By now you are registered at the gym, you go to the gym regularly but you notice that it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay motivated or at all to pack your bag and head towards the gym. Your motivation seems to have disappeared? But is this really the case? Ask yourself the question, does motivation lead to action or does action lead to motivation? We would like to help you with some useful tips to keep up your fitness routine.
1. Set goals
Why do you go to the gym in the first place? Challenge yourself with a realistic goal. This can motivate you to go to the gym regardless, even on the days when you would normally stay home. Note: Stay realistic. Are you a beginner? Then give yourself time. For example, choose to go to the gym at least twice a week for the next two months. If you have been active in the gym for several years now. Then choose, for example, to increase your 1 RPE max of the squat by 5KG in the coming month. Then write down your goal and share it with your partner. So that when you have a bad day or no motivation you have a helping hand. You obviously don’t want to disappoint yourself.
2. Find a training partner
Training together is of course much more fun than alone. The social aspect of sports ensures that you get more pleasure and satisfaction from your training. In addition, a training partner is a big help. You know how to motivate each other to go and to be honest you more often regret a workout you didn’t do than when you did. You can also motivate each other to go a little further than you would normally do. If you have been training for a longer period of time and you are ready to increase your muscle power then you should challenge yourself. If you have a training partner they can help you with that one repetition, which you normally would not do. Or this person can help you with the execution of the exercise. Because no matter how often you exercise or how strong you are, execution is always more important than the weight you use in an exercise.
3. Use a training schedule
Once you have a good rhythm in the gym it is time to look at a training schedule. This provides something to hold on to and structure your workouts. Do you have a busy day or is your head not there. How nice it is then to have a training schedule that tells you exactly what to do. Imagine that after a busy day you still have to invent a workout, this could be a reason why you skip your workout. Be careful not to use just any workout schedule. Unfortunately, the internet is full of the wrong schedules. As tempting as it may be to use your favorite Instagram influencer’s workout schedule, that’s not always the best option. Choose to use a workout schedule that has been put together at your level. This is something I’m sure the gym or personal trainer at your gym can help you with.
4. Focus on athletic progression
It is important to keep track of your progress so you can adjust your goals in time or set a new goal. Progress can be measured in so many different ways. Don’t focus on losing weight right away, because will losing 5KG really make you happy? Did you know that your weight does not necessarily say anything about your health. So focus on getting stronger in the gym, having more energy during your daily life or feeling happier in life. But how do you measure your progress anyway? For example, you can keep track of how much weight you use for a certain exercise each workout. In doing so, you can see progression in the amount of weight you use, the number of repetitions, your rest periods between sets, or your execution improving. Think about this a little more than the number on the scale. This can vary from day to day and can be very demotivating. Which does not contribute positively to your motivation.
5. Eat diverse and enough
In order to achieve athletic performance and allow your body to recover, you need enough food. Because food provides energy. Not the supplements of your favorite influencer or the miracle remedies offered on the Internet. A diverse diet always remains the most important. The neighbor or uncle who tells you that carbohydrates make you fat should be ignored. Carbohydrates provide energy! Something that is essential for sports performance. Do you exercise or sport often? And would you like to keep it up? Then you need to eat enough. On the one hand to have the energy to deliver the effort, on the other hand to recover from this effort.
6. Prepare yourself
Make sure you are prepared for what you are going to do, when you are going to do it and with whom. Earlier we mentioned that a training partner and a training schedule can help you stick to your exercise routine. Plan in advance when you will exercise and with whom, so you can take this into account when planning other activities. Going straight from work to exercise? Make sure you have all your sports gear with you and possibly a pre-workout snack like a banana, rice cake with peanut butter or a protein bar. Give yourself enough room to be flexible as well. If you have a meeting scheduled at the end of the day, make sure you have enough time scheduled between your workout and meeting so that if your meeting runs late it does not mean you will miss your workout.
7. Quit comparing
How demotivating is it when you are constantly comparing yourself to someone who you think has a “perfect” body and you just can’t achieve it. Can this be a reason for you to think “never mind, it’s no use, I’ll never achieve that body anyway”? Then remember that everyone is unique and has a different body. Therefore, do not focus on others but on yourself. Therefore, only compare yourself with; exactly, yourself. How were you a year ago? How are you now? Emphasize the positive changes for motivation and use any negative changes as points of improvement. After all, it’s all about your progress.
ENJOY THE RIDE!