Too Tired To Workout? Here’s What You Can Do About It

Anything can throw off your fitness routine. It could be a lack of sleep, bad mood, work problem, or a personal emergency — you name it. When you feel tired, it’s easy to tell yourself, “I can reschedule this workout for tomorrow.” What if another circumstance hinders your movement goals tomorrow.

You know that your fitness is a top priority. Before you procrastinate or decide to skip your workout, make sure you do the following. These tips will help shift your mindset, get moving, and practice self-care when you truly need it. Keep reading.

Signs That You’re Really Exhausted

Are you truly tired or just feeling lazy? Real physical exhaustion happens for several reasons. They include:

Overtraining. This is common among those who are new to working out. They do too much exercise without enough recovery. Common signs of overtraining include moodiness, insomnia, reduced appetite, and muscle soreness.
Sleep deprivation. Research suggests that quality sleep improves your athletic performance. Not only that, but it also helps your body burn more fat. When you’re sleep deprived, you tend to be fatigued, forgetful, and irritable, and clumsy.
Poor food choices. Eating too much sugar can make you feel physically and mentally fatigued. Are you following a diet that’s high in sugar and processed foods? Do you often binge on sugar to beat stress?
Dehydration. Surprised? Yes, even mild dehydration causes you to feel lethargic.

There’s one way to tell that you’re plain unmotivated to workout: If you would say YES to an activity you normally LOVE doing — such as going out with your friends or playing a video game.

I Want To Exercise But I’m “Tired.” What Should I Do?

If you find yourself asking this question, here are steps you can take.

1. Identify the cause of your tiredness.

Do a reality check. Is your tiredness caused by a lack of sleep? Working out on no sleep will only increase your risk for injuries. However, if you feel that your sleep deprivation has not sucked the life out of you, it may be OK to move for 15 minutes. Just make sure to stick with simple workouts that do not require mental alertness and focus, such as weight lifting.

Admit it. Sometimes, missing a workout is a good idea to give your mind and body the rest it deserves.

2. Ask yourself, “Will I regret this decision?”

Exercising is a choice you make. It’s not a punishment or death sentence. It will help to think of the impact of working out or skipping it today. The effect could be beneficial or not depending on the situation.

3. Just show up and reduce the intensity.

Being busy all day at work can drain your energy. Even if you don’t feel like showing up for your sweat session, just do it. Don’t overthink it. Here’s a tip: Prepare your workout clothes in advance. Set-up your home gym. Finally, there’s nothing wrong with doing a light workout! You’ll be surprised by the result once you get moving.

4. Remind yourself of the end result.

Just think about the long-term effect of your daily commitment to workout. That’s a leaner body, better energy, and a healthier you! Here are some articles that will help motivate you:

Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself. If you’re having a really bad day, it’s best to practice self-compassion. After all, you’re only human. You just need to make sure that what you’re dealing with isn’t constant procrastination.

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