Here’s What To Do If You Don’t Feel Like Working Out

Today I didn’t feel like going to the gym and In all honesty, I didn’t feel like writing this article. But it’s times when you and I don’t feel like working out and pursuing those things we know we should, it’s even more important to get the workout in, write the article or do the thing we don’t feel like doing.

Working Out When You Feel Like It Is Easy

Think about it, those days when you’re really amped up to go to the gym and hit some personal records are easy. It’s the days that you go to the gym when you really don’t want to, that really count. The thing with fitness is if we just went to the gym when we wanted to or felt like it, we’d be doing ourselves a disservice. Because we’d never get the results we want.

Getting In Shape Is A Slow Gradual Process

It’s not a coincidence that the strongest people with the best physiques are also the most consistent. So instead of trying to be the person who is in shape you need to be the type of person who doesn’t miss a workout.

Because the person whos in shape didn’t get there by missing workouts or skimping on his /her nutrition. They got there because on the days they really didn’t want to workout or track their nutrition they did it anyway.

Working Out Is Hard But So Is The Opposite

Sure, it’s hard getting up at 6 am on a cold winters morning, to drag yourself to the gym to get your workout in.
But it’s also hard being weak, frail, stressed out and all the other things that working out relieves.

We Get To Choose What Hard We Want

On one hand, it’s tough to muster up the energy to go to the gym when you don’t want to, but at least this sacrifice gives you something in return.

Being in shape can:

• Make you feel more confident.
• Improve your all-around health and energy levels.
• Help you sleep better.
• Improve your appearance.
• Build character.

The sacrifice of working out isn’t for nothing. Yes, working out is hard and uncomfortable but it’s the difficult things that develop us.

A good rule of thumb is the more you don’t feel like working out, the more you need to do it.

Sure, injuries and illness may cause us to have some time off every once in a while. I recently had to have some time off because of a condition called costochondritis. And yeah it’s shit, but this is mainly a rarity.

For example, this was the first time in maybe in 4 years that I’ve had to take time off from working out. And this is mostly the case for many other people as well. Probably including you. You shouldn’t get injured often if you’re doing most things correctly.

9/10 times people don’t work out its to do with laziness and procrastination. The secret hack for this is doing the workout anyway.

Results Don’t Care How You Feel

No matter what we want to achieve there are certain things that we must do if we want to achieve any sort of success. For example, many people want to get in shape, but they don’t want to be the person who doesn’t miss a workout. Others might want to be the writer who doesn’t write (and I’ve fallen into this slump myself here and there), the actor who doesn’t act, or the YouTuber who doesn’t well… youtube.

Our Actions Always tell Us What We Really Want

If we really want to get in shape we don’t say it. We become the type of person who doesn’t miss a workout. And we let our actions do the talking.

If we say we want to get into the best shape of our lives, but we don’t become the type of person required to achieve that goal. We obviously didn’t really want to get into the best shape of our lives in the first place. Otherwise, we would have done it.

The Secret Is To Want The Process Just As Much As the Result

To illustrate this point some people don’t like lifting weights, so they find another way of working out that they enjoy. And that they can consistently do.

For some people, it’s running, or a sport, or exercise classes etc. The key is to work out in a way that’s enjoyable for you. For me, that’s lifting weights. But for everyone, it can be different.

The famous psychologist and neurologist Carl Jung put it well:

“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; There’s no recipe for living that suits all cases.”

– Carl Gustav Jung Author Of Modern Man In Search Of A Soul

And this is exactly why comparing ourselves to others is futile. We’re all different. It’s finding what works for us that matters.

Why Finding A Workout Routine That Is Sustainable Is So Important

I’ll start this off with an example of myself. I used to train using a training style called reverse pyramid training. The way I was doing it every set I’d train to failure.

This training was the hardest weightlifting protocol I’d ever done. Deadlifting and squatting to failure every set was a perfect combo for an injury to take place.

I knew I couldn’t continue to train in that manner, so I switched my training up to a more conservative training approach where I’d leave 1 or 2 reps in the tank.

During this new training approach, I wasn’t going into every workout training balls to the walls anymore. I was still getting stronger in this new approach. But I was training in a way that I could express my body’s capabilities rather than torture myself every set.

Are You Training In A Way You Hate?

If so, then it might be time to switch your training routine up into a more sustainable training program. And I guarantee that if you train in a manner that you don’t hate, but instead enjoy, you can become the type of person who doesn’t miss workouts.

The Bottom Line On What To Do If You Don’t Feel Like Working Out

• Workout anyway. Most of the time when you get to the gym, you enjoy it. And no matter what, you’ll always feel good for having worked out.
• If you can’t push past the procrastination, maybe think twice about the workout plan you’re on. If you hate it pick one that is more sustainable.

Thanks for reading. Make sure to subscribe to my email list for weekly tips and access to my latest content. If you’d like any extra help send me an email at contact@henrypaget.com