Setting myself up for a great week starts with smashing my Monday workout. From boosting my mood, giving me a sense of accomplishment, and sticking with my fitness goals from the start of the week, Monday’s workout is crucial to me reaching my fitness goals.

But often I lack the motivation to workout after a busy weekend. And the last thing I feel like doing is getting up an hour earlier than I need to on a Monday morning to workout. Hitting the snooze button on the alarm on Monday morning feels absolutely amazing. However I always feels worse by Monday night if I haven’t worked out. And of course getting back into workout out on Tuesday is always harder if I have skipped Monday. This is when I’m in need of some Monday workout motivation.

Here’s 10 of my favourite workout motivational quotes.

Monday motivational quotes

“I don’t have to want to do it, I just have to do it.” 

This quote is similar to the icon Nike tagline “Just do it”. And if the slogan is powerful enough to make billions for Nike, it can work to get me up off the couch.

When I really don’t feel like working out, sometimes just  ignoring these feelings and reminding  myself that I don’t have to want to workout, I just have to do it, really gets me up and moving. Waiting until I feel like working out is a sure fire way for me to skip a workout.  Adopting the mind set that I don’t have a choice about whether or not I will workout also works wonders in making me show up for a workout each day.

I also find it helpful to plan in advance exactly what workout I’m going to do it, when and where I’m going to do it and have my workout clothes ready to go so that there’s no deliberating when the time comes to workout.

“I’m stronger than my excuses.”

“I’m too tired to workout!” “I’ll workout tomorrow instead.” “I have a busy day at work today so I’ll just skip my workout and sleep in.” These are all excuses I’ve used to avoid working out and they’ve all seemed valid and convincing in the moment. After all, it is delicious feeling to hit the snooze button on a Monday morning and get out of bed 45 minutes later than I normally would if I worked out.  But when I really don’t feel like exercising, I try to remember that my determination is greater than any justification I might come up with to avoid working out.

Sometimes just quoting the mantra “I’m stronger than my excuses” reminds me that I have the inner strength, determination, and willpower to overcome these excuses and push forward. It helps me to refuse to let these excuses I’ve invented hold me back from pursuing my fitness goals.

“Wake up with determination, go to bed with satisfaction.”

Trying to approach each day with a mindset of determination, motivation, and intentionality makes me more likely to tackle my workout and smash my fitness goals.

It’s a very satisfying feeling to go to bed knowing I’ve achieved the fitness objectives I’ve set for myself that day. On the hand, I’ll often feel a bit deflated when I haven’t done my daily workout by the end of the day.

For me, this powerful quote presents a cyclical pattern, highlighting that determination and satisfaction are interconnected. By starting the day with determination and actively working towards my fitness goals, I increase the likelihood of achieving my desired fitness outcomes and experiencing a sense of satisfaction. This, in turn, reinforces my determination for the next day, creating a positive cycle of motivation and fulfilment.

“The only bad Monday workout is the one you didn’t do.”

Often I don’t feel like working out on a Monday, especially after a busy weekend when I’m low on energy. I  just try and  remember that any workout regardless of the quality or intensity, is better than not working out at all. Even a sub-par workout will improve my mood. And it has been shown that it can take at least 59 days for exercise to become a habit.  I often find when I’ve started a new exercise routine that if I allow myself to skip even one workout, I kind of lose my momentum and it is much harder to get back into it later on.

“You’re only one workout away from a good mood.”

No matter how much I don’t want to do a workout, I always finish feeling better and more energized.  And I’m not alone in the runner’s high I get after exercising – many studies have shown that that exercise can be a powerful tool for enhancing mental and emotional states. When we work out, our bodies release endorphins, which are natural chemicals that promote feelings of happiness and euphoria. These endorphins can help combat stress, reduce anxiety, and alleviate symptoms of depression.

When I don’t feel like working out I just need to remind myself that if I just get over the initial hump of not wanting to work out, I’ll eventually be rewarded with an uplift in mood that sets me up for a great day.

“Never let great be the enemy of good.”

Whenever the thought of having to do a workout feels overwhelming, I try and remind myself that every workout doesn’t need to be perfect – even a mediocre workout is better than no workout at all. Sometimes I just promise myself that doing a 10 minutes workout will be enough but once I’m up and started, I usually will keep going and do the full workout.

Of course I’d like every workout to be amazing, but I try and remember that constancy and showing up is more important than perfection.

“I never regret when I do, I always regret when I don’t.”

This quote is true for me – I never regret when I workout but most of the time I regret it when I don’t.  Of course, skipping working out is sometimes totally worth it – occasionally sleeping in instead of getting up an hour earlier to exercise feels amazing. But recognising that generally I’ll regret skipping my workout, is great for those times when I’m feeling very unmotivated.

“When you feel like quitting … Remember why you started.”

Most people will face challenges when trying to reach their fitness goals. It is just so easy to give up on exercise when there are so many other things competing for your time and attention. But reminding myself why I started my fitness journey goes along way to keeping me motivated. After all, no one is forcing me to get fit, I’m doing it because I want to. So really, I’m showing up for yourself, not for everyone else.

I find it helpful to write down my fitness goals and why I started down this path. Putting this in a visible place serves as a daily reminder of my goals and sometimes is enough to get me moving when I really don’t feel like it.

“Motivation is fleeting, discipline is not.”

I love that burst of enthusiasm I sometimes have to workout. But I find that relying solely on motivation to achieve my fitness goals is not effective in the long run because it is often temporary and unpredictable. My motivation can also fluctuate due to factors outside my control such as what kind of day at work I’ve had or how well I’ve slept the night before. If I only worked out when I was motivated to do so, I’d miss about ¾ of my workouts.

It’s boring and hard but discipline is the only reliable and consistent force that enables me to stay on track and make progress towards my fitness goals. Discipline makes me show up even when I really don’t feel like working out. Disciple helps me stay focused and make progress even during (the many!) times when motivation is lacking.

And I find it easier to be disciplined if I plan to workout at the same time every day (for me, first thing in the morning as soon as I get out of bed works best because I’m unlikely to be distracted by anything).

“A little progress each day adds up to big results.”

Consistent and incremental efforts over time can lead to significant achievements or outcomes. When I am feeling overwhelmed, I try to never underestimate the power of taking small steps or making gradual improvements on a regular basis rather than seeking instant, dramatic changes. Even if I don’t have the time or the inclination to do a full workout, just doing 10 minutes of exercise a day can lead to long term results.

And some bonus Monday workout motivational quotes …

You didn’t come this far, to only come this far.

I never regret when I do, I always regret when I don’t.

We can’t become what we want to be by remaining what we are.

No matter how slow you run, you’re still lapping all the people on the couch.

Long term consistency beats short term intensity.

Push yourself because nobody else is going to do it for you.

And here’s some more bonus tips I use to get some Monday workout motivation:

1. Exercise at the same time every Monday. For me, I like to workout first thing in the morning. There are unlikely to be any distractions at 6.45 am. If I don’t plan out exactly when I am going to workout in the day, I’m likely to procrastinate until the end of the day. And working out after a busy Monday at work is the last thing I am likely to feel like doing.

2. Plan ahead the night before. Most of my weekday workouts are home workouts but I still find it helpful to set out my stuff ahead of time. If I wake up in the morning and can’t find my shoes, I’m more likely to want to just skip the workout for the day.  And it also helps if I don’t think about the workout I’m about to do too much. If I can just grab my workout gear and go, I’m much more likely to follow through on the workout.

3. Going to be early on Sunday night. I’m always tempted to stay up late on Sunday night to make the weekend stretch that little bit further . But I know if I do, I’m 100 times more likely to hit snooze on the alarm on Monday morning and skip the workout.

4. Make your fitness goals visible.  Why am I working out each day? What am I hoping to achieve? The reasons are obviously going to be different for everyone but could be you want to get fit because of a health scare, or because you can no longer fit into your favourite pants or because you want to be fit enough to run a marathon. Whatever the reason, I find it helpful if I pin my goals and the reason behind them somewhere I see as soon as I wake up each morning such as on my bathroom mirror.

5. Set up a reward system. Give yourself a reward when  you hit  your workout goals at the end of the week.

6. Get a personal trainer. If money allows, a personal trainer is a great way to keep your fitness goals on track. If you don’t attend your workouts, you’ll feel accountable to the trainer- or at the very least you’ll feel bad about spending dollars on something you don’t use. Alternatively you could look into getting a workout buddy if funds are tight. The key is finding someone to work out with who is going to be annoyed/ disappointed if you don’t show up.

7. Make working out a social activity. There’s no rule that says you need to hit up the gym all by yourself. Make working out a social activity with a friend and you’re more likely to find it enjoyable and stick with it. This could be anything you both enjoy – such as a game of squash, hiking, or indoor rock climbing.

Got some more Monday workout motivational quotes you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments below.

Court Williams

Courtney has a passion for all things fitness on a budget. She loves home workouts and trying out different fitness gear.