Staying Motivated

Have you ever started a fitness regime and then quit? If you answered yes, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people start fitness and wellness programmes but stop when they get bored, aren’t enjoying it or don’t see the results as quickly as they’d hoped. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated.

• Set goals: Start small and celebrate the little wins, but remember to make them realistic and achievable. You will lose all interest if your goals are too ambitious.
  • For example, if you haven’t done any exercise in a while, a small goal is to walk 10 minutes a day for five days. A bigger goal would be to talk 30 minutes a day for five days. But a longer and even bigger goal is to complete a 5k walk.
• Make it fun: Pick activities that you enjoy and vary the routine to keep it interesting. Try something different if you’re not loving your current workouts. Check out swimming for relaxation or play badminton – who knows, you might just discover a ‘hidden talent’! Remember, exercise doesn’t have to be boring – you’re more likely to stick with classes or a routine if you’re having fun.
• Make physical activity part of your everyday routine: Without even knowing it, you can increase your daily physical activity. Whether that is taking the stairs instead of the lift, or parking your car further away in a shopping centre/supermarket car park or even going for a walk during your break at work.
  • “But I work from home?” Why not stretch, walk or climb your stairs on your breaks or do some squats, lunges or even situps. If you have a dog, take them for an extra walk. Research has shown that sitting for long periods of time may negatively affect your health (even if you’re doing the recommended amount of exercise each week).
  • If you sit for several hours during the day (either at home or work), aim to take frequent breaks to get yourself moving, such as walking to get a glass of water (or tea/coffee). Try standing up when taking phone calls or even video meetings.
• Write it down: If you have goals such as losing weight, sleeping better or boosting your energy levels…….write them down or log them somewhere (try logging your goals using the Boditrax machines). Seeing your goals on paper (or digitally) will help you to stay motivated.
  • Try keeping an exercise diary by recording what you did during each physical activity session, how long you exercised and how you felt afterwards.
  • Recording your efforts help you to track your progress and also helps you on your off days to act as a reminder – you got this!
• Reward yourself: After each exercise session, regardless of what you did, take a few minutes to savour the great ‘feel-good’ feelings that come with exercising. If you really want to, you can give yourself a big treat like a pair of new trainers, a new swimsuit or training gloves.
• Go easy on yourself: If you generally don’t feel like it or you’re genuinely too busy to work out, give yourself a break and have a day or two off. Go easy on yourself, you know your body better than anyone – the important thing is to get back on track as soon as you can!

If you ever feel your motivation slipping, review these tips to remind yourself of the ‘why’.

#BeExceptional and let us help you stay motivated. At Active Nottingham you have access to 6 gyms, 6 pools, 6 health suites and over 300 fitness classes. Find out more about our memberships here.