Now that the dust is beginning to settle from the holiday season and people are heading to the gym, it’s a good time to start thinking of ways to stay motivated and keep the ball rolling. Don’t be one of those people who disappear after a couple of weeks and wonder where the time went in June.
Here are ten strategies that are proven to keep you motivated and smashing your fitness goals this year.
1. START WITH WHY
This is easily the most important and crucial step. Identifying why you are going to the gym in the first place is going to give you a source of inspiration to stay committed to. It’s easy to put the gym off if you don’t even know why you’re going. Give yourself a reason and make it completely selfish. Improving your body’s health and performance shouldn’t be because someone else wants you to. This is your body and your health. The time you spend in the gym is for you. Figure out why this is important to you and remind yourself consistently.
2. KEEP A TRAINING LOG
This doesn’t have to be anything extensive or overly detailed, unless you want it to be. Keeping track of your workouts gives you something to refer to in the future and helps maintain consistency. For instance, if you’re trying to get stronger, tracking things like your weights, sets, and rep ranges are essential for your progress. Training logs are also proof of what you’ve done in the gym and can keep you accountable in your workouts.
3. PLAN AHEAD
This can be as simple as bringing your gym clothes to work and committing to driving straight to the gym before heading home. Set yourself up for success and make it impossible for you to fail. Remember the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
4. PRIORITIZE YOUR TRAINING
It’s not that you don’t have time, it’s your priorities that need to be adjusted. In order to keep consistent habits in and out of the gym, you need to prioritize your training and put it ahead of things that aren’t conducive to your success. If it means working out in the morning before going to work, then do it. The more emphasis you put into prioritizing your training, the better chances you’ll have at maintaining it as a consistent part of your lifestyle.
5. SET GOALS
Short term, long term, all the goals are good goals. Want to hit a PR in the gym? Want to run your first 5K? Do you want to be able to play with your grandkids? How about maintaining independence throughout the rest of your life? Goals keep us motivated and can serve as celebratory moments when we accomplish them. Nothing feels better than checking things off your list of goals and setting new ones to smash.
6. STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Sometimes people lose motivation simply because they’re bored of the same old routine. If you feel like your training is a little stale, step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Being a novice at something is amazing because there’s so much opportunity to learn and grow.
7. HIRE A COACH
This is one of the most efficient ways to stay motivated and on track. A qualified coach can help you develop workouts and training strategies to keep you on the path to success based on your specific needs.
8. COMPETE IN SOMETHING
This can be one of the most exciting, challenging, and inspiring ways to take your training to the next level and keep you motivated. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to compete, far from it actually. In competition, you learn things about yourself that you can’t acquire from training. If you’re a weightlifter, try out the next comp at your gym. If you’re a runner, sign up for a run near you. Competition is fun, inspiring, and is a surefire way to keep you motivated in and out of the gym.
9. FIND A TRAINING PARTNER
This is one of the most cost efficient ways to keep you motivated and enjoying training. A good training parter will keep you consistent, won’t let you off if you’re being lazy or stupid, and will be a source of inspiration to push harder when you’re feeling like shit.
10. HAVE FUN
If you’re not having fun doing it, then you’re doing it wrong. Good luck keeping up with something you don’t even like doing. Exercise is a celebration of movement and we’re lucky to be able to move in a way that benefits our health and well being. Work hard, be consistent, but have fun doing it.
