Image credit: Pexels
common new year’s resolution is to attend the gym more, become fitter, stronger or even compete in a running event. The first few months of the year are usually successful but sadly, people can get bored or lose the motivation to keep going to the gym. For 2018, it’s going to be different! This guide will offer some good advice on how to start the year well and how to keep yourself motivated throughout the year.
Determine Your Workout Goal
You’ll have a goal that you want to set out to achieve in 2018, running a 10km, lifting a certain amount or a goal weight target. Sometimes if you don’t set checkpoints, the goal can be too far in the distance and you lose the motivation to keep going. With your goal in mind, setting realistic monthly or weekly target will really encourage you to become better for the next hurdle. Currently, with weight loss goals, a good motivational tool is to take a photo of your current physique and then taking pictures after you begin to lose weight so you can truly see the difference, it works for some people because they can’t see the difference as they see their body daily. Recording performance times whilst running also works if you can a big event coming up, and mixing it up between the treadmill and road running will better prepare you for the day also.
Remember that your diet is a bigger factor when it comes to weight loss and fitness, combining a better diet and gym attendance will really help drive you to become better throughout the year.
Activewear and Trainers
You don’t have to go out and buy new gym wear, but for most, it does work as an incentive to attend the gym more. If you’re happy to attend the gym in old sweats or loose-fitting clothing, then you’ll naturally perform better being comfortable. Certain garments can improve performance though, leggings have recently become more popular as they offer compression points to support muscles during and after a workout. Fitness clothing can improve performance and just make you feel more comfortable whilst attending the gym, speaking to personal trainers or store advisors can benefit you to make some choices if you are unsure about what you think will help you improve most.
Footwear is important for performance in the gym and the recovery after. Especially for fitness training, wearing the right trainers can help with a runner’s form, supporting the ankles and a better footbed. If you find that your lower back or feet are sore after a workout it might be worth considering a new pair of trainers that are designed for running.
Vocalise Your Diet and Exercise Plans
Keeping your aims and achievements to yourself isn’t a good idea for most people. Not vocalising your targets means that if you ever miss a goal you can just change your targets, and once you begin doing that the motivation begins to disappear, you’ll that desire to strive further. Telling your friends and family about your goals will help spur you on to achieve them, if you ever have a bad week and you talk about it you can look at ways to improve and listen to some ideas. Usually, someone you know will have some insight into what works well, whether it’s a diet plan or fitness routine, trying new ideas is a healthy tool that keeps you interested in your overall target. Talking about your ambitions may also encourage friends to attend the gym with you, having someone to go to the gym with is a great tool to help with encouragement, having someone else who is dependent on your attendance helps both involved to attend when promised.
Positivity for the Gym
One of the hardest parts of gym attendance for some, you’re not alone in the times that your dreading to go the gym, but thinking about what you’ve achieved already and what you intend on doing in the future will keep the focus on the end goal. There are always going to be bad weeks when you have low attendance or your performance hasn’t been great, just remember that if you keep going, naturally your fitness will increase and you desire to go the gym will also heighten.
