Motivation fades fast. Deciding to “be motivated” will only get you so far… And that’s ok. 

Everyone struggles from time to time with staying motivated—especially when it comes to fitness. Sometimes you need some help…

That’s where fitness gamification comes in. Gamifying your workouts is the simple—and fun—way to find the motivation you need to form healthy habits.

But how do you gamify your workouts? And what are the best strategies to unlock the power of gaming in your daily fitness routine?

In this guide, you’ll learn what fitness gamification is, how it helps you stay motivated and how to gamify your own workouts.

Let’s get in the game!

The power of gamifying your fitness

New to fitness gamification? Learn what gamified fitness is before you dive into gamifying your own workouts.

To make it simple, fitness gamification is the use of game-like elements and structures in your everyday fitness routine. 

These elements work together to make exercise fun, keep you motivated and create easy ways to set goals.

Games + fitness = more motivation and milestones.

Fitness gamification: getting started

Gamifying fitness is different for everyone. But there’s a few key elements that will help you find the right structure for your gamified fitness plan.

Remember, switching your workout routine and fitness levels is a big step. Take it slow and always consult your physician before making big changes you might be unsure of.

Some approaches may work better than others. So stay attentive to what gamified elements work best for you. 

All set? Great! Let’s get to gamifying…

How to gamify your workouts in 5 steps

1. Set your fitness goals and intentions

There’s a difference between fitness goals and fitness intentions…

Fitness goals are great. But they can also lead to disappointment and failure if you’re overly ambitious.

The solution? Start with a fitness intention. Something simple like “I move more,” or “I find fun in exercise” are great holistic guides for any goals you make.

Intentions let you be flexible with your fitness practice and adjust as you go, without the disappointment of quitting.

With a good intention set, it’s simple to ease into some realistic goals. But first, you need to find the movements and exercises that fit your fitness.

2. Choose your movements

You need to find the movements that fit your fitness to set the right gamified goals. Choose exercises that are easy to count and track.

Trackable movements make it simple to count your reps, set goals, and break them as you challenge yourself through the gamified elements of your workout.

Exercises like squats, push-ups and steps are not only great workouts, they’re easy to keep track of with a gamified rep-counting app.‍

Gamified fitness apps will also add the game-like elements you need in order to stay motivated—like rewards, power-ups, goal-tracking and leaderboards.

But if you like to vary your workouts, movements and fitness routine, tracking streaks is an effective way to gamify any workout as well.

For example, start a steps streak. Every time you get your daily steps, it’s one more day added to your streak. The longer your streak, the less likely you’ll be to break it.

3. Pick your reward

Brains like rewards. In fact, it’s the main reason gamified fitness works. Getting a reward for doing a task helps fitness become a healthy habit.

So choosing what awaits you at the finish line is an important step for gamifying your workouts.

Choose what matters most to you. To put it simply: Treat yourself. 

Exercise is hard, but totally worth it. So when you hit your goals, it’s worth celebrating—you deserve it.

The stronger your connection to the reward, the stronger your connection to your healthy habit will be the next time.

Maybe it’s a small vacation. Or a fancy dinner reservation. Or that cozy corduroy couch cover you’ve been dreaming of.

Make the reward count and align it with your goals. The more powerful the reward, the more powerful your gamification motivation will be.

Stumped for what reward to pick? Use a gamified fitness app with built-in rewards and rep counting to keep it simple.

4. Track your progress

Gamified fitness without proper tracking is like a kite without a string.

You need simple and effective tracking to find success with your gamified workouts.

Tallying your own reps, sets and streaks is always an option. But rep-tracking apps, or streak apps will make tracking your progress much simpler.‍

PlayFitt not only tracks your reps, it also provides rewards for hitting your goals, reminders to keep streaks going and an easy-to-use app for gamifying all your small daily workouts.

For larger workouts, make a plan for how many reps and sets you’ll be doing, how far you’ll run, or how long you’re at the gym and stick to it!‍

Keeping it going is the hardest part, but since you’ve added some gamified elements to your routine, you’ll stay motivated longer.

5. Celebrate your progress

So now your intentions are set, you’ve picked your movements and you’re tracking all your progress. 

Eventually you’re gonna hit that goal… So celebrate it! 

The better that moment of success is, and the more you allow yourself to enjoy the reward, the stronger your connection to your gamified fitness routine will be.

Connecting all those feelings is how gamification works to form healthy habits. So take a moment to enjoy your milestones, thank yourself and reflect on how you got there.

Then do it again! 

Every new goal becomes easier and easier as you strengthen the bond to your goals and rewards through gamification.

Challenge your friends

Gamified fitness makes your workouts… a game!

Adding some friendly competition to your workouts can take your fitness gaming to the next level. Challenge friends, family or other movers to enjoy the power of competing. 

It’s hard to quit when you don’t wanna fall behind!

Competing with friends and family also makes your fitness more social. Working out doesn’t have to be lonely when you’re challenging friends.

Go for the game

Getting hooked on fitness isn’t easy. We all need a little help every now and then.

Gamifying your workouts is one of the easiest (and funnest) ways to get motivated and stay motivated longer.

When fitness is a game that forms healthy habits, you always win.