When you start out on any fitness plan it’s hard to keep motivated, especially if you are new to it. These tips should help you keep on track.
- Booking in your sessions – and sticking to them! It can take a while to make your 3/4/5 weekly trips to the gym a habit, but if you plan them in (write them in a diary, on a wall chart, set an alert on your phone), it becomes easier to prepare and plan the time for them. As with your healthy eating habits, you need to make time for the habit to stick and don’t expect to be 100% perfect.
- Be flexible – no not physically (although that’s also a good idea), with your training plan. Some days you may not be able to complete a session or perform as well as you hoped. Tiredness, stress, working hours or not eating well enough could affect a session. Or you have a family celebration, a friend needs a night out or your partner planned a surprise. It’s just one session, it’s not going to derail the plan – unless you let it!
- Work hard but never over work. It’s great you have got into the habit of working out regularly, but overtraining can lead to injury, fatigue and could put you off your plan for good. Balance, as with everything in life is key. Take rest days seriously, your muscles need time to recover properly.
- Drink up! Sports drinks are not needed unless you are competing in a marathon (even then it’s better to make up your own – orange juice and water can do the trick), you need water to help the body function effectively. Water is a simple option for hydration, mix it up with herbal teas, avoid fizzy drinks and caffeine (the odd cup of tea or coffee is fine). Don’t overdo it, you need to keep hydrated, and the best way to tell is by your urine.
- Share your enthusiasm. A workout buddy can help the motivation, just try to ensure they are of a similar fitness level, if one of you can beat the other one at everything – that’s not motivational at all. Or you could end up injured. Remember not to assume knowledge if you’re the one leading the session – leave that to the professional trainers.