With a healthy dose of motivation, you start a new workout schedule. After a wonderful summer, you find that your fitness could use a boost. You're off to a good start, but beware! After the first few weeks your workouts have become the most normal thing in the world and your motivation can wane. Recognizable?
We give you six tips to keep up your training schedule, even when you have less time, the weather is bad or you simply don't feel like it. Read along?
Prioritize!
An overflowing schedule and no time to go to the gym! This is a recognizable problem, yet it is easy to solve. It's a matter of prioritizing. Look in your calendar when you have appointments and where you can still make time for your workouts. Block these in your calendar and consider them meetings you can't cancel. Don't be tempted to skip your workout and stick to your schedule.
Don't let yourself get caught off guard
Sometimes you have an off day and it really doesn't matter. Of course, things can't always go super and that shouldn't be a reason to give up completely. Training is never a linear process where you experience constant success. Sometimes you have good days and other days you have just a little less energy and things just go a little off.
Do you have one of those days? Just try to go. You will notice that you feel better and have more energy afterwards. If you really have an off day, choose a lighter workout. If you feel like you're about to get sick, choose to work out another day. One missed workout should not be a reason to throw out your entire schedule. Think of it as an extra day of rest so you can get back to work. Never give up!
Train together
Nothing works more motivating than setting goals with your exercise buddy and celebrating successes. Think about where you want to be in 3 months. Plan exercise moments together and remind each other why you have this goal. If things are not going so well, help each other through this point. In addition, a sports buddy works well because you don't abandon that person when it's raining or cold outside, do you?
Break the rut
Doing the same workout every time is no fun for anyone. It gets boring and your motivation can drop off considerably as a result. It makes sense that when you are working toward a long-term goal, it can become a drag. Therefore, choose variety or a challenging way to train. This can vary from lifting a certain weight, mastering a certain exercise or, for example, running a certain distance continuously. Walk toward that one piece of equipment at the gym that you normally always walk past. Have no idea how that thing works? No worries, trainers really don't mind explaining exercises.
Also regularly try something new, a different way of working out, like boxing, crossfit, hitt. Who knows, you might come across your new sport passion :)
Sports gear
How fun is it when you've bought new sports gear to try it out. It works to motivate you because you get extra excited about your next workout. Not only do a new outfit, shoes or other gadgets work motivating, they can also boost your performance. Set yourself a small reward when you have taken another step toward your goals.
