Don’t sweat the small stuff: motivate yourself to go to gym
Exercising and eating healthy are two of the absolute best ways to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, going to gym can be difficult to do when you lack motivation, especially after a long day at work.
You may gaze at your gym clothes in desperation, willing yourself to put them on and start exercising, but no avail. There are, however, some useful tips you can follow to motivate yourself to go to gym, even if you would rather be relaxing with your feet up.
Choose attractive gear
Rather than sticking to dull blacks, greys and ill-fitting shirts for gym wear, choose clothes that you are excited to put on. Options such as those available from Triumph underwear will leave you feeling supported and uplifted, and are available in fun colours like orange, blue and pink. It is often said that when you look good, you feel good and the same idea should be applied to your gym clothes.
Change into your exercise gear before you leave the office
When you change into your exercise gear before leaving the office, you are giving yourself a visual cue that you are going to the gym and that you will be exercising. You are also making yourself more accountable to your co-workers and yourself – not working out like you told everyone you would can end up being very embarrassing.
Track your progress
Nothing kills motivation more than the feeling that you have been going to the gym and exercising but are not seeing results. Keep track of your progress by weighing yourself every week. Use tools such as MyFitnessPal to have a visual representation of your progress, which will help you to push yourself further to reach those goals.
Pack a snack
If going to the gym four hours after you have eaten lunch is a problem for you, pack a snack to eat at the office 45 minutes before you leave. A snack is smaller than a meal, so this will give your body enough time to digest the snack and use it as energy for the work out. Be sure to eat a snack that consists of mostly carbs and a little protein, as this will give you the needed energy boost. Apple pieces with peanut butter is ideal.
Set the bar(bell) low
If you tell yourself that you have to exercise for 15 or 20 minutes, you are more likely to do so with enthusiasm than if you tell yourself you have to gym for 45 minutes. If the goal is easy, once you reach it, you will think, “I can keep going for a while longer”. If you are pressed for time, it is more than possible to fit an entire workout into 15 minutes too.
Bring your fitness goals to the office
Do you have motivational posters or stickers around your cubicle, encouraging you to “hang in there”? If you do, bringing your fitness goals into the mix can help immensely to motivate you. Use post-its in bright colours and write down realistic goals, then stick these in places where you regularly look (such as on your computer monitor or cubicle walls). You could even stick up pictures of your favourite fitness Instagrammer or the bikini you are determined to fit into by Summer.
Buddy up
Convince a friend or partner to join you at the gym. Having someone to go to gym with is known to increase motivation tenfold because you will be spurred on by your buddy to go to gym to be in their company. Not only will you have someone to talk to while on the treadmill, you will have a partner for all the classes you plan on taking part in. A gym buddy will also make you more accountable, you will have a reason to continue going as leaving your friend in the lurch is unpleasant and unfair.
Join a gym you like
Joining a gym for the sake of gyming is not an advisable move. You may come to resent your decision and this will demotivate you even more. Join a gym you like, one that has the facilities you need, the classes you are interested in and one which fits in with your routine. Joining a gym that is focused more on weight lifting when you want to practise yoga will leave you feeling disappointed, so be sure to research your chosen gym thoroughly to decide whether or not it suits your needs.
Don’t sweat it
Exercise is vital to a healthy lifestyle, but you should not overthink it. Use it as a stepping stone to a healthier and happier you, rather than focusing on gyming for hours. Remember that everyone is different, so don’t sweat it if you can only work out for a short amount of time – any form of movement is good.
