Have you ever just absolutely dreaded getting out of bed to do a workout?

You better have answered that question with a yes, because I'd have a hard time believing you if you told me that you've never had one of those days!

And no one here is blaming you— it's hard to stay motivated for exercise all the time, and that's completely okay.

Some days as a pro runner I would feel this way, but really have no choice but to get my butt up and go to practice. Now if things were really serious, I would try to take the day off or do a lighter day.

Mental health needs to come first if you want to succeed!

But on some of the other not-so-motivated days, I've relied heavily on my collection of positive workout quotes and affirmations. I've gotta keep it on deck at all times.

It's just part of human nature for doubt to creep in from time to time.

But learning how to use positive affirmations to remind yourself how great and powerful you are can help beat those down days!

This post is really just a simple list of positive affirmations that you can use to stay motivated and focused on bettering yourself and building your healthy lifestyle.

A Giant List Of Fitness Affirmations

Use these self affirmations for exercise for some good vibes pre or post workout!

I love to jot them down in my planner pages or write them on fitness affirmation cards that I can carry around with me.

Even having them around me when I'm not necessarily about to workout or just coming back from the gym is amazing. Most of these fitness affirmations are great reminders no matter what you're doing that it's all about the journey and that you're doing the best you can.

Read on for the list of self affirmations for exercise and then some details about whether affirmations work and how to actually use them.

Pre Workout Affirmations:

1. I am going to give my all to this workout.

2. I am fit and resilient.

3. I am not a quitter. I got this.

4. I am strong.

5. I am fierce and confident in the pursuit of my goals.

6. I should work hard, but I deserve rest too.

7. Exercise makes me feel good.

8. This feeling of nervousness is actually excitement.

9. When I workout I look better, but I feel better too.

10. I choose to exercise for me.

11. The possibilities for me are endless.

12. I can choose how this workout will go.

13. I am perfect now and I will be perfect after this workout.

14. I am capable of showing up.

Post Workout Affirmations:

1. Today I became stronger.

2. That workout sucked, but it made me better.

3. There's a lesson in every workout we do.

4. I am motivated and capable of living an active life.

5. You reap the rewards of your hard work.

6. The harder I work, the luckier I'll get.

7. I absolutely killed that workout.

8. Today I took steps at becoming a better version of myself.

9. I eat enough to fuel my body.

10. I give my body the recovery it needs.

11. Even if the workout wasn't perfect, it was enough.

12. I love my amazing body!

13. I am so grateful for my body and my resilient mind.

General Wellness Affirmations:

1. Sweating is good for my body to release toxins and stress.

2. My body is my home and I will take care of it.

3. I am capable of achieving my goals.

5. Hey, relax. Relaxing is productive.

6. I deserve to be happy and healthy.

7. I love my body.

8. I am strong, confident, and capable of anything I put my mind to!

9. I love my ____ because it helps me to _____.

10. I am full of energy and am a glowing life-force!

11. I accept that some things are out of my control, and will focus on what I can control.

12. I am beautiful and I am whole.

13. I love myself fully, completely and always.

Do Positive Affirmations Actually Work?

You might be thinking...how is writing down a few words going to change anything about me or my situation? Wouldn't I be better off focusing my energy on something else?

(These are all things I've asked myself before!)

I recently started practicing some casual manifestation through journaling. I use The Maniscripting Journal, and it's really opened my eyes to what it means to act in ways that bring about positive experiences for you.

Definitely check it out if you're looking for some casual, yet powerful, guidance on realigning with yourself and finding contentment in where you are so that you can clearly see where you're going.

I've loved it.

So back to the question, "do affirmations actually work?"...

The short answer is yes, positive affirmations actually work.

The longer answer though, is that they have to be backed up by positive actions as well to really really work.

Let's talk about what I mean.

There's an actual psychology to back all of this positive affirmations stuff up. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions...which ultimately result in more positive outcomes in life.

That's essentially how manifestation works.

Everyone who is claiming that they "manifested ______ (insert good thing that happened to them here)" probably isn't making it up.

Of course, they didn't just wish for a new dining room table and it appeared in front of them. But simply acknowledging it as something they truly wanted and deserved could have led to actions in daily life that led them to getting what they wanted.

Whether that was remembering to save up, keeping eyes peeled for sales, or any other number of actual events, in a way, they "manifested" it for themselves.

This is exactly why I love having a planner system for...well every...aspect of my life.

It opens up that channel to think about what you need, want and deserve and create a plan to make it happen.

Words have a ridiculous amount of power over us.

Think about any motivational speech that fired you up or song that brought you to tears.

After listening to these types of things, you might realize that you have more in you, more passion in your heart, than you thought you did.

You can use positive affirmations as you see fit, but I promise you that a few daily positive affirmations for exercise can go a long way.

Self-Affirmations For Exercise

There are so many negative internal and external thoughts around us daily.

While simply saying 1 or 2 positive quotes might not solve all your problems in a few days, the point is that you need to be working against all of the negative stress that does exist.

Using positive affirmations is a simple and quick way to take back some of the motivation and radiant positivity that you deserve to have.

You have to change the way you talk to yourself to even give yourself that chance of reaching your next fitness goal.

Positive self talk backed up with actions that show you care is one of the best things you can do no matter what stage you are in on your exercise journey.

If you're feeling stuck, unmotivated or like there's a constant barrage of negativity flooding your mind, promise me that you'll learn how to use positive affirmations.

You'll see a world of difference!

Let me know how it goes in the comments below or over on my Instagram DMs. Please, dive right into them.

And if you're looking for fitness affirmation cards, make sure you check out my Etsy Shop, A Change Of Plans where I share minimal designs to inspire you on your fitness journey and keep you organized and feeling strong.

I'm adding new printable fitness cards all the time!

#positiveaffirmations #exerciseaffirmations #positiveselftalk #manifestation