Peloton Instructor Emma Lovewell Shares Her Top 2 Tips for Motivating Yourself To Get Moving When You Just Feel *Blah*

Sometimes, it can feel so tough to crawl out of bed and get motivated to start your day. Maybe you didn’t sleep well, or perhaps you’re just in a funk—but in any case, it might seem like it’s all but impossible to forgo the snooze button. In those instances, it may be comforting to know that even people whose literal job it is to get us motivated and moving might need some extra oomph every now and then. Just take it from Peloton pro Emma Lovewell, who often relies on a couple encouraging tactics of her own to kickstart her day and rev up her energy throughout.

On this week’s episode of The Well+Good Podcast, Well+Good editor in chief Abbey Stone speaks with Lovewell, who recently released her memoir Live Learn Love Well: Lessons from a Life of Progress Not Perfection, about how the fitness instructor keeps putting her best foot forward (even when she’s feeling less than motivated to clip into her stirrups) and how she’s navigating the experience of expanding her career.

Listen to the full episode here:

While movement is unsurprisingly a major part of Lovewell’s daily routine, she admits that sometimes, it’s a struggle for her to get going—which is when she’ll tap into her arsenal of tricks. “If I’m feeling low or unmotivated, which absolutely happens, I have a bunch of tactics to get myself energized and motivated,” she says.  

For starters, Lovewell tries to focus on how good she’ll feel after the workout she might be dreading, and then use the anticipation of that feeling as motivation. “Even when I’m working out and I’m not feeling motivated, I know as soon as [the workout] is over, I’m going to feel energetic and lighter, and I love that feeling,” she says. She’ll also think about all the Peloton riders who look to her for their own inspiration. “Thinking about the people who are waiting for me and need me in some form is [also] what motivates me because at the end of the day, my job is to help people,” she says.

“I know as soon as [the workout] is over, I’m going to feel energetic and lighter, and I love that feeling.”—Emma Lovewell, Peloton instructor and author

But sometimes, Lovewell needs a little help herself. (Peloton pros—they’re just like us.) She’s about halfway through the promotional tour for her book, and as she’s faced feelings of overwhelm throughout, she’s often tapped her network for support. In particular, she’s leaned on her friend Tunde Oyeneyin, a fellow Peloton instructor and author of Speak: Find Your Voice, Trust Your Gut, and Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, for advice on handling the excitement and exhaustion. “She sends me little text messages every other day saying, ‘Stay true to yourself,’ or ‘Make sure you drink water today,’ or little notes that say, ‘Remember to stay present and enjoy the process,’” says Lovewell.

But when it comes to getting motivated to move, there are also a couple simple practices that Lovewell often relies on to put some pep in her step. Read on for the two tactics she suggests trying the next time you need to get jazzed to move your body.

2 tips from Emma Lovewell to get motivated and excited to move your body

1. Turn on some pump-up jams

Music and movement are a match made in motivational heaven. Lovewell’s Peloton rides are known for their bangin’ tunes, so it’s no surprise that she often turns to high-energy music when she needs to get motivated to move her own body outside of her classes.

Any song with a beat can get you shimmying along in no time, even if you’re not one for a full dance-cardio workout. As for Lovewell’s preferred pump-up music? She likes to put on electronic dance music to “get me hyped, so I just start to jump around.”

2. Put on your favorite workout outfit

Even if it seems like a small thing, Lovewell says putting on a favorite pair of leggings or brightly colored workout top you love can help inspire you to start your sweat sesh (especially when you’d rather do anything but). Think of it like dopamine dressing, or getting dressed in a way that’ll boost your mood; if the idea of wearing your favorite super-soft, flattering, or funky-colored or textured athletic clothes feels exciting to you, you can use that as fuel to get going.

For more on how Emma Lovewell ensures that she feels her best while encouraging others to do the same (including the scoop on her seemingly sweat-proof hair and makeup), listen to the full podcast episode here.