I am not going to lie. There are times I REALLY struggle with going to work out. I love fitness, the idea of being fit, workout clothes, gym memberships, and feeling good about myself, but even despite all of this, there are days, sometimes weeks, that I feel no motivation to work out. Getting up out of bed at 7 a.m. to workout and shower and be at work by 9 sometimes feels like a great start to the day; other days, it feels like punishment.

It is so important to keep active during the day, especially with the amount of processed food that we eat during the week. I wanted to compile a list of things that actually keeps me motivated during the week to get my blood pumping and my heart healthy.

1. Use a Fitness Journal

I first saw this idea on a fitness Instagram page and thought it would help list-making A-types like me. Basically, the journal lists what you ate throughout the day and what you did as exercise. To take it to the next level, you can also add what time you ate and when you worked out. This helps you to review what your body is taking in for nutrition, as well as reminds you to have some sort of exercise in your daily routine. P.S. May Designs has a really cute customizable fitness journal for sale. Check them out!

2. Buy a New Workout Outfit

Nothing makes you feel better then heading to the gym looking good in your workout clothes and getting work done. Feeling good about your outfit may translate to working harder in the gym, but unless you have unlimited cash, this is a limited motivation technique.

3. Drink Water and Eat One Ultra Healthy Meal a Day

Hydration and good nutrition is a great fitness and health motivator because you see just how good you feel when you feed your body with what it needs. Sometimes, it is hard to eat super healthy for every meal, but if you can squeeze in one really healthy meal a day, you are on your way to feeling better!

4. Create a Good Workout Playlist

I hate running to songs that I am annoyed with. Not only am I already tired and haven’t even reached the one mile mark, but I also have to listen to “Work” by Rihanna? Nope. Make a playlist with songs that you either never tire of, or update your playlist often to keep your tunes, and your workout, feeling fresh.

5. Create a Workout Pinterest Board, and Use It!

I love Pinning things. My problem is I never put to use all the recipes and organizing ideas I Pin. However, I do use the workout pins to shake up my workout routine almost every day. This helps because I never get bored of a type of workout, plus I have pinned types of workouts for almost every muscle group.

6. Give Yourself a Guilt-Free Break

This may be one of the most important fitness tips I can pass along. Listen to your body and give yourself a guilt-free break from working out a couple of days a week. It is not bad to let yourself rest. It is bad to let yourself rest but to feel guilty about it. Our bodies will not respond well to constant work without a break. So, go ahead, out your feet up and watch a movie. You deserve it.