Attending the gym on a regular basis can be a challenge. Everyone has competing demands on their time and often it can be the gym that gets skipped, particularly if people’s motivation is lacking. So here are 10 ways to stay motivated at the gym.
**Workout with a friend. **This helps to keep you both accountable, you won’t want to let each other down and it also means you have someone to chat to in between exercises. A little healthy competition between you both can also help.
**Reflect on your progress.** If you have been attending the gym for some time, remember how you performed when you first joined the gym. The progress you have made should motivate you to stick with it. Also remember why you joined the gym in the first place.
**Set some new goals. **Why are you going to the gym, to lose weight, run 5k? Set yourself a specific goal so that you have something to work towards.
**Change your programme.** Are you performing the same exercises, week in and week out? Change it up. Add some new exercises, perform them in a different order, change the weight or number of reps. Your body will become accustomed to the same routine, so switching it up will also improve your results as well keeping you motivated.
**Put it in your diary. **Everyone has competing demands on their time. Plan when you are going to workout and put it in your diary or calendar.
**Some exercise is better than no exercise. **A workout doesn’t have to take 60-90 minutes. Something is always better than nothing. Perform a HIIT workout, supersets, 30 minutes is beneficial to your body.
**Create a new music playlist. **Numerous scientific studies show how music helps release a chemical called ‘dopamine’ from your brain, which in turn can keep you motivated So update your playlist and turn it up loud!
**Get a Personal Trainer.** A PT can help kickstart your motivation. They can introduce you to new exercises. They will also encourage you to perform at your max, time will fly by!
**Sleep. **If you are constantly tired and not giving your body time to recover it may impact on your levels of motivation. Getting a good night’s sleep will keep you feeling energized.
**Take a break. **Occasionally taking a short break from the gym is a good thing, it is not the end of the world. Take a few days off, reward yourself. Remember that you won’t lose everything that you’ve worked for in a week. Taking a break will give your body time to recover so that you can go back feeling stringer and more motivated.