If you haven’t heard the news, January is the month of new beginnings. The new year, new me brigade is out in full force.
It won’t come as a surprise to hear that hitting the gym is generally one of the most popular new year resolutions. Unfortunately, and this may not also come as a surprise, most people give up several months down the line.
As the title of today’s post may have given away, we will focus on getting over that first hurdle and making the gym a core element of your life. We’re by no means suggesting that you need to work out each and every day, but if you can at least develop a mild routine, you’ll minimize the chances of succumbing to problems later in life that are so commonly reported to health companies.
Let’s now look at some of the tips.
Find a routine and activity that works for you
The biggest problem with people joining a gym is that they feel forced to stick to a pre-planned schedule. After a couple of weeks, it’s not their cup of tea, and they’ll feel guilty for missing a day or two, leading to poor self-esteem and further motivation loss.
Instead, find a routine that works for you. There is no need to enrol in an expensive group training course that promises you washboard abs in a month if you’re not comfortable with it.
Think about what you like to do, why you’re interested in fitness, and then find the training you like. This may mean you throw yourself into CrossFit, swimming, bodybuilding or just continue back at the gym.
Schedule your workouts around your life
If you have a full-time job and a family, the chances of working out an hour per day are probably slim. You’ll rapidly begin to lose motivation, and the thought of going to the gym will become a daunting one. If you stay away for too long and burn out, chances are you’ll never go back.
The good news is that these feelings are totally fine. Everyone has busy lives, and things come up. The important thing here is that you don’t feel guilty for missing a day or two. You’ll help yourself out a lot if you just tell yourself that you’ll go back on the 10th day instead of the 8th. By simply managing expectations realistically, you’ll have a much better shot at sticking with your routine in the long run.
Make the workout fun
In a similar vein to the first point, let’s talk about the fun factor. You’re more likely to go to the gym if you’re enjoying yourself. You’ll be more motivated, and the chances of your regime surviving the test of time suddenly increase no-end.
Get yourself training partners
Having a training partner will have a couple of advantages. The first is that it takes away the excuse that you don’t have time and therefore can’t work out. After all, who likes letting people down?
The second is that you’ll be able to push yourself to your limits by making the other person do the same. There are all sorts of studies behind this, and if you do know someone, even if they’re not in exactly the same situation as you, broach the idea of training together and reaping these advantages.