Most people dream of having a perfect body. For some people, that means being lean and toned, but for others, it means bulking up and being the proud owner of bulging biceps and looking ripped. While having a perfect body means different things to different people, the route to making it a reality remains the same, which is to train hard and to train often.
While almost everyone starts on their quest to get fit full of motivation, it can be hard to keep this up over a sustained period. Sometimes life gets in the way of you hitting the gym as often as you would like. Maybe you are working long hours and are too tired to exercise after work, or perhaps you are hitting the snooze button and choosing to stay in bed instead of heading out for an early morning run. There are tons of excuses to put off exercising, but even more reasons why you should get out there and do it. Everyone knows that exercise is something they need to do to stay healthy and look good. But, even the most dedicated fitness fans can lose their motivation sometimes. If your enthusiasm for exercise is starting to fade, then it is time to take action and regain your love of staying fit.
Variation is the key to keeping your exercise routine fresh and staying motivated to train more often. When you are exercising in many different ways, you will gain a new perspective on your fitness, and training regularly will seem like a lot less effort. If you need inspiration to help get your fitness back on track, why not give some of these ideas a try?
Get a Fitness Buddy
When your motivation levels are low, it is easy to choose to do anything other than exercise. If you regularly postpone your gym visits and tell yourself that you will go another day, it is time to do something about that. One of the best ways to ensure you visit the gym when you say you will is to make a commitment to going that you cannot break.
Arranging to exercise with a buddy is an excellent way to make sure you hit the gym when you say you will. When you have agreed to meet someone at the gym, there is less chance that you are going to let them down by making excuses and canceling. It is also easier to stay motivated when you are exercising with a friend. The time passes faster when you have someone to chat to, and you may find that your competitive streak takes over and makes you up your game when training with someone you know.
Try a New Sport
Are you bored of focusing all of your fitness time on the gym? Heading to the gym every day and using the same equipment can grow tired pretty fast. So, why not freshen things up and beat the boredom of your usual routine by trying a new sport? Learning new skills is always beneficial in life, and trying a new sport will keep both your mind and body active as you learn the basics and work on your technique.
Even if you love sport, there are probably still plenty that you have not played yet. One sport you could try is pickleball, which has been surging in popularity in recent years. During the pandemic, pickleball found a whole new group of followers, with many people taking up this fun sport for the first time and loving it. You can find out more about pickleball over at the dink blog.
Trying a new sport will help shake up your fitness routine and provide the opportunity to meet new people. Meeting people through sport can help you make a new group of buddies to spend time with both on the court and away from it, which is another excellent reason to try a new sport.
Take a Class
If you usually focus your attention on the weights and machines when you are at the gym, why not head to the studio instead and try a class? From barré to spinning, yoga to kickboxing, there are so many fitness classes available to try, so it shouldn’t be hard to find a class that you will love. Fitness classes are perfect if you like structured exercise and being in a group environment. Exercising as part of a class can give you the encouragement needed to push yourself further and get results that you never knew you were capable of achieving.
The other reason that fitness classes are great for motivation is that they are a weekly commitment. Booking yourself onto a block of classes will make it less likely that you will cancel and skip a session. So, taking a class is an excellent addition to your weekly fitness regimen and a perfect way to try something new.
Get Into a Routine
Getting into a routine may sound boring when you are trying to regain your enthusiasm for fitness. But, a routine can be surprisingly helpful for keeping you motivated. It is far easier to stay committed to your fitness when you are following a set routine. If you stick with your routine long enough, it will become a habit and will be much easier to maintain. But, the critical thing is to create a routine that you enjoy and that contains enough variation to keep you interested and wanting to stick to it.
Creating a routine that incorporates different forms of exercise will help keep things exciting and stop you from getting bored. Having a fitness routine makes it harder to skip exercise sessions, as you won’t be able to catch up the next day as you will have a different activity scheduled. Making exercise your habit is a healthy way to stay on track and make fitness work as a part of your everyday life.
Hire a Personal Trainer
If motivation is still causing you problems and you are struggling to drag yourself to the gym, why not hire a personal trainer? Hiring a personal trainer can be useful in many ways, especially if you are unsure of the best way to train to achieve the results you want to see. Firstly, a personal trainer will be able to help you set achievable goals based on your current fitness levels. Secondly, your PT will be able to use their professional knowledge to help you reach your fitness goals faster. Lastly, it is harder to miss your sessions when you have committed to a set time to meet your trainer.
Track Your Progress
Staying committed to a fitness routine takes a lot of effort. If you have no idea whether the hours you are spending at the gym are working, it can be tough to stay motivated. But, setting yourself specific fitness goals is a great way to have something to aim for to help you stay focused. When you know exactly what you want to achieve, making it a reality becomes so much easier.
Setting specific goals from the start is vital for any fitness program to be successful. To keep your fitness on track, it is a wise idea to monitor your results. Tracking your progress and seeing how far you have come is a great way to stay motivated and stick with your exercise routine. Once you have reached your goals, you can then maintain your fitness levels and enjoy the results of your hard work.
