It may be termed the New Year’s effect, but we’re pretty sure it applies year round: you finally make the decision to get yourself to the gym on a regularly basis, and for the first couple of weeks you actually make good on your promise. Then life sets in, and you skip just one workout. And then another. And before you know it your trainers, not to mention your month gym bill, become nothing more than a guilty reminder of the good intentions that once were.
We get it (and we’ve been there on more that one occasion) – work gets hectic, you deem sleep more important, or you gradually realise that you really hate working out. Maybe it’s all of the above. But even gym-phobes can become fitness junkies with a bit of brain training. So with this in mind, we’ve asked the top fitness influencers for their number one tips on getting motivated and keeping in up.
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Alice Living, personal trainer and instagram influencer (@clean_eating_alice), says: “To keep motivated I find having a plan in place helps the most. I like to know what I’m going to do before I go into the gym so I don’t spend the first 10 minutes deciding which exercise to begin with. Even if it’s writing it down in my phone, it means I can use my time efficiently and know I can have a productive session!” -
Shona Vertue personal trainer, yoga teacher and creator of the Vertue Method (shonavertue.com), says: “There is no doubt that achieving goals is a big part of staying motivated, but very often we won’t see visual changes to our body until we’ve logged a few months of consistent training and balanced eating – if our health intentions are based purely on achieving the visual, it can be demotivating when the results don’t manifest immediately. Tracking things like how many squats you can do or how much weight you can left will keep you motivated as you’ll see these increase on a weekly basis. By ticking off quick and consistent accomplishments each week, you will feel motivated to continue to watch those numbers improve (as well as the numbers on the scales).” -
Yoga teacher and wellbeing blogger, Annie Clarke (mindbodybowl.com), says: “I find the best way to keep your health goals on track is to remain in tune with your body – get connected to yourself and really work with that. I like to choose workouts that will suit where I am that day and also ones that keep me excited about what I’m doing. It helps me find a balance between variety and consistency, and enables me to do lots of different things that I love as and when it feels good. Oh, and letting myself rest is also really important. That’s a big thing that’s very easy to forget!” -
Personal trainer and fitness blogger, Zanna Van Dijk (zannavandijk.co.uk), says: “We all have days when walking into the gym seems almost impossible, so my number one tip is to make things easy for yourself. Sign up for a gym that’s close to your home or work, schedule in your sessions, pre-plan your workouts so that you don’t feel lost and confused when you arrive, and pack your gym bag in advance so you can grab and go. This removes many common excuses to get yourself out the door!” -
Stephanie Lewis, lifestyle and wellbeing blogger (simplystephanie.co.uk), says: “It always helps to take advantage of moments when your motivation is on a high. I’m always filled with good intentions on a Sunday as I think about my week ahead, so I’ll use this opportunity to book non-refundable classes or set a gym date with a friends. That way I have no choice but to show up. It also helps to mix things up because if you’re bored of your routine, you’ll always find an excuse to do something else – I’m a huge fan of boxing classes, body pump and outdoor runs. If all else fails, I just envision that post-workout feeling! I always feel on top of the world after a fitness sesh, and I know it’ll only take me 20 minutes to feel that way again!”
