 I think covid really took a number on all of us. I've realized I've actually gained way more weight in the past two years! While I'm working on my fitness journey to get back into the groove of things, here are 12 REALISTIC ways to stay motivated for the gym! 1) HAVING A GYM BUDDY For a lot of people, having a partner to go with can make it less intimidating, and it can help keep you accountable. Some work better when they have a someone to go with. 2) ORGANIZE ORGANIZE ORGANIZE!!!" I don't have time for exercise!" I totally get that it can take a lot of time out of your day! Maybe you don't live close to a gym. Or maybe where you live, traffic can prevent you from going to the gym as much as you'd like to. But I guarantee if you really sit down and calculate how much time you spend watching Netflix or spending time on your phone, you might discover there are areas you can make time. One tip that has helped me a lot is I prepare a gym bag and leave it in my car that way after work I don't have to go through the trouble of going home and changing just to drive again to the gym. It's one way that helps give that little push like, "Well I didn't really feel like going today but since I already have everything I need.." You can even keep track on a calendar the days you're available to go, or the time you're able to set aside to exercise. My working hours are different each day. The days I know I'll work long late hours I reserve for rest. But the days I know I'm off at a reasonable time I set that day aside for the gym. Go print out a cute calendar on google and start organizing! You can even keep track of your water intake or meals you'd like to make through the week to keep yourself accountable for achieving a more healthier you. 3) CHANGE IT UP! After so long of doing the same old routines you usually do, the gym can get boring. So make sure you're trying new routines and changing it up. Youtube has so many different exercise routines that you can even do at home. Switch it up! 4) DIFFERENT SCENERY You don't even have to go to the gym to get a good workout in. You can go for a walk, go hiking, rock climbing, or even join a class. Changing up your routine is going to help keep things exciting and you just might find something your more passionate about. There are so many different things you could do like Zumba classes, bootcamps, and crossfit. And a lot of these places have a first class free to just try out. Some communities offer free Zumba classes every week! "Even a slow walk is better than sitting on the couch" 5) DON'T OVER DO IT. PERIOD. I remember the times I would spend anywhere from 1-2 hours total at the gym. And while maybe that worked for me at one point in time, that certainly does not work now. That's a lot of time for me at the gym. I remember when I spent that much time, I felt like I had to go that long or the workout wasn't effective. I once heard that you don't always have to workout to the point you're sore and that was a completely different perspective for me. So something I tried was only allowing myself a certain amount of time at the gym like 30-45 min. I even set an alarm that way I knew when it was time to wrap it up and go! And surprisingly this has helped me tremendously. I don't feel as much pressure to stay so long and make myself so sore the next day and it felt much more enjoyable at the fact I still had the evening to myself! This is probably the most effective tip that has helped me to be more regular at the gym. 6) MUSIC 🎧 This is probably a no-brainer but the music you listen to can greatly impact how well you workout or how motivated you are to work out. I have a few different gym playlist and change them up when I start to get annoyed or over hear a certain song. The less time you're spending skipping over songs the better motivated you will stay. Spotify has a really cool feature that plays continuous music according to how much you're moving. I remember the times I went running, this came in handy because the music never stops to go to the next song and it kept up with the beat of how fast or slow I was running. Pretty neat! My other playlist are warm up music. Cool down music. And music where I had a bad day and need super up beat and rock music to jam out to.
8) DO IT FOR MORE THAN JUST HOW YOU LOOK I will not sit here and invalidate wanting to work out to look better. I totally get that and I also think there's nothing wrong with it. That's normal! And S-A-M-E. While at the same time, try to see if from a different point of view and it might just keep you motivated on the days you feel you're not as encouraged. I try to keep my health as my number one main priority as to why I exercise. I think if I don't start taking better care of my health, it will be even more difficult the longer I wait. I want to feel good. I want to have energy and stay as healthy as I can. Diabetes runs in my family and I see myself so fortunate to have so many different avenues to take care of my health. Last year I dedicated a lot of time to my mental health and made so many improvements, now I would like to start nourishing my body the way I should and making my health a priority. Start investing in YOU. 9) NUTRITION I've noticed that when I eat more healthier I'm that much more motivated to keep up with my healthy habits and exercise. I am not really a person who find these extreme diets to be sustainable personally, however I do know the little changes I can make each day that will better nourish my body. So may that be cutting back on certain things, or substituting foods for a more better and healthier option can be a great start. 10) LIMITS: ARE THEY WORTH IT?- I am only going to speak from experience. I think there's not a single answer that works for everyone. But something I notice is if I really restrict myself from certain foods and drinks (Talking about D-I-E-T-S here), it only makes me want those foods more. Which is silly, I know! But I have found more success in allowing myself what foods I am craving but making sure everything is in ✨immoderation ✨Making sure not to over do it. And finding more better alternatives that I actually like and healthy recipes that actually taste good. I always see diets that basically are like, only chicken, rice and salmon.. And yes of course that can work for some people but thats way too boring for me. It's not realistic for my taste. I love food so I allow myself things I like I just try hard to not overeat or eat too much. When I'm eating good, I feel good. This helps me stay motivated to be active! 11) ROMANTICIZE YOUR LIFE. YOU ARE THE MAIN CHARACTER. "Romanticize your life, take pretty pictures, feel like the main character, light up a candle, read books, go for a walk, dance to your favorite music, buy yourself presents, do whatever you want, be happy- this is your life, don't let. anyone take that from you." -Parisandior I honestly love this quote. Because the most important person in your life is YOU. So if it makes you happy to take cute aesthetic photos, try new healthy restaurants, or anything that might seem mundane for others, do it! Maybe it's finding a really cute gym outfit that motivates you. I find it oddly satisfying to cook good foods and set them up like I'm a chef about to prepare to judges. Cooking is like a fun hobby for me and I enjoy having pretty foods to look at and eat. And I totally take photos of all the pretty foods I make or buy no matter how simple because I find it pretty and encouraging! I'll watch these little videos of people who seem like they have their lives together because they wake up early, make their bed, eat a healthy breakfast, meditate, yoga, smoothie or acai bowls, exercise... You know the videos I'm talking about. It seems those girls are so well self disciplined. But it's because they honestly put themselves as a priority, romanticize their lives and find beauty and happiness in mundane simple things. And I'm here for it. 12) LISTEN TO YOUR BODY I'm going to keep this sweet simple and to the point. If you're hungry, eat. If you're full, stop eating. If you're sleepy, sleep. If you're tired, rest. To continue with the last few tips about eating, it is absolutely necessary to fuel your body. Do not send your body in to shock or starvation thinking that's what;s going to help you "Lose weight" if that's one of your goals. Your body is your permanent home. Take well care of the. foundation. Listen to what your body is telling you. Are you thirsty or dehydrated? Are you hungry? Are you tired and need rest? Treat your body with love and kindness as you would another person. Having a healthy relationship with your body will help you stay motivated.
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