Is exercising more often one of your New Year’s resolutions? If you’ve tried it in the past, you may know exactly how tough it can be to stick with a resolution. The key is to turn your goal into a routine. Once it becomes a habit, you won’t have to drum up the motivation every time you don’t want to exercise. These tips should help you get started with fitness and turn your commitment into a routine.
#1 Get a Trainer
One of the biggest problems people have when they first try to get into fitness is that they don’t know what to do to get started. A personal trainer can help you learn the ins and outs of the gym, show you proper form when you’re working out, and make sure you know how to switch up your routine for the best results.
A personal trainer can also make sure you’re exercising safely, familiarize you with the equipment, and provide broader health tips for reaching your fitness goals.
The key to success is finding a compatible personal trainer. This is someone who both challenges you and listens to your questions and concerns. They make sure you’re exercising safely, make exercising fun, and provide valuable advice to improve your workout. A great personal trainer will check in, vary your workout routine, and make sure you aren’t experiencing pain or discomfort.
#2 Build a Home Gym
Sometimes the challenge is that getting to the gym just isn’t convenient. It’s yet one more thing to do in the morning or after work when you’re running low on motivation. There are a lot of reasons to build a home gym, and you don’t have to spend a lot on exercise equipment to get started.
When you build yourself a home gym, you remove the whole commuting part of working out. It means a half-hour workout takes exactly that: half an hour, not the time it takes to walk or drive to the gym on top. It’s also open 24/7, at least as long as you don’t have to worry about bothering the neighbors.
Buying the equipment for a home gym is also great if you’re nervous about judgment at the gym. Some people like the privacy as they learn how to use equipment properly and get into shape before turning up at the gym.
#3 Find the Right Motivation
A lot of people start trying to get fit because of external motivation. They have a beach vacation planned, a reunion coming up, or some other occasion that makes them want to look slimmer or in better shape.
Studies show that external motivations often don’t turn into routines. People tend to need internal motivation to stick with a fitness routine, which means they want to do it for themselves and have a love of the hobby.
In practical terms, this might mean giving up the gym for another fitness regime, such as joining a team sport or picking up cycling. If the gym leaves you joyless, it may be time to seek out other ways to exercise and challenge yourself.
This year, set yourself up for success and make your New Year’s resolution stick. Try a personal trainer, build your own home gym, and find the right motivation to keep with it.
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