Whether you have been a dedicated gym-goer for years or you are just getting started, you know that getting and keeping yourself motivated to stay fit is not easy. Here are some of my tips for sticking to your plan!
1. Get a buddy
I don't mean ask a friend if they want to go find a new workout outfit with you at Lulu Lemon. I mean find a friend who will honestly keep you accountable and understands that your decision to get into a regular fitness routine is important to you. Surround yourself with friends that won't make you feel bad for saying no to dinner because you have to get to the gym. The challenging part of getting a buddy is that if they can't make it to the gym you are tempted to duck out too, so don't let that happen! Ask them to hold you to that.
2. Stop looking at the scale, the mirror, and at everyone else
The only way that you are going to be able to form a habit that you are able to stick with over a lifetime is if you are doing it because you love yourself and you believe that you are worth it! While getting to a healthy weight does great things for your health, the scale can be a frustrating and misleading way to evaluate your fitness progress. The same goes for looking into your full length mirror too often - and that goes for anyone at any fitness level. We all have insecurities, and we can all pick apart our bodies until we feel depressed and unmotivated to continue with our hard work. Your progress is your own, and it does not matter what speed the person next to you is running at, or how fast your friend from book club lost her baby weight. You do the best that you can and then walk away from your workout proud.
3. Set good goals
Set a couple of short-term and long-term goals that you would like to accomplish. I encourage you to set goals that have nothing to do with specific amount of weight loss based on my thoughts listed in the above point. Performance goals can be a great way to measure your progress along your fitness journey. If you can only do three push-ups in a row when you start working out, set a goal of being able to do five, and then keep increasing it as you go! Setting a mileage goal for your week or your month can also be a good way to keep you regularly hitting your workouts to ensure that you don't have to make it all up in one day. Signing up for fun 5/10K's like the Color Run, or challenging obstacle courses like the Spartan Race, or Tough Mudder can give you something to train for and can also be a great way to get a group of friends motivated with you. Whatever your goals are, tell people about them so that they can cheer you on while you are working toward them.
4. Make a routine
Some people rave about starting their day with a workout, and that is awesome for them. I cannot wake up and work out first thing in the morning if my life depended on it. I do much better when I schedule my workout for the end of my day. I head straight from work to the gym with my bag packed with everything that I will need, and with my workout plan written out. This is just the rhythm that is functional for my lifestyle. Pick something that will work for you, and then make it as seamless as possible. If you are going to workout when you wake up, then sleep in your workout clothes and put your shoes next to your bed. If you stick to a new habit for a solid 30 days in a row, you will be far more likely to make it last long-term. Make the first 30 days of your new routine happen with absolutely no excuses, and then evaluate how you feel - my guess is pretty accomplished. Another part of a long lasting fitness routine is your rest days. Make sure that you have a day or two a week that your body can recover, because if you burnout you will be much more likely to quit altogether.
5. Keep it exciting
Your fitness has to be molded to you! The active things that you like to do might not be the same as the people around you, but you can find something that will keep you going on the days that it feels like you would rather sink into your couch for a Netflix marathon. Try out different options to figure out what you love. If yoga is right up your ally, then find classes that are going to challenge you and help you reach your goals (those Vinyasa push-ups are no joke). Vary your class choices, or your lifting plans. Bodybuilding.com has great programs and muscle group exercises to keep you on your toes.
6. Stop Following the Unwritten Rules
Just because your workout plan has you staring on a Monday does not mean that you have to wait until next Monday to get to it. Cross out the days of the week on your plan if you need to, and then start today. If you miss a day in the middle of the week, don't throw the rest of the week in the trash! Give yourself a little bit of grace when you don't stick to your plan like you are suppose to, but make sure that you don't let it become a slow decline to ditching your plan altogether.
Photo credit: Flickr users Jonathan Rolande and Celestine Chua
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