Motivation Is Overrated
Seven trainers share their go-to strategies for when they *really* don’t wanna work out.
Yesterday morning, I wasn’t ~feeling~ it. My inbox was loud, my body was tired, and the gym felt a mile further away than usual.
But I reminded myself of the same truth I’ve learned over and over: loving fitness (which I really do, as you know) doesn’t mean you always want to sweat. Between work, travel, fatigue, and kids, there are a hundred reasons it can feel impossible to show up.
Still, there’s one trick I’ve learned on those stuck-in-the-mud days: just begin.
The distance between “don’t wanna” and “doing it” is surprisingly short—your brain’s reward system activates within the first couple of minutes of movement, according to new research in Frontiers in Psychology and other neuroscience journals. The findings confirm what most of us intuitively know (and often forget): when the body leads, the brain catches up.
“My days are long, my prime training times are taken by my clients, and by the time it’s my turn, I’m tired,” admits NYC-based trainer and mom of three, Elizabeth Tretter, 48. “But I know that mood follows action. So I tell myself to just show up; that if I bring my body, my mind will follow. And it always does.”
It’s a comforting realization, really—everyone hits those walls. The difference is that some of us have built ways to climb over them. Elizabeth plus six more of my favorite fitness pros share exactly what they do on the days they aren’t feeling it below…
Betina Gozo Shimonek
Mom of three, Jessica Alba’s trainer, BGTV fitness app founder
“I have three ‘don’t think, just do’ workouts. No matter where I am in my training cycle or how I’m feeling, I know I can pick one of these and conquer it…and I’ll always feel good after. It’s like my body remembers the success I’ve had before, so just starting already feels like a win.
It’s actually a little psychological hack. Every time you eliminate unnecessary choices, you cut down on decision fatigue. When your brain says, ‘ugh, not today,’ you can just hit play and go.
What I always tell people is: find a workout you love and save it somewhere—whether that’s on your phone, written down, or bookmarked in an app, like my BGTV workouts. That way, on days when motivation is low, you don’t have to waste energy deciding what to do…you can just do it.”
Kayla Jeter
Coach at Runna, athlete mental health specialist
“Commit to 10 minutes, because showing up is more important than the perfect workout. You’ll either finish feeling accomplished or find yourself wanting to continue—either way, you’ve won.
And save your favorite podcast—or that new album you’ve been waiting to play—exclusively for your workouts.”
Katia Pryce
Mom of 1 with another on the way, Founder of DanceBody, guest on Ep 1: Lifting With Liz
“When I don’t want to, those are the days I force it. Which, now at seven months pregnant, is most of the time! People ask how I do it, and the answer is, I just do it. I never want to do it, per se. But if you wait for the day you really want to move, it could take a while. Making it part of my daily routine makes it a non-negotiable like putting on pants.
I’m still teaching classes. And sometimes I am so mad I have to get up and move daily. But I never regret it afterward. That’s the payoff I chase. You can’t go on the ‘before’ feeling. It’s all about the after—that proud, accomplished feeling.”
Lauren Kanski
Mom of two, founding trainer at Ladder
“I bottle up the high and elation and sense of accomplishment at the end of every workout and tuck it in my back pocket. In the moments I “don’t wanna” I pull it out and remember how good I’m gonna feel after I train. It really helps me dig deep, suck it up, and get it done, especially during the stressful and helpless moments of motherhood.”
Claudette Sariya
Coach at Life Time, Host of Fabletics Run Club
“Put on a cute outfit! When I look my best, I feel my best. All that effort to get dressed and put my hair back shall not go to waste.
Bring a friend. Even as a coach, accountability and encouragement are important to have. I’m more likely to drop into another coach’s class than do a workout on my own. Tap into your community. It’s your superpower!
Cue up a fire playlist. I use FitRadio for ready-made mixes for my classes and workouts to keep my vibe and energy up. I’m currently playing Taylor Swift’s Opalite on repeat on my interval runs.”
Elizabeth Tretter
Mom of three, group fitness instructor, trainer
“On tough days, I tell myself to do the first five minutes of the workout. I never stop after that.
I lean into strong sentences like ‘I don’t skip workouts.’ These non-negotiable guardrails help me stay aligned.
Plan your workouts for the week ahead. It’s not easy—you’ll have to skip things sometimes—but putting them in an app or calendar keeps you honest.”
Alex Silver-Fagan
Movement Director at Sage
“Sometimes that ‘I don’t want to work out’ feeling is actually my body or nervous system saying, ‘I need a break today, please.’
Here’s how I tell the difference between needing rest versus just mental resistance: Nervous system fatigue feels like: heaviness, irritability, lack of enthusiasm for things I normally enjoy, or feeling wired but tired. My body feels depleted, not just unmotivated.
Mental resistance feels like: ‘Ugh, I don’t feel like it,’ but my body actually feels fine, I’m just procrastinating.
If it’s just mental resistance and not true fatigue, I put my workout clothes on and go for a walk outside to get some fresh air, sunshine, and energy. That usually does the trick because I’m moving my body in a way that isn’t overwhelming and it gets the ball rolling. An object in motion stays in motion, and I typically walk my way to the gym.
And if the walk doesn’t lead to the gym? That’s fine, too…I’ve moved my body with some active recovery anyway. Sometimes I’ll roll out my yoga mat and stretch a bit to listen to what my body needs. If rest is the answer, that’s okay.”
Consistency beats motivation. Every time. So start half-awake. Start mad. Start slow. Start anyway. What gets you moving when you’d rather skip a sweat? Drop your best hack in the comments to inspire another reader.
If I'm just not feeling it, I remind myself that a bad workout is better than no workout. I have shorter weight sets for each day planned out that are my minimums and I have to walk a minimum of 15 minutes a day. Even if I don't do more than the minimum, I feel better for that amount of movement and feel like I accomplished something.
Like many stated in your article, just show up. Showing up is half the battle and once I'm there I usually feel better. I'll either have a short workout and tell myself "Well, this beats nothing." Or once I get moving I'll keep going and feel great after!