As a fitness professional, I’ve seen how easy it is for people to set goals and then fail to achieve them. We all know what it’s like: You decide you want to lose weight or get stronger or start exercising regularly, but then life gets in the way. Maybe you have too many priorities at work or home, or maybe you’re just tired after working out all day long. Whatever the case may be, my goal is to make sure that doesn’t happen for you–and if it does? Well then we’ll just start over again!
Get yourself a gym buddy
A gym buddy can be a great way to stay motivated, track your progress and stay on track with your goals. If you have a friend who goes to the gym with you, then that’s all well and good – but what if you don’t have anyone? Don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to find someone who wants to meet up for some exercise fun! You could ask around in person at the gym or online (Facebook groups are great for this). You could also check out Meetup.com or GatherUp.com–these sites offer services similar to those offered by other social media platforms but specifically geared towards people looking for fitness buddies in their area or within specific distances from their home address; so even if there isn’t currently anyone else using these services near where you live right now (which would mean no one was available), keep checking back every so often: as soon as someone signs up nearby then they’ll appear on your list!
Set goals for your gym sessions
Set goals for each session. If you have a goal to go to the gym, make sure that’s the only thing on your mind when you get there. Don’t let yourself think about what else needs to be done or what could go wrong if things don’t work out as planned. Set goals for each week. A good way of doing this is by setting weekly challenges that encourage you to push yourself in different ways at the gym–whether it’s trying out new equipment or working with someone else who knows what they’re doing (and has more experience than you do). This will help keep things interesting so that going to the gym doesn’t feel like another chore on your list! Set goals for each month/year/decade… You might also want some long-term goals: “I want my arms bigger than these guys’.” Or maybe something more specific: “I want my legs stronger than last year.”
Start working out at the gym in your house
If you don’t have access to a gym, then don’t worry! You can still get in shape at home. It may take a little more effort than if you were able to go to the gym every day, but it will still be worth it in the end.
Set up a treadmill or elliptical machine in your house and use it whenever possible.
If there isn’t room for either of those things (or if they’re too expensive), set up some weights on one side of your living room floor with another mat on the other side for stretching exercises like yoga or Pilates. You could also get resistance bands that allow people who aren’t strong enough yet build strength without having heavy objects around them all day long; these are especially useful if there aren’t any other options available nearby because they’re lightweight enough so as not interfere with daily activities (but still effective).
Reward yourself for showing up at the gym
A reward system is a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track. Set up a reward for every session you complete, whether it’s something small like buying yourself some new gym clothes or something big like going on vacation. If you’re not sure what would be appropriate as a reward, ask yourself: “What do I want?” If your answer includes food or alcohol (e.g., “I want pizza!”), then don’t give yourself that reward until after all of your workouts are complete for the week!
Track and record your progress
You can use a fitness app to track your progress and record it in a journal, on a calendar or spreadsheet. You could also invest in a physical fitness tracker that monitors your activity level throughout the day. The best way to stay motivated is by keeping track of what you’ve already accomplished and looking forward to what lies ahead.
Keep things simple Don’t worry about what other people are doing.
Don’t worry about what you have done in the past.
Don’t worry about what you will do in the future.
Instead, focus on this moment and your next move: “What am I going to do right now? How can I make it easy for myself to keep moving forward?”
Stop procrastinating and make time for the gym
The key to sticking with your gym habit is making it a part of your routine. If you don’t plan well, there’s a good chance that you’ll skip out on going to the gym because there were more pressing things to do or someone called and asked for help with something.
Here are some tips for making sure that doesn’t happen:
Decide when you’re going to work out during the week, then stick with it! If possible, try not to change this day/time too much–you want consistency so that eventually working out becomes a habit instead of something special that needs planning ahead of time. Make sure all of the gear needed for your workout is ready at home before heading out in order not waste precious minutes looking for things once at the gym (or worse yet forget something altogether). Also make sure there’s enough time between getting up from bed and starting class so as not leave late dueling traffic lights instead of focusing on getting fit!
Give it a rest if you have to
Try not to be too hard on yourself if you miss a day. Or a week, or even a month. The key is to keep going and not get discouraged by setbacks along the way. If your goal is to build up an exercise habit in January, then it’s important that you don’t let yourself get discouraged by small setbacks along the way–because no one is perfect! If something comes up (like work or family commitments) that prevents you from going to the gym for several days in a row–or even more than once per week–don’t beat yourself up about it! Just give yourself time off from exercising until things settle down again later on.
One of the best ways to achieve a goal is to set up habits that help you get it done.
A habit is something you do regularly and automatically. Habits can be good or bad, like brushing your teeth or eating junk food. They’re also hard to change once they’re formed, which is why it’s important to start new habits the right way! One of the best ways to achieve a goal is by setting up habits that help you get it done. For example, if your goal is running three times per week at 6 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (or whatever works for your schedule), then make sure those days are already set aside in your calendar before starting any other activities on those days so that when 6 pm rolls around each evening all you have to do is lace up your shoes and head out for some fresh air!
Conclusion
In short, if you want to make your gym habit a part of your life long-term, it’s best to start with a few small changes. You don’t have to overhaul your entire routine or do something completely different—just make sure that each decision you make supports the goal, whether that means getting yourself a buddy who can help hold you accountable or setting up rewards for yourself when you hit certain milestones. And remember: Don’t get too discouraged if things don’t go exactly as planned; sometimes all it takes is some rest and relaxation before giving things another try!