16th February 2017. There is one feeling common to everyone who exercises or makes fitness a priority in their lives: burnout. Even for the most dedicated athletes, losing the motivation to keep working out is a real problem. It often starts innocently enough, too. You wake up one morning and just feel "too tired," or the weather is just "too bad" to head out and exercise. What's the harm in taking one day off from your routine? Of course, one day can quickly turn into two, which spirals into three ? and before you know it, all that motivation to exercise has vanished. How can you get it back? Consistency in exercise is among the most important factors in developing better health and improving your body. When it feels like a huge mental struggle just to get back in the habit, though, even one day of exercise can be a worthy goal. If you're experiencing burnout or a loss of motivation, don't worry ? there are solutions out there. We'll discuss a few of the best ways you can try to recapture that spark that kept you going. With some willpower and perseverance, you'll be able to fall back into the habit and return to enjoying the benefits of exercise.

Set a small series of goals to work towards

When you've lost your desire to work out, feeling overwhelmed is a major stumbling block to returning to form. It may seem like you have to immediately return to the full slate of activities you were engaged in before you stopped. Of course, it would feel overwhelming to go from not exercising straight back to full intensity ? it would be difficult for anyone. So how do you mitigate that feeling? Set some small milestones you can work towards over a short period. You may even want to plan some rewards (like going to see a movie) for reaching one of these milestones. An important factor in these goals should be your previous level of fitness activity. Try to structure your milestones to correspond to a portion of your former activity level. For example, you might use four goals, beginning with exercising for one or two days weekly and progress from there. You could also elect to peg your goals to doing so many sets of strength training reps and so forth. It's much easier to think "I can do that" about a small amount of exercise. As you adapt to the workout again, you won't have as much difficulty increasing the intensity.

Try exercises or activities you haven't done before

Could it be that you're not feeling motivated because you're no longer engaged with your current activities? For example, not everyone is cut out for running all the time. Some people find it boring, and the intensity level can be too much for some people over the long term. It's often a challenge even for some regular runners to find the motivation to lace up their shoes. If you feel that might be your problem, investigate other options! After all, there's no shortage of other ways to improve your fitness out there. For example, why not trying going for a swim? It's a drastic change of setting, and you might find you enjoy the cushioning effect of the water more than the impact of the treadmill. In another scenario, you might switch to training with weights or using exercise machines more often. You could even join an exercise class or a dance-based fitness group to find your knack of fitness again. What matters isn't the specific activity you choose; it's the way you engage with it once you start. Finding your motivation could be as simple as finding some way to begin having fun again. Spending some time away from your traditional workout routine by building a new one is an ideal way to do that. Besides: it's a chance to improve parts of your body you might've ignored before.

Pair up with a partner for more motivation

Did your routine consist mostly of activities you did solo? While working out alone is an excellent way to take some space for yourself, it can become draining after a while. Even with a set of goals in mind, heading back out on your own every day can become tedious no matter who you are. So, what's the solution? Add another person, of course! Working out with a partner is an excellent method for keeping yourself on target. Not only will your workout partner have the ability to keep you accountable towards your goals, but they can encourage you to work out even when you're feeling like staying home. We've mentioned fitness classes already, and those are a solid choice if you don't have a friend to make your partner. Other options include swimming or cycling clubs. Whatever path you choose, communicate your goals and what you hope to achieve with your partner. Make it clear that you're in it together. You'll have the opportunity to encourage them in turn ? and that feeling of responsibility can be a huge motivating factor to get you out the door. Before you know it, you'll be having too much fun to consider skipping another day of fitness activity.

Mix up your fitness setting on occasion

Boredom regarding the kinds of workouts you engage in is just one reason you can lose your motivation. Your boredom could stem from a stale setting, rather than a routine you no longer enjoy. What do we mean by that? Well, consider what it's like if you work out in the gym all the time. You visit the same machines, probably in roughly the same order, on the same days each week. Sure, the gym feels like a second home, but it can also feel like a place where you aren't enjoying yourself. The solution, while also trying out new activities, is to change where you exercise. If you spend a lot of time indoors, head out and enjoy the fresh air! Go for a run or hop on a bicycle and pedal hard on a long route. If you're already outside, try going to new places to exercise, or even give the gym a try. Acquainting yourself with machines, weights, and gym procedures is a huge activity on its own ? that could be just what you need to engage with your exercise again. Ask yourself whether you just need a change of scenery.

Structure your schedule to be workout-friendly

Finally, what if the reason you don't feel motivated is that you simply feel out of time? With our busy lives and full schedules, that's not an uncommon feeling to have. However, it's important to focus on the fact that you're the master of your daily schedule ? even when you have plenty of daily responsibilities. Try to examine your schedule and identify spaces you could use for exercise. Do you have time early in the morning or in the evenings you could use instead? Changing the time you exercise can help you develop the motivation to start again. Consider this: perhaps you've lost the will to work out because of high temperatures in the afternoon or early evening when you would usually exercise. Try going to bed earlier and waking up an hour earlier. Take advantage of cooler mornings for your fitness activities. You'll likely feel better if you do this, too ? starting your day off with exercise is a superb way to generate the energy you need to face your tasks. Overall, regaining your desire for fitness is just a matter of evaluating your needs, desires, and available time.

Finding your lost motivation is easier than you think!

While we all "burn out" on exercise from time to time, it's important not to let that feeling keep you stuck at home forever. Physical fitness is important, and a steady approach is the best way to improve one's general sense of wellness. Whether it's setting goals or working out with a friend, try to find a strategy that works for you. There are plenty of ways to make exercise fun again, and soon you'll be back in the groove and enjoying yourself. Maybe you'll even discover a brand-new activity that you love more than anything else you've tried before! It all starts by making the choice to get back to work now.