Author: Georgia
It’s no secret that regular exercise has an endless number of benefits for not only the body but also the mind. When your alarm goes off at the crack of dawn, or you’ve just stepped out the door after a long day of work, sometimes it’s easy to forgot this! These are the days you may need a little bit of a boost to reach your fitness goals. Here are a few ideas to get you started!
Find a gym partner
If you’re struggling to stay accountable, there’s no better way to get yourself up and moving than to take someone along for the ride! Whether it’s morning bootcamp, weekend yoga, or weightlifting at peak-hour after work, the temptation to stay home has gotten the better of all us at some point. Teaming up with someone is a foolproof way to commit to a time and ensure you both turn up. Whether it’s a good friend, your partner, or even your dog, find your trusty sidekick! Once you’ve kick-started your workout, being able to push each other to give 110% is often a lot easier than training solo – a little competition never hurt anyone, right?
Set a goal
Exercising with no pre-determined objective or direction often results in a lack of commitment and consistency. If you have a special occasion coming up, or a certain outfit that you’d like to fit nicely, this is the perfect opportunity to keep yourself on track and motivated to exercise! Set the date in your calendar that you’d like to achieve your goal results, and every time you feel the urge to skip a session, ask yourself how quickly that date is approaching. Can you afford to miss that opportunity to get yourself to where you need to be? Imagine how good you’re going to feel in your perfect birthday outfit or the suit you’ve bought to wear to an upcoming wedding!
Bonus tip: Keep yourself even more accountable by sharing this goal date with friends and family, even taking “before” photos (and sharing them on social media if you need that extra encouragement) so you can’t be tempted to back out!
Join a program
If you know you’re more likely to turn up when you have a set time period for your workout routine, signing up to a program is probably going to be your best option to get started. Do some research around your local area or gym for 6 week bootcamps, 12 week boxing classes or similar. They may be held at the beach, in your local park or in the comfort of your gym, so there are plenty of options to suit everyone. Knowing that you’ve paid for a program and are investing in your health and wellbeing, with a set time period you have to commit to will be an effective way to get it done!
Rest when you need it
One important thing to recognise the difference between not feeling like going to the gym, and when your body genuinely needs a break. Sometimes, your body may be lethargic or sore from consecutive days of pushing it to its limits. Even your mind will eventually need some time out! This is okay, and a normal part of your health and fitness journey. These are great opportunities to put your feet up and watch your favourite Netflix series, do some housework you haven’t had time for (or have been deliberately putting off), or catching up with friends you may not have recently seen. If you really feel the need to be active in some way, get out in the sunshine and enjoy a hike or coastal walk in the fresh air, or do some stretching or low-intensity yoga instead. Giving your muscles the opportunity to repair themselves after training them will actually allow them to rebuild themselves stronger than they were before, so this is necessary in a weightlifting schedule to see progress. You’ll be back at it the next day ready to put in your best efforts, feeling stronger than ever!
Buy a new outfit
Whether you’re just starting to exercise regularly or you’re no stranger to a sweat session, it’s important to feel comfortable in your clothing. Your outfit needs to be functional for its purpose, head to toe. For the ladies, higher intensity activities that involve jumping, running or a lot of movement will require a more supportive top than lower intensity movements, such as yoga. No matter who you are, your shorts or tights will also need to be suitable for whatever exercise you’ll be doing, with varying levels of support and features. Finally, a good pair of shoes is important! Obviously, activities such as circuit training or cardio may require some more support and cushioning than when lifting weights, so choose your footwear based on the activities you do most.
These considerations aside, you also want to feel good in your outfit! Sometimes, a set of new matching gym gear is the perfect way to make you feel fresh and excited to workout, so treat yourself when need be.
Follow these steps to get you well on your way to the active and healthy lifestyle you’ve always wanted, and the results will be sure to follow!
Georgia spends her 9-5 as a Web Content and Marketing Coordinator on the sunny Gold Coast, Australia. The rest of her time is spent aiming for her personal bests with her passion for bodybuilding, while also looking for the next creative activity to pursue, whether it be drawing, sewing, or writing for her fitness, fashion and food blog!
