Body & Mind

This trick helps your sports motivation the best

By Isabel ten Brink | #!30Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200+02:000730#30Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200+02:00-3Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202430 04pm30pm-30Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200+02:003Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam2024302024Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200003009pmWednesday=9#!30Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam9#09-04-2024#!30Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200+02:000730#/30Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200+02:00-3Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202430#!30Wed, 04 Sep 2024 15:00:07 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam9#

Just as we have New Year's resolutions on January 1st, we always feel the need and opportunity to adopt new, healthy habits after the summer vacation. Maybe it's because you feel like you've let yourself go a bit too much during the summer break, or you've noticed that you get out of breath more quickly while swimming laps in the pool. Either way: you want to do something about your fitness. The most obvious option is often running. This way, you're not tied to a subscription, and the barrier is lower than with other sports. You can decide for yourself when and how often you do it. There are no specific times you have to wait for the lesson to start.

But there is also a tricky side to this. Because the freedom you get from not being dependent on anyone also means that you're on your own. How do you ensure that you don't start thinking too easily, that you sit on the couch more often, and that you keep it fun for yourself? There is a simple trick for that: running with your name on your shirt. Does that sound silly? It's not as crazy as you might think. If you've ever participated in an organized run, you know what I mean. You get a bib number that you have to pin on your shirt, which also has your first name on it. The fun part is: the people you run past will start cheering for you! Instead of ‘woohoo go for it!‘ you'll hear them calling your name. It really works as a cheerful energy boost. You end up running a bit harder and you keep going a bit longer than you might have planned, simply because it makes you happy. This actually has the same effect as when you walk down the street with a smile: you naturally get that positivity back. It makes you happy.

Besides wearing your name on your shirt, it can also help to sign up for that organized run. My biggest motivation once was to participate in the Ajax run, because the finish was on the grass of the arena and you got a glimpse of the view that the football players normally have (you are a football fan or you are not). You can do this!