14 Strategies to Stay Motivated for Maintaining an Active Lifestyle

To help you stay motivated and overcome common obstacles in maintaining an active lifestyle, we asked sports performance directors and business owners for their best strategies. From tracking your progress consistently to relying on discipline and habits, here are the top fourteen strategies these experts shared.

• Track Your Progress Consistently
• Find Activities You Enjoy
• Get a Workout Buddy
• Use Fitness Technology
• Incorporate Exercise Into Commute
• Remember Your Why
• Adjust Your Routine Accordingly
• Stay Active While Traveling
• Incorporate Mindful Movement
• Set SMART Fitness Goals
• Turn Exercise Into Social Activity
• Plan Regular Rest Days
• Set Small, Achievable Goals
• Rely on Discipline and Habits

Track Your Progress Consistently

As a sports-performance coach, I've found that maintaining motivation often comes down to accountability. For myself and my athletes, I recommend finding ways to track your progress and stay consistent. For example, my athletes use workout journals to log their training sessions, times, and weights. Reviewing their progress over weeks and months provides motivation to continue improving.

Another key strategy is mixing up your routine. Doing the same workout repeatedly can lead to boredom, loss of motivation, and plateaus. I regularly update my athletes' training programs to incorporate new exercises, intensities, and challenges. Trying a new class at your gym or following a workout video on YouTube are easy ways to spice up your routine.

Finally, find a community to share your journey with. Connecting with others working toward similar goals provides support and motivation. The athletes I coach often become close and rely on each other to push through difficult workouts. Joining a local sports league, taking a group fitness class, or just walking with a friend a few times a week can make a big difference.

James Lujan, Sports Performance Director, VB Speed LLC

Find Activities You Enjoy

I have found that you have to enjoy it. If you find that you are forcing yourself to do something to remain active, it won't work in the long run. Over the years, I have tried many different activities to remain active. Many I didn't like and ended up not continuing, but I kept going.

Eventually, about 4 years ago, I started loving going to the gym. Now I look forward to it. Last year, I tried golf, and now love it, and do it multiple times per week. But in between these two activities, I hated about a dozen others I tried. So find something you love that also allows you to be active, and you will stay motivated to continue doing it.

Jeff Michael, Ecommerce Business Owner, Supplement Warehouse

Get a Workout Buddy

Maintaining an active lifestyle is crucial for busy decision-makers, yet it's often challenging. One effective strategy is to find a workout buddy. Having a partner adds accountability, making it harder to skip workouts. Plus, it transforms exercise into a social activity, making it more enjoyable and something to look forward to. This simple approach can boost your motivation and help you overcome the common hurdle of sticking to a fitness routine.

Chris Yang, Co-founder, Coins Value

Use Fitness Technology

Using technology to keep track of progress and stay accountable has been immensely helpful. Apps that monitor your activity levels and provide virtual challenges are great for motivation. At our company, we even have friendly competitions using fitness trackers to see who gets the most steps in a week. It’s a fun and engaging way to encourage each other while promoting health and wellness within our team. These little technologies act as both a motivator and a reminder of our fitness goals.

Marc Bishop, Director, Wytlabs

Incorporate Exercise Into Commute

The strategy I've adopted to overcome the common obstacle of finding time for an active lifestyle is incorporating physical activity into my daily commute. Instead of driving or taking public transport, I use this opportunity to bike to work. This decision not only guarantees a daily dose of exercise but also kick-starts my mornings with a surge of energy.

On occasions when biking isn't an option, I switch to walking a portion of the journey. For example, I park my car a bit farther from the office and walk the remainder. This minor adjustment has had a profound impact on my ability to maintain my activity levels.

Oliver Morrisey, Owner and Director, Empower Wills & Estate Lawyers

Remember Your Why

As a clinical social worker focused on mental health, I can share that the most important strategy for staying motivated is keeping your "why" in mind. Why did you start exercising or living a healthy lifestyle in the first place? Remembering your reasons for changing your habits can help push through obstacles.

Another key strategy is starting small and building up gradually. Don't aim for intense workouts right away. Begin with just 10-15 minutes a day of light activity like walking or yoga. As that becomes a habit, you can increase the time and difficulty. Small wins build momentum and motivation.

Finally, find an accountability partner or join an online community. Having a support system that shares your goals can help motivate you by providing encouragement and advice. Many of our clients find success by sharing their wellness goals with others in a supportive environment.

Building new habits is challenging, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can stay motivated for the long run. Keep your reasons for change in mind, start small, and find your tribe. With consistency, living an active and healthy lifestyle can become second nature.

Dr. Elizabeth Barlow, Founder & CEO, Kinder Mind

Adjust Your Routine Accordingly

Adjust your routine accordingly. As a trial attorney, I know the importance of resilience and adapting to change. This principle also applies to maintaining an active lifestyle. Instead of trying to fit a cookie-cutter workout routine into your already-busy schedule, adjust it based on what works best for you. Whether that means waking up 30 minutes earlier to get in a quick run or incorporating exercise breaks throughout your workday, find what fits your lifestyle and stick with it. Remember, consistency is critical in achieving and maintaining an active lifestyle.

For me, adjusting my routine to incorporate exercise breaks throughout my workday has been crucial in staying motivated and overcoming the common obstacle of lack of time. Not only does this provide physical benefits, but it also helps with mental clarity and focus during long hours at the office. In my experience, this small change has revolutionized my approach to maintaining an active lifestyle.

Andrew Pickett, Founder and Lead Trial Attorney, Andrew Pickett Law

Stay Active While Traveling

As a travel blogger, I have faced my fair share of challenges in maintaining an active lifestyle while constantly being on-the-go. One strategy that has helped me stay motivated is to incorporate physical activity into my travels. While it may be tempting to simply relax and indulge in all the delicious food and wine Europe has to offer, I make sure to explore each new destination by foot or bike. Not only does this keep me physically active, but it also allows me to fully immerse myself in the local culture and scenery.

Renee Hannes, Founder, Dream Plan Experience

Incorporate Mindful Movement

I stay motivated by incorporating mindful movement into my daily routine. So whether it's starting the day with a few minutes of yoga or taking a mindful walk during lunch, these practices not only keep me physically active but also help clear my mind and reduce stress. By combining movement with mindfulness, I find that I’m more present and focused, which enhances both my personal health and professional performance.

To overcome plateaus and keep things interesting, I make it a point to introduce variety into my fitness regimen. I rotate between different activities like cycling, swimming, and even trying out new sports like rock-climbing. This not only challenges different muscle groups but also keeps me engaged and excited about staying active. By mixing things up, I avoid the monotony that often leads to burnout, ensuring that I remain consistent with my fitness goals despite the demands of my role.

Robert Roth, CEO, Quote For Solar Group

Set SMART Fitness Goals

One effective strategy for maintaining motivation and overcoming obstacles in an active lifestyle is setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. This method provides clear directives and milestones that help track progress and maintain motivation. For instance, rather than vaguely aiming to "exercise more," set a goal to "walk 10,000 steps daily for the next 30 days.”

By quantifying the goal and setting a deadline, it becomes easier to manage and offers a sense of accomplishment once achieved. Regularly reviewing and adjusting these goals based on performance and changing circumstances also keeps the routine flexible and responsive to your needs. This approach helps reinforce commitment and makes adopting a healthy, active lifestyle more attainable and sustainable.

Kartik Ahuja, Digital Marketer, kartikahuja.com

Turn Exercise Into Social Activity

One thing that's helped me out is turning exercise into a social thing. I've noticed that when I promise to work out with a friend or join a group class, it keeps me going and makes the whole experience more fun. A couple of years back, I began hiking on weekends with my buddies—it became something I looked forward to instead of just another item on my to-do list. As time went on, this social aspect helped me stick to my fitness goals even when I didn't feel like it. It's pretty cool how much easier it is to stay active when you're not doing it by yourself.

Joe Davies, CEO, FATJOE

Plan Regular Rest Days

One surprising way to stay motivated with an active lifestyle is, you know what? I think it is important to plan regular rest days. It might seem odd, but taking breaks helps me stay consistent and energized. I've found that trying to do too much in a single week or month can quickly lead to burnout. Therefore, I started including rest days in my schedule, hoping that I would give my body and mind the chance to recover appropriately.

You see, it is not only your body—although resting is essential to the body—it is also about the mind. Do you agree that sometimes, when things are too much, we feel mental exhaustion once in a while? It is even worse than body exhaustion because it can't be cured with medication.

This adjustment makes it easier to enjoy my active lifestyle and stick to my plan in the long run. It might feel like I am doing less, but balance is essential. So, instead of feeling guilty for not exercising daily, I remind myself that rest is also a crucial part of the program. This small change in mindset impacts my motivation and makes me feel fresh every day.

Nicholas Robb, Lifestyle Business Expert, Life by Design

Set Small, Achievable Goals

Setting small, achievable goals has been my go-to strategy for staying motivated in maintaining an active lifestyle. Instead of aiming for something overwhelming like running a marathon, I focus on daily or weekly milestones, like hitting a certain step count or completing a 30-minute workout. Celebrating these small wins keeps the momentum going and makes the process feel rewarding. This approach helps overcome the common obstacle of losing motivation by making progress feel attainable and consistent.

Josh Bolstad, Entrepreneur, Niche Ranker

Rely on Discipline and Habits

It's important to remember that excitement and motivation don't last—but discipline and habits do. I've managed to stay in the habit of going for a run every evening, but in the early days, I asked my wife to help by holding me accountable for it. She reminded me every day, and eventually, it stuck. Some days I'm really not feeling it—so I'll do 15 or 20 minutes on a treadmill. Other days, I have plenty of energy, and I go further and faster.

Nick Valentino, VP of Market Operations, Bellhop