Wellness Wednesday with Katie Austin

The fitness guru shares tips on staying motivated and on track with your workouts.

Every Wednesday this month, SI Swimsuit will be bringing on industry experts to share tips and shed some health-focused inspiration. While we have all gotten somewhat used to our new normal, prioritizing workouts and self-care can become a drag when our days lack variety. First up to help us through is Katie Austin:

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How to Have Your Best IN-HOME WORKOUT by Katie Austin

I’ve been an athlete my entire life and played Division I lacrosse in college. Now I’m a certified fitness trainer and create custom workouts for my app and social media platforms as a part of my career. Yet I will admit: I don’t always have the motivation to exercise every day. It’s been more difficult during this time to get up and work out at home since most of our motivation usually comes from physically going to a gym or a workout class. I’m here to help you. These are my personal favorite 10 tips on how to have the best workout right in the comfort of your own home.

1. UTILIZE YOUR FURNITURE

Not gonna lie, even I get bored with working out at home. To stay motivated, you have to get creative. Try using some objects around the house to exercise with, like a chair, towel, pillow or cookbooks. You can try Pilates with a towel, step-ups and triceps dips with the chair, ab moves with the pillow, etc. If you have extra space, set up some of those things into a little circuit.

2. PLAY FUN MUSIC

This one is obvious but it's a game changer. Find your favorite pump-up songs, make a best workout playlist, and blast it! This will have you feeling energized in no time.

3. TURN OFF DISTRACTIONS

It’s so easy to be distracted when working out from home. To minimize this, put your phone on Do Not Disturb and don’t check Instagram or emails as you work out. You waste so much time checking apps in between rest and circuits.

4. MORNING WORKOUTS

I love to work out in the morning. Wake up, have that cup of coffee and some fruit, and get right to it. It will make you feel great the rest of the day and won’t have you dreading that you have to find time to work out the rest of the day.

5. ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN

Plan your workout before you begin exercising. If you don’t know what you’re going to be doing, it can be unmotivating. Follow an in-home workout on SI Swim IG Live, on the Katie Austin App, or just anything you find that works for you out there. For me, it’s really easy to follow one of my videos because you can just press play and mindlessly follow along.

6. SCHEDULE YOUR WORKOUT

This one is key. Probably my biggest tip to you is to schedule your workout just as if you were scheduling any other meeting, any other Zoom call, etc. Schedule your workout as if it’s a live workout class.

7. LAY OUT YOUR OUTFIT THE NIGHT BEFORE

If you’re the type of person who needs to wear something cute during a workout to feel comfortable, then go for it sister! Laying out activewear and your sneakers the night before helps create a little anticipation and excitement.

8. HAVE A FRIEND JOIN YOU (VIRTUALLY)

Text a friend to do the workout at the exact same time as you are. If possible, try to Zoom each other while you complete the moves. This makes the workout fun and friends always hold you accountable. You’re way more likely to do it if your BFF is, too.

9. LIE TO YOURSELF

Okay, you’re probably thinking “What the heck do you mean by this?” Well, here’s my secret tactic. Whenever I am unmotivated, I tell myself, “Okay, just work out for 5-10 minutes, that’s better than nothing.” But here’s the thing: whenever I’m 5-10 minutes into the workout, I start to feel so good about myself that I keep going! Starting the workout is the hardest part, so when you tell yourself it’s only a few minutes, it’s less intimidating. Right when you get your endorphins going, though, it’s much more difficult to stop.

10. EVERYTHING ADDS UP

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t have time every day for a 30-45 minute workout. You can fit in some toning moves here and there, take the stairs, walk places, etc. My mom always says, “Your muscles don’t know if they’re in a fancy gym or just in your living room.” I love that line! Try to squat it out while on a conference call, do leg lifts while boiling your pasta and lunges while you brush your teeth because every little thing really does add up.

Xx Katie

Katie’s Live on SI Swimsuit’s Instagram Class Schedule

Monday, August 10: Total Body Toning

Monday, August 17: Abs + Booty

Monday, August 24: Full Body Fire

Monday, August 31: Arms, Abs, Glutes