the divine— achieving psychic, spiritual and supramental states of consciousness. Unlike other yoga paths — in which the sole goal is to reach nirvana or moksha — people who practice Integral Yoga also seek to recognize a divine power within the physical world. 6 Branches of Integral Yoga Universalism in Integral Yoga comprises the six limbs of classical yoga — each with its own fundamental truths and ideals. The following briefly describes the six branches of yoga found in Integral practices. Hatha Hatha Yoga is the physical branch, utilizing various asana postures, breathing techniques, hand positions, chakra stimulation and mantras to achieve greater flexibility, strength and relaxation. Ultimately, practitioners seek to achieve sublimity through samadhi — the highest concentration state you can reach. Raja Raja Yoga leans into one’s mentality — such as focus and meditation — to strengthen your clarity and help you achieve greater control over your thoughts. Because of its challenging nature, Raja Yoga is most suitable for those with ample yogic experience.  Bhakti Bhakti Yoga is a devotional practice cultivating love and devotion toward the Divine. People attain enlightenment through prayer, mantras, mudras — symbolic hand gestures — and providing service to others. Some practitioners also practice through kirtan, which is repeating a phrase, word or deity’s name against music. Karma  The Karma limb is selfless service toward others. Those who practice Karma Yoga foster compassion and gratitude while connecting more deeply with the world around them. There are two facets of Karma Yoga: The Action and the result itself. A good deed results in positive outcomes, while a poor action may result in something negative.  Jnana Practitioners of Jnana Yoga attain wisdom and understanding through self-reflection and study. They seek to gain knowledge and liberate themselves from unawareness and suffering. Like Raja Yoga, many consider Jnana among the most challenging yoga types you can adopt. Japa Japa Yoga practitioners repeat mantras, chants and other sounds to connect with the Divine. This branch mainly focuses on becoming more present and building a deep connection with something bigger than yourself.  Integral Yoga Beyond the Mat The six limbs within Integral Yoga offer physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth over time. As a whole, you receive guidance and tools to work toward sadhana — your awakening.  A regular Integral Yoga practice can benefit you in the following ways: Physical: Increases flexibility, strength and harmony while improving sleep quality, immunity, and pain or discomfort. Mental and emotional: Decreases anxiety and depression, increases concentration and clarity, boosts mood and generates greater self-awareness. Spiritual: Fosters a deep connection with something greater than yourself, leads to personal transformation, arouses your consciousness and potential, and creates inner joy. Integral Yoga is accessible to every age and experience level, taking the best parts of each limb and creating a holistic, feasible approach to enlightenment and well-being.  How to Start an Integral Yoga Practice Whether you’re a beginner or have explored other yoga limbs before, Integral Yoga may provide the enriching path to awakening you’re looking for. To start your practice, gain an understanding of the six branches of yoga as they work together integratively. It is also essential to understand its guiding principles, including the triple transformation, selfless service, spirituality and universalism. Beginners should enroll in a class to help build a foundation. Instructors will give you basic postures, sequences and meditation techniques for a gentle introduction. Remember to always listen to your body — you’ll want to take breaks and modify challenging poses as you build up stamina. Slowly begin incorporating other methods — like chanting, mantras, mudras and kirtan — as you become more comfortable. You may want to start with 15-20 minutes of practice several times a week and work up to longer durations. Other things you can do when creating an this holistic yoga practice include the following: Volunteer at local charities and organizations, or help someone in need within the community.  Start writing down self-reflections in a journal.  Jot down one to three things you’re grateful for daily.  Join an Integral Yoga community in person or online to learn more about the practice as you grow. Try different classes and teachers to determine what resonates with you best.  Utilize free guided meditations online.  Whichever way you decide to approach your Integral Yoga practice, remember to go at your own pace. Establishing the best practice for your life may require you to go through different teachers and styles to know what is best for you. Connecting with the Integral Yoga community — in-person or online — is another way to strengthen your practice. Integral Yoga for All Aspects of Living Because each limb of yoga touches on something different, you can improve every aspect of your existence by adopting an Integral Yoga practice. As you embark on your yogic journey, take your time to reap the benefits of awakening and self-discovery. 

If you're planning on starting a family, few things are more stressful than seeing only one line pop up on your much-anticipated pregnancy tests. Sometimes, a bit of stress causes hormones to go out of whack. And other times, the pressure of trying to conceive is just too much. Fortunately, a little downward dog and lotus posing may be able to help. Time to get bendy with it and try out a few yoga poses for ovulation! There are few things in life a bit of yoga and relaxation can’t improve — fertility included. Yoga is a very conception-friendly exercise. In a society as fast-paced as ours, it's no wonder the constant worrying and anxiety take their toll on our ability to be lively and healthy, so adding some yoga for regular ovulation to your routine can really help you de-stress. And if your wellness isn’t ideal, you’ll find that creating a new life while trying to balance your own isn’t always easy, either. Whether you’re experiencing infertility or want to prepare your body for attempts to conceive, yoga is a natural and effective way to help get your reproductive system on track. It's yoga for reproductive organs! Zenify your eggs and find out that balance really does exist! Don’t believe us? Try them out for yourself! Here’s a look at a few yoga poses for ovulation that may help awaken and revitalize your sense of fertility. 1. The Butterfly Pose If you’re looking for a conception-friendly exercise, the butterfly pose (also known as “Baddha Konasana”) is sure to do the trick. When a woman does the butterfly pose, she builds the strength in her knees, groin and inner thighs. While this yoga position does an excellent job at making you stronger, it also enables you to release any unwanted energy that's keeping you from experiencing a sense of inner peace. Do you want your eggs stress-free, fried or over-easy? As an added bonus, research studies show that flexibility can increase the functioning of your muscles and reduce the risk of injury — an essential feature for women planning to give birth. 2. Yogini Squat If you’re wondering how to be fit during pregnancy or perhaps even before you attempt to conceive, you’ll want to focus on toning your body and preparing it for the road of motherhood that lies ahead. And while you may have heard that squats are great at toning your bottom, they also work wonders when it comes to strengthening your reproductive organs, too. You get a two-for-one special! Pop a yogini squat! The pelvic floor consists of a network of muscles responsible for strengthening the uterus and keeping your reproductive system in working shape. If your uterus isn't in optimal form, it may impact your chances of getting pregnant with little effort and decrease your odds of recovering that strength after birth. Not only will doing a yogini squat strengthen these vital muscles, but it will boost circulation to your reproductive organs, making it easier for you to ovulate and conceive. 3. Inhale Warrior Pose If you’ve ever owned a yoga DVD, we’re betting the cover had at least one woman with a leg bent forward and her arms reaching up to the sky as she stood firm in a warrior pose — making you wish you could do the same posture, too. Not only does this position make you feel like a badass warrior, but it also is a great way to find a sense of inner strength during the first few minutes of your yoga workout, too. There’s nothing quite like getting in touch with your inner trooper to prepare you for the road of pregnancy that lies ahead. The inhale warrior is one of those yoga poses for ovulation that increases your endorphins and helps your blood flow with much more ease. If a hormonal imbalance or stress is disrupting your cycle, doing this pose on your deck in the morning can help get you back on your fertility track. 4. The Cat Pose Known by some as “Marjariasana,” the cat pose not only sounds like a fun way to delve into yoga, but it’s also a useful beginner-level pose for women looking to increase their fertility, too. Meow! Aside from stretching your shoulders and back, this trusted yoga pose also helps provide the proper blood flow to your pelvic area, increasing your chances of ovulating with success. The cat pose is so effective because the stimulated oxygen and blood in the uterus and ovaries help eggs reach the fallopian tubes, increasing your chances of getting pregnant. 5. The Bridge Pose You likely did the bridge pose as a kid while tumbling around on your living room floor, but it may be even more critical to get in this position during your childbearing years. It might not look pretty right away, but the future is all about the push. Get it? Yoga poses for ovulation should center on providing your reproductive organs with just the right circulation and energy. When you get in position for the bridge pose, blood flows more readily to the uterus and ovaries. This can provide you with the optimal benefits the yoga for regular ovulation offers! Best of all, you’ll feel a sense of relief once you let go of your pose. There’s no better feeling than being relaxed and at ease when trying to conceive. 6. Bee Breath Studies have linked stress to infertility, and, as you try to build a family, the last thing you want is your mental state to affect your ability to have children. Fortunately, many yogis swear by bee breaths — the focused respiration helps to banish anxiety, and the rest of the worries pent up inside of your mind. By releasing them, your body will fall out of the stressed state that could very well be preventing you from conceiving. The bee breath is a convenient way to diffuse stress, too — you can perform them anywhere. Quietly sit down, close your eyes and place your fingertips on the cartilage of your ears. Take a deep breath in and, as you breathe out, press lightly on your upper ears to push them forward. As you breathe, make a humming noise like the insect that inspired the name of this pose. Repeat six to seven times and see how much more relaxed you feel. 7. Paschimottanasana and Hastapadasana Paschimottanasana and Hastapadasana are extra-long ways of saying "seated forward bend" and "standing forward bend," respectively. Both moves prove invaluable to women trying to stoke ovulation and conceive a baby. In the seated forward bend — hands touching your feet, face and back as down and as flat as possible — your position will help to stimulate your ovaries. Plus, it will help stretch and strengthen the muscles in your hips, hamstrings and lower back. Any pregnant woman will tell you how important it is to have support in those areas as their babies grow. On your feet for the standing forward bend, you'll perform much the same motion. Because you're standing up, though, you will boost your blood flow to both your pelvic area and your nervous system. Hastapadasana also improves the flexibility of your spinal cord, which will only come in handy once you start carrying an unborn baby around. 8. Cobra Pose Lay on your stomach before pressing your upper body upward, the weight of the movement held firmly in your hands. This is the cobra pose, a simple stance that can get hormones pumping — great news if you're trying to get pregnant. It works for aspiring moms because it both strengthens the back and, at the same time, stokes the production of all the hormones you need before conception. In fact, the list of cobra pose-related benefits goes on to include improved mood, spine strength, digestion improvement and decreased lower-back stiffness. Having your body feel its best pre-baby will only make pregnancy better for both of you. 9. Shoulder Stand Standing on your hands can be a tough move for even the most seasoned yogi. But the shoulder stand allows you to balance on a much stabler section of the body, thus making it possible for less experienced stretchers to hit this pose — and reap its benefits. As you balance on your shoulders, back straight, legs in the air, you'll be stimulating the thyroid. This gland can affect a woman's fertility, so boosting it and keeping it healthy will only improve the chances you can conceive. To that end, you can hit a shoulder stand or even the legs-up-the-wall pose after sex to boost the chances of conception. By keeping your legs up, you keep sperm close to the uterus and increase the chances that it will attach to a mature egg, thus starting the pregnancy process. Yoga Poses for Ovulation — Vital Parts of the Workout Plan Whether you're pregnant, trying to conceive or merely want to keep your reproductive organs healthy for future childbearing, it's essential to remain healthy to look out for your current and future self. The idea of using yoga poses to get pregnant may seem odd, but evidence backs its benefits! So yoga for healthy reproductive system function is absolutely something you may want to work into your regular routine. When you set aside a few minutes each day to uplift your mind and improve your body, you may find you have an easier time achieving your goals — getting pregnant included!