Friday, February 8, 2019
As fitness professionals, we often help people set workout goals. While it’s great to have these goals, we also often see people struggling to remain committed. The first couple of weeks typically go well and then after about a month, we start to see people missing workout days and eventually that tapers off to not working out at all. There are a variety of ways we can set ourselves up for success and stay committed to the gym, ultimately allowing us to reach our fitness goals.
I have three great tips that will help you stay committed to your workout plan.
1. Put workouts on your weekly schedule.
For most people, exercising is not a priority; therefore, there is no sense of urgency for them to get to the gym and work out. The easiest way to make sure you get your scheduled workouts in every week is to put them on your schedule/calendar as an appointment. Just as we all have work, meetings, children’s sporting events, and doctor appointments on our schedules, we should also have a block of time reserved for working out. By doing this, working out becomes a part of your routine, which will help you create a habit of going to the gym at those scheduled times every week. By creating this healthy habit, you’ll be on the best path to achieving your fitness goals.
2. Make going to the gym convenient.
The second best thing you can do to make sure you stay committed to the gym is to make going to the gym convenient. At the end of the work day, most people have no energy and struggle convincing themselves to drive to the gym. Having to drive home to change your clothes or grab a snack makes it even more difficult for people to find the motivation to work out. One simple thing you can do to avoid this is to bring your gym bag to work with you, so you can go directly to the gym after work and avoid the need to stop at home and the temptation to stay there. I’d also recommend becoming a member at a gym that is near your work or your home. This will increase the convenience for you to get to your gym and allow you to save extra time by not having to commute.
3. Have a plan when you go into the gym.
My final tip is to have a plan established before you get to the gym. This will save a lot of time while at the gym because you will not have to decide what you want to do once you arrive or between exercises. Your workouts will be more efficient by doing this and you will feel more accomplished at the end of each workout.
These three tips will help you stay more committed to the gym and well on your way to meeting your fitness goals. By practicing these tips, you will be able to develop a habit and increase the efficiency, effectiveness and regularity of your workout routine.
- Dennis Forrest