How to Overcome that Summer Slump

WRITTEN BY VICTORINE KULIER

It happens to everyone at some point in their lives:  you hit that summer slump and you’re just tired and lacking motivation to work out. Or lift your little pinky. Your energy levels hit zero and all you can do is lay in the sun. Granted, we’re all looking for that perfect tan, but we shouldn’t neglect our workouts in the process. After all, we’ve worked hard to get this far and stopping now would be a little silly. Now, my goal is to make your life a tad bit easier with these following tips. Just remember: sometimes, all it takes is a small change to find inspiration again, and sometimes, all you need are some great tips from a Runner-Workout-Nutella fanatic like me. So here we go:

The ‘One New Thing’ Rule

Have you ever wanted to take that hot yoga class you never got around to doing? Or pay a visit to the pole dance studio that you were too shy to check out? Get over your fears and just do it. Take a friend if you’re too intimated, or go find a new location where you don’t know anyone. It could be a great way to meet new friends and a sure way of getting out of your comfort zone. Plus, doing new things is exciting and can even give you a little adrenaline rush, which is bound to wake you up and get you going!

Stop Overthinking It

In my experience, thinking and debating and planning can sometimes seriously backfire. As women, we are prone to overanalyze: do I really want to go to the gym right now? I don’t have my right shoes. I can’t find my favorite sports-bra. I didn’t sleep enough. The trick is to stop thinking about the immediate future. Put on your workout clothes, keep your mind occupied with anything but what you’re about to do, and voìla, you find yourself at the gym twenty minutes later. And why would you leave once you’re there already? Outsmart your brain!

Find a Friend

I’m sure you’ve heard this one before, but it’s a golden rule: you don’t bail on a friend if you’ve made a.m. running plans. They won’t forgive you if they had to get up at the break of dawn just for you to still be snoozing away in your bed.  Not cool. If you don’t have any crazy fitness friends, find a local running club, Freeletics group or free yoga classes. There’s always like-minded people around, and it’s up to you to find them!

Set New Goals

Regardless of what sport you’re into, it helps to have a goal, or at least a plan. I’m a hundred times more likely to do that 8-mile-run if it is written black on white on a piece of paper, rather than just an abstract idea in my mind. So find some paper and a pen, and write down some goals. It could be anything from doing 50 push-ups every day to going for a swim at least once a week or stretching more often. It also helps to have a more concrete goal, like: I want to be able to do the splits by the end of August, or I want to complete a half-marathon by October. Write down what you need to do to get there, and get there!

Buy Some Cute Workout Clothes

Spend some extra money on those super cute running shorts, or get that overpriced but insanely-adorable shirt that you usually wouldn’t buy. Spending all that money on something that you don’t use, would make you feel worse than actually getting your butt off the couch to do that workout. You want your purchase to pay off and you can’t really wear those short tights to work now, can you? Also, it’s a sure way to show off your new workout gear and impress the cute guy at the gym you’ve been pining after for a while now.

Appreciate More

Remember how lucky you are that you get to move and go outside. The absence of pain is a pleasure that most of the time we take for granted. Some people can’t even walk and here we are complaining about not wanting to make an effort to move a bit. Nobody said you have to go out there and climb Mount Everest – a thirty-minute walk will do the trick too!

Most importantly, you should try to find your own motivation to work out again. It might be hard at first, but really, anything can be practiced – even your will power. There is a reason there’s the saying ‘You fake it till you make it’ – everybody has to start somewhere!

Remember: Fitness isn’t a punishment, it’s a privilege. It’s a privilege to be strong, both mentally and physically, to be your best possible self, and to be limitless in what you do. So get out there and just do it!