Fitness Motivation

How to Find Gym Motivation

Staying motivated in the gym can be hard! Whether you are new to fitness or have been working out for some time now, we all might struggle with wanting to go every once in a while. Today I’ll be talking about fitness motivation and giving you some tips to keep you going.

Let’s get straight to it..

1) Buy new gym clothes/equipment - One of the easiest “pick me ups” is buying new gym clothes and/or equipment. Now, I am not encouraging a shopping addiction, but, personally I love the feeling of having a new gym fit that makes me feel confident and comfy. Whether it’s a matching set or fitted sweats and oversized tee. I also get excited to hit the gym again when I have new equipment like a new gym bag or lifting belt. It’s always fun to break in new gear!

2) Go With a Friend - Another way to stay motivated is to go with a friend. You don’t have to go together everyday but it’s fun to have someone to hold you accountable beside yourself or push you to finish a set when you were planning on skipping out on the last 3 reps. Or simply someone to share a laugh with in between sets!

3) Make a Plan/Follow a program - It’s always good to plan out your workouts. You can have designated lower and upper body days, or if you prefer, push and pull days. Regardless, you should know what exercises you are going to hit and how many sets/reps of each before you start your workout. This will help you stay on track and not cut your workout short.

4) Try Something New - If you are doing all these things and still struggle to find fitness motivation you might want to try something new. While it is a good thing to exercise you should enjoy moving your body and it shouldn’t feel like such a chore. At the end of the day the gym isn’t for everyone. The good thing is there are many other activities you can try. You can run, swim, take MMA or boxing classes, do yoga, pilates, dance classes, spin cycling classes, HIIT classes, surf, or join an adult sports team like soccer, tennis, softball… you get the point, the list goes on. Whatever you do, you should be having fun!

Now for some of you, I know that deciding to stay consistent is more of a mental thing. In other words, I gave you some tips about gym motivation just to tell you that the motivation won’t always be there. Truth is it’s easy to go to the gym when you are motivated, but deciding to stay consistent and go even when you don’t feel like it is what makes all the difference when it comes to seeing results. Plus, if I’m being honest, everytime I went to the gym even when I didn't feel like it, I always left feeling more energized than when I walked in and happy I went.  

The last tip I want to give especially to beginners is to give it some time. They say building a habit takes at least 21 days, but really when it comes to staying active I think it can take more. Staying active should be a lifestyle and if you are planning on living for many years, 21 days is not much, but the good thing is going to the gym will feel like walking once it becomes a habit. I promise it will!! It will no longer be about motivation, or discipline, you’ll just go because it’s a habit and you’ll enjoy going. If at any point you no longer enjoy going you should try something new!! (go back to tip #4)

Being able to move your body is a blessing. There are many people who wish to be in a position to do so, and me personally, I am super thankful I am able to move my body. Most days that’s all the gym motivation I need. 

Best,