You tell yourself you're going to start working out regularly. You hire a personal trainer. You buy the best running shoes money can buy. But no matter how much you spend, or how much you really want to fit into that outfit come summer, you just can't seem to keep up your motivation for exercise.
Does this sound familiar? If it does, don’t worry, because we have a cure.
Let's face it, gym motivation is pretty hard to come by. What sets apart those who live to work out and those who have to force themselves off the sofa is fitness level.
Going to the gym feels rubbish when you're out of shape. But fear not, because it doesn’t take long to get to a point where exercise is no longer all pain and no gain. It's time to reach those fitness goals once and for all.
Fuel up
Before you start exercising, it's important to ensure that you are fuelling your body with the correct vitamins, minerals and proteins to ensure that you can make progress when it comes to your fitness goals.
The Fit Protein is a great addition to your balanced diet, exercise routine and healthy lifestyle. After all, there's no point spending time planning out the perfect exercise routine if you're not taking care of yourself, right?
How to start exercising
As the saying goes, starting is always the hardest part. Just like that pesky email you've been putting off replying to, that task that's due that just fills you with dread, or starting an exercise routine, getting going is the real challenge.
Making a gym schedule or an exercise calendar is a great way to combat this. Not only will you feel uber organised afterwards, you'll be feeling motivated to start your exercise routine ASAP. We guarantee it.
Just don't make it unrealistic...
Not all exercise happens in the gym
Firstly, it's important to note that working out should be fun.
For those who enjoy hip hop, go to a dance class. For those who find their meaning clinging onto a sheer rock face staring death in the face, find your local rock climbing centre. There's no reason to torture yourselves in the gym if it doesn't feel like a natural fit. Instead, do something active that you enjoy and you won’t want to stop.
On the other hand, we realise that climbing a rock face just isn't for everyone. That's fine, we get it. Whether you opt for going on a walk, taking up yoga or trying out your nearest wild swimming spots, exercise in exercise, and all of these activities will help you smash your fitness goals and can definitely feature in your swanky new exercise routine.
Consistency is key
When you first start your fitness program, aim to get to a fitness level where you no longer hate exercise. As a rule of thumb, getting to a place where you can exercise comfortably takes around three weeks.
During this period your only goal is to keep going, meaning that you shouldn’t be doing anything too hard or too horrible. You should aim to coax yourselves into doing exercise that you can stick with. Just take baby steps and then build on them.
Exercise with a friend
Working out with a friend not only makes exercise much more fun but it's also an effective way to be accountable. There's no harm in a little friendly competition - especially when that competition can really help to keep you motivated!
Music helps
Sometimes working out with friends or in a group just isn’t possible. That's when music can really help. Why not check out the workout playlists in the Listen section of our blog. They'll help make your workout go by much more quickly and will help you to push yourself harder.
Reward yourself
As long as you keep exercising consistently and get into a routine, you'll be improving. You should ensure you reward yourself for all of your hard work. Whether your reward is treating yourself to one of those pricey but delicious açai bowls from your local juice bar or kitting yourself out in some fancy new workout clothes, rewarding yourself with something aligned with your new routine can help keep you on track and keep you motivated.
Of course, we would recommend treating yourself to some of Innermost's products, which as well as feeling luxurious and tasting delicious will help to make your workouts even better. Our The Energy Booster is a great choice for when you want a helping hand to raise your energy levels, improve stamina and push yourself harder. Or try The Fit Protein, designed to rehydrate and restore energy, and support muscle growth and repair.
Think long-term
Whilst working out we can tend to think day-to-day, or gym session to gym session. Whilst you should always make a gym schedule to ensure you are in-the-know when it comes to your daily sets, exercises and routines, it's important to map these out on a long-term basis to ensure you are hitting your fitness goals consistently.
1. Consider your fitness goals
2. Start small, and continue to build
3. Mix it up: don't stick to the same exercises
4. Ensure you schedule time for recovery
5. Take responsibility
Summary
All in all, the key to drumming up some gym motivation, creating the perfect exercise routine and making sure you stick to exercise is making your exercise routine structured, and fun.
