By Deborah O’Brien, Personal Trainer at PRO Club

Have you ever had those days when you planned to do that run, walk, bike, or whatever activity you enjoy but your motivation was in the negative zone instead of the positive zone? I sure have! Probably, like many of you, those days seem to be more prevalent in the rainy and colder months.

Here’s a mental strategy to kickstart your motivation and take one step closer to your fitness goals. It’s a simple and effective method that I’ve found to be successful. I call it “the five-minute rule.”

First, I tell myself that I only need to walk for five minutes. If I still don’t feel like walking after five minutes, I can stop. Most importantly, if I choose to stop, I forgive myself and don’t fill my head with a guilt trip.

OK, it may sound a little too simple. However, it’s effective and I encourage you to try it. You might just be surprised by the results! If you’re like me, the hardest part of getting motivated is getting into my workout clothes and heading out the door. Inevitably, I’ll find other distractions or excuses to delay myself. However, when I finally head out to exercise, I almost never turn back because within the first five minutes I’m already starting to feel good as the endorphins kick in and my mind clears. That negative zone that I felt earlier vaporizes as I do something positive for my health while listening to my favorite podcast or playlist. BOUYA!

The next time you need some motivation, give “the five-minute rule” a try. I hope you find it to be a successful addition to your fitness toolbox.

5-minute rule

• Do your activity for 5 minutes.
• If you still dont feel like doing it after 5 minutes, then stop.
• No guilt trips.
• Pat yourself on the back for trying. Tomorrow will be better!

Personal Trainer Deborah O’Brien loves inspiring individuals to achieve their goals by embracing a lifestyle of performance longevity through education and training. Deborah specializes in weight loss, metabolic disorders, post rehabilitation, CrossFit, strength training, cycling, movement and mobility training.