Ever wondered what are some of the easiest things in life? Something like binging on your favorite treats while watching your favorite series or games on your lucky couch? If that’s what you think, it means you’ve never tried ditching on your fitness plan.
Yes, it’s that easy. Don’t take it for what I say. According to stats:
About 14% of U.S adults possess gym memberships, while 80% don’t use them.
There can be countless reasons behind this. For example, getting discouraged by hitting a plateau and not making any serious gains sounds like a serious and a bit more acceptable one (though it shouldn’t be). More common ones can include excuses like “Gosh, I am too tired even to stand up today,” “I am on a tight schedule today, would be impossible to spare time for exercise,” and the all-time favorite one, i.e., “I can’t step out in this weather.”
Every individual can come up with endless reasons to make waste of their gym membership (and their life!) based on their specific circumstances. So, we will not be discussing the reasons to quit your fitness plan. Instead, this write-up is dedicated to finding ways to encourage and entice you to stick to your fitness plan.
Let’s Have A Look At 10 Tips On How To Turn Your Fitness Plan Into A Success Story
1. Find The Right Source Of Motivation
In simple words, motivation can be of two types, i.e., “internal motivation” and “external motivation,” which can be anything like hitting the gym to flaunt off a beach body. Studies reveal that people with such motivation sources are the ones quitting on their fitness goals very quickly.
Contrary to them, “internally motivated” people are those who find more profound reasons to work out. For instance, they love it, and that’s why they remain committed to working out in the long run. So, first of all, you need to find the right source of motivation to succeed in your fitness plan.
2. Drag Yourself To The Gym Door
Trust me; this is the hardest part for the majority. Reasons like “it’s raining today,” “I am already too tired to lift a weight,” and “I’ll start committedly from the next week” can easily keep you away from the gym for ages without even noticing it. So, if you succeed in showing up at the gym, consider it half the battle won.
3. Think Big, Start Small
Of course, thinking big is the key to achieving more, but it is equally important to start small. It’s good to think about doing a 10-mile run, but it’s unwise to try 10 miles the very first day you step into the gym. This can leave you sore, injured, and discouraged quite soon.
4. Learn To Breakdown Your Workout Routine
Why? Real simple, managing smaller chunks is much easier. Were you pumped up after seeing the video transformation of a guy committing to 100 pushups a day for a month? Yes, you can also do so, if he can; but it’s much wiser to break it down to 10 sets of 10 pushups spanned throughout a day instead of squeezing all of them into your half-an-hour gym session.
5. Introduce Variations
Don’t let monotonous take over your fitness routine because it will ultimately affect your motivation level, swaying you away from your fitness plan. Keep variations and mix-ups at the core of your game plan. Even simple tweaks can make it challenging and exciting enough. From changing your grip to switching to free weights rather than machines, every variation contributes to keeping you focused and motivated.
6. Perseverance Is The Key
You shouldn’t expect a perfect form the very first week you step into the gym. It takes time and practice before your form starts to improve. So, hang on for a while and keep working at it without giving away too soon.
7. Don’t Be Hard On Yourself
It is estimated that half of all people starting a new exercise program can’t stick to it for even a year. Most of them end up this way because they fail to keep up the boot-camp pace with which they start it. So, don’t be too hard on yourself and proceed with a moderate pace that you can work with for a more extended time.
8. Be Innovative And Accommodative
Health experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity combined with twice-a-week weight training. Now, this leaves you with a lot of room for innovation and improvisation. You can take it as a moderately paced activity spanned throughout the week rather than trying to squeeze it into 2 to 3 times you’re able to make it to the gym.
Instead, it would be best to make it something like 30 minutes a day activity at least 5 days a week. If you are doing long hours or can’t find a gym nearby, you can always resort to home fitness equipment. The key is to be as accommodative as possible with the aim to pursue your fitness goals in the long term.
9. Keep It Real And Track-able
You need to realize the significance of keeping your fitness plan real as well as track-able. Suppose you get into a workout plan with unrealistic expectations (whether it’s about gaining/ losing an unrealistic amount of weight or achieving the results too fast). In that case, your vulnerability to failure increases manifolds.
Anything from the inability to keep up with the pace, injury due to stress/overloading, not achieving expected landmarks in the desired timeframe, lack of motivation, and so forth can stop your progress if you set unrealistic goals and targets. Similarly, it is equally essential to be able to track your progress. Again, you can be flexible about how to do so, choosing between a conventional fitness journal and a modern-day fitness app. The point is to keep things as visible as possible.
10. You Deserve Celebration And Appreciation
This can be important for a host of reasons. First of all, you deserve it! Keeping your body, mind, and time engaged in self-improvement is indeed worth rewarding yourself. It would help if you praised yourself for every landmark you achieve, whether it is about finally correcting your posture for an exercise, losing a pound of weight, or gaining lean muscle. Reward yourself with a cheat day, go to a movie with your friends or get yourself a new pair of jeans.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you’re able to make the most of your fitness goals with these simple but effective tips. We wish you luck with a healthier and fitter version of yourself.
Author Bio: Fitness and blogging have been a part of Millie’s life for a long. Currently, she is associated with Xn8 Sports, specializing in designing, manufacturing, and selling Boxing, MMA & Fitness gear, and accessories.
