Back in January, I started to work out again. It was my first time back in the gym in the really long time (three years). And you know what? It was quite easy to get back to it. To establish a fitness routine too. And although I was afraid it would be difficult to stick to it, I have found that actually, I managed pretty well! As opposed to the previous attempts, I have a different mindset and found out ways to make it much more enjoyable.
How To Stick To Your Fitness Routine
1. Have the right outfits
I am not saying that having a gorgeous workout set does not help with sticking to your fitness routine. However, I do confirm that what you wear has a huge impact of your mood. So, in the end, I do think that wearing a fitness attire that you love, in which you feel good and that makes you look good, does help.
Surely, wearing something that feels old and sad will not encourage you to work out. If you do not feel comfortable in your leggings, you will not want to get back into them. As far as I am concerned, I like to put on my fitness gear because a. I look good in it, b. I feel good in it and c. it is super comfortable. So yeah, no shame in buying a beautiful outfit to work out. I am telling you, it helps!
My workout outfits come from Ever Pretty as you can see below. Although they are mostly know, for dresses and ball gown, they also offer a wide range of yoga sets, including printing yoga clothes. They gave me a code to share with you: “Blogger25” for 25% off when you spend $70 on their website.
2. Make it part of your work day
Maybe it is just me, but when my work day is done, it is done, over and I do not get back to it. Ever. The moment I pass the threshold of my flat’s door, it is my free time and I relax. I will grab a book, maybe scroll Instagram or browse the web. But that’s it.
Something I found that work quite well when it comes to sticking to your fitness routine is to make it part of your work day. Some people will exercise early in the morning, others during lunch. I go to the gym after work, before going home. Thus it feels like my free time has not started just yet if you know what I mean?
3. Find a gym close to work
I guess this tip is closely related to the one above. Since I associate working out with my work day, I wanted to find a gym close to my office. Thus, I would still be the right mindset. While I feel that if the gym was close to my house, my mood would be entirely different and set on chilling or relaxing.
Furthermore, integrating working out to my work day not only makes it easier for me to stick to my fitness routine, but it also means that on the weekend, I do not need to work out. I can if I want to. As a matter of fact, I sometimes go for a run outside on Sundays. But there is no constraint or anything.
4. Listen to your body
The best way to get sick off working out is to do it when you absolutely do not feel like it. When you start working out and work to establish a fitness routine, you will need to get used to it first. Thus, you will sometimes have to fight your lack of motivation to ensure fitness becomes part of your weekly routine.
However, I believe that once it is part of your routine, missing a session once will not ruin it. If you do not feel like it, do not go. Period. Otherwise you will not enjoy yourself and will probably not feel better the next time. Just skip one evening. And work out fifteen minutes more the next time.
5. Be Realistic with your goals
We all work out for different reasons. As far as I am concerned, I want to be energized, adopt a healthier lifestyle, tone my body and yes, lose weight (I explain why in this post). Those are objectives. Goals are numbered. Unfortunately, it is easy to pick numbers much higher than what we can actually do.
I think being ambitious is great because it gives drive, energy and motivation. However, being too ambitious becomes a problem when reaching your goals is much more difficult than anticipated. Then, you can quickly be discouraged and stop working out altogether. Start small. Then, increase your goals. Small steps.
6. Do not start a diet
I think a balance food regimen along with working out is important. The food that you eat does impact your mood and energy. So sure, you may want to reduce sugar and fat intakes. However, I don’t think you should be drastic in the measures you take. Changing diet takes time. Again, small steps. Especially as it may cause cravings.
Starving yourself will not help. Removing a lot of foods from your diet will not either. Again, because of cravings. And because you may end up associating eating with something that is not super positive. It is good to cut on some types of foods but I would not go full on vegetables and fruits only straight away. If ever. In the end, thinking of food all the time might just demotivate you and prevent your from sticking to your fitness routine.
7. Watch videos
I get that sometimes, working out is dull. While some people genuinely enjoy working out, other do not really. Yet, they still exercise. To stay healthy, to tone their body, for the lifestyle, etc. There are days where it straight bores me. But I still feel like working out. What a conundrum.
One thing I have found really helps is to associate the gym and your fitness routine with something else that you enjoy doing, and that you can do at the same time. As far as I am concerned, it is booktube videos. I watch videos about books on Youtube while I exercise. It makes it much more enjoyable!
8. Reward your efforts
Last but not least, rewarding your efforts will motivate you to stick to your fitness routine. We are all humans. We like to feel that we are not doing things for nothing. So, yes, after a weeks or two of intense workout, we are allowed a reward. I would not call it a cheat day. If you love Korea BBQ (like I do), it can be your reward. It is not like you’d go every week anyway.
And although it is still good to stay moderate, I think it is good to treat yourself or indulge once in a while. A night out once a month will not ruin your effort nor give you all the weight you may have lost. Nor will you need to spend double the time in the gym the next day. Reward yourself, be proud of yourself and carry on with your fitness routine as normal.
Those tips have worked wonders for me. When it comes to working out, I am the least consistent person. Indeed, for a long time, I always felt forced to exercise, go to the gym and do it as often as possible. Consequently, I quickly got sick of it. As my mindset changed and I practiced those tips, I became really good at sticking to my fitness routine.
Shop Fitness Outfits*
Use “Blogger25” for 25% off Ever Pretty
Tropical Print Yoga Set – Ever Pretty
Green Yoga Set – Ever Pretty
What about you? Do you exercise often? How do you stick to your fitness routine? Do you find it difficult to stay consistent?
Thanks a lot for stopping by. Hope you liked this post.
See you soon,
Love,
Corinne.
*Gifted items.
