By Katie Rosenbrock
TheActiveTimes.com
What inspires you to exercise? These days it's becoming more and more common for the average exerciser to draw inspiration from online social feeds. To think, before the Internet people used to hang posters of their heroes on their bedroom walls. Now we click follow, like and share.
We all find motivation in different places, and since everyone from health-minded moms to bodybuilding gurus are welcome to share their experiences on social medial, there’s more than enough content out there to meet everyone's motivational needs.
While we all know how much people love Instagram for the purpose of sharing filtered photos of mediocre meals, it’s also become a sort of health and fitness haven where popular fitness personalities, athletes, and personal trainers are sharing their top exercise tips and tricks through impressive photos and video clips.
The following 14 feeds offer a glimpse into the inspiring lives of some of the most motivating Instagram users. Not only do they share like-worthy photos on a regular basis, but most have also created powerful online communities made up of followers who encourage and uplift one another. Because while photos of ripped bodies and astounding strength are certainly a great source of motivation, at the end of the day the best inspiration will come from the support of the people we interact with.
Most Motivating Fitness Instagrams Slideshow
@mankofit
An athlete, trainer, and nutrition expert Massiel "MankoFit" Arias is one of the most popular fitness personalities in all of social media. It’s not just because her feeds are filled with epically inspiring exercise photos, though. She aims to empower women by sharing her own experiences and insights. "Allow yourself to be encouraged by your weaknesses, know that every hurdle will make you stronger ... Embrace your inner strength," one of her photo captions reads.
@therock
Best mode on; according to his Instagram feed, this is The Rock's "fundamental life philosophy." Plus, he may be one of the most muscle-y dudes on Instagram but his methods of motivation go beyond aesthetics. One of his photo captions reads: "When I was 14yrs old and my family was struggling to pay the bills, Muscle & Fitness [Magazine] was my bible. I wanted to work hard and make something of myself, cause I didn't want to see my family struggle anymore. In these pages I learned the value of commitment, sacrifice and hard ass work."
@gymknowledge
There's no way around it, if you want to get fit, first you have to get smart. With daily updates about proper weightlifting form this Instagram feed will turn you into an exercise expert in the amount of time it takes to give one of their uploads a double tap.
@bradleymartyn
If snapshots of washboard abs and biceps bigger than your head inspire you to build more of your own muscles, then one look at personal trainer Bradley Martyn's profile will have you packing up your gym bag in the blink of an eye. Martyn offers online coaching programs and his feed is also filled with before and after photos highlighting his clients astonishing transformations.
@muffintopless
Following her own successful weight loss story, Savannah Rose Neveux was inspired to blog about weight lifting and nutrition. Her ultimate goal is to motivate you to transform your life through strength training. Not only does her feed feature expert advice, motivational sentiments, and inspirational transformation photos, but she also provides the tools you’ll need to make the most of your gym time by sharing workout programs and fitness challenges on a regular basis.
@bitesizedfitness
For a 23-year-old whose just five feet tall, Alyse Scaffidi offers up a whole lot of online fitness inspiration. Whether she's sharing a post-workout selfie, an exercise video clip, or a close-up of her pre-prepped healthy meals, Scaffidi's profile offers fitness advice and healthy motivation for followers from all walks of life.
@matthewabitbolracing
In 2008, three years after losing 100 pounds, Matthew Abitol began his official running career with a 3.5-mile race. But his profile is more than just the depiction of a successful weight loss story. Since that first life-changing race he’s completed more than 150 events, including 37 marathons and 52 half marathons, and is inspiring more than 3,000 followers to chase their goals and change their lives.
@bikinibodymommy
Briana Christine of the Bikini Body Mommy movement is on a mission to educate and motivate moms who want to get in shape and lead healthier lives. A mother of three, personal trainer and nutrition specialist, on Instagram she inspires her followers by sharing healthy eating advice, fitness tips and too cute photos of her kids.
@excellencehealthandfitness
This fitness-themed feed is fairly new to the world of Instagram but is still filled with video clips of creative exercises. OK, so maybe you shouldn’t try balancing in a handstand on top of your friends while they do push-ups, but you can definitely try box jumps, track workouts, and ab exercises.
@bellafalconi_fitness
Bella Falconi's Instagram updates will keep your feed flowing with healthy eating inspiration, impressive exercises, and exciting glimpses into the day-to-day life of a personal trainer, top fitness model and motivational speaker. Oh, and she's a fan of the gym mirror selfie too.
For the complete list of the Most Motivating Fitness Instagrams, go to TheActiveTimes.com.
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