Some Simple Tips to Stay Commited to Workout

Maintaining a workout routine, eating healthy and generally living a healthy lifestyle, while beneficial, doesn’t always come as easy as it might seem.

Through my experience as an athlete, I encountered several drops in motivation, especially during the seasons of autumn and winter when performance can lag-down.

You can’t always stay on track and bad days are always around the corner. After all, we’re only human. Fortunately, there are a few tips that could provide you with some useful insight to stick to that goal.

Here’s 5 Tips to stay committed to your work-out and keep you motivated:

Have your goals written down.

Keeping track of your progress towards a goal on a monthly basis is more important than you might think. Doing this will ensure that you are not losing focus on your monthly goal. You can use calendar and fill in your workout days with a workout plan or the muscle groups that you want to target on that particular day e.g. “Monday – Back & Biceps”, “Tuesday – Shoulders, Traps & Legs” or “Weekly goal: 40km” etc.

Vary your workout

Variety in your exercise routine is essential. If you do only a basic set of workouts or stick to an unbalanced workout program, you’re not only going to get bored but you’re are also risking to seriously misdevelop muscles and body structure.

Many people who want fast results think incorrectly that overtraining a certain muscle group will make it grow faster. Although that might give results initially, in the long run your muscles are going to become resistant to that workout. Therefore seriously stalling any results and leaving the lateral muscle groups undeveloped. Try interchanging frequently between various types of workout such as running, swimming, weight-lifting etc. 

Keep your gym equipment ready to go

For all of you that live a fast lifestyle, balancing between work, family, friends & relationships there’s minimal to no personal time. That is why every minute counts. You can prepare a meal the night before and store it in the fridge and of course you can keep your gym bag ready and loaded, always ready to hit the gym. Don’t forget to keep it equipped with a pair of sneaker, a clean towel, a shirt and you favorite gym shorts. Remember, “Success is a direct result of preparation and hard work”

Tell your friends about workout

In your journey to fitness you’re going to need all the support and positive feedback you can get. Tell your friends that you’re working out. Make sure they’re on the same page with you and will prevent you from taking “detours”. It’s always good to socialize, so why not make some new friends at the gym, the track or you could join a group in your town. Your gym buddies could track your progress or even spot you on those difficult exercises.

Consider hiring a personal trainer

Sometimes professional assistant is not only desirable but necessary. Hiring a certified professional to assist you with your workout is a great idea. You can have a custom workout and meal plan tailored to your needs and have that same pro instruct you and guide you through. If you cannot afford a personal trainer, you don’t have to break your piggy bank. Many gyms and fitness clubs provide that service for individuals or groups up to 2-3 people, so you can share the expenses.

You can achieve anything you want if you think you can do it. Having a clear goal and a plan in mind will provide you with confidence. Know that it will take 30 days to build up the habit of exercise. During the first 30 days you will need to drag yourself to the gym. After 30 days it will be easier: the habit begins to get in front and it will “pull” you to the gym.

Write this next to your goal and deadline: “If they can do it, I can do it too!”