7 Tips To Help You Stick To Your Workout Routine | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

7 Tips To Help You Stick To Your Workout Routine

Getting started is the hardest part.

19
7 Tips To Help You Stick To Your Workout Routine
Flickr

This summer, as many people do, I'm sure one of the goals you set for yourself was to develop a healthier lifestyle and actually use your gym membership. But sometimes squeezing in a good hour at the gym and the commute there and back is hard. You spend all day (and night if you're like me) at work, and on those rare days you have off you actually want to do something fun with your friends or family. One week goes by where you don't go to the gym, and then Sunday rolls around and you tell yourself, "Okay, this week I'm starting fresh. I'm really going." And then before you know it you're back at Sunday and you still haven't gone. So here are seven tips I've discovered that help me get my a** to the gym.

1. Pack your gym clothes the night before.

This way, you have no excuse. Pack your stuff the night before and throw your gym bag in your car so you bring it to work with you and when you're done the work day, actually put your gym clothes on. Now, you're already dressed and ready and you can't talk yourself out of going on the ride home.

2. Hold yourself accountable.

Whether this be on social media or with a friend, find a way to motivate yourself socially. Tell your friends you've started going to the gym, heck even drag one along with you and the two of you can hold each other accountable. Make a post on Facebook that you've started working out, throw a pic of you walking in the gym on your Snapchat or Instagram story - do it all. There's something about making your lifestyle habits social that helps you stay on track.

3. Get all the right swag.

Sneakers, work out shirts, baseball hats, leggings- if you can name it, go get it. Feeling good about yourself and being excited to show off your sick new leggings will give you the extra push to go to the gym. Plus, you'll tell yourself you just spent all this money on gym clothes and now you need to go use it.

4. Go at the end/beginning of your work day.

Okay, you might think this one is crazy but here me out. Whether you work 9-5, or the night shift, or odd hours at a restaurant, there's always a part of the day where you have just a couple hours to yourself. I work 9-5 on two days a week for my internship, and at a restaurant on the weekends. On the days I work 9-5, I've started going to the gym after work, and, just as I advised in tip #1, I bring my gym bag to work an change before I drive home. I thought I would have absolutely no energy by the time I got to the gym, but I was wrong. Spending 10 hours sitting at work and in the car I need to move around. Not to mention it's the perfect stress reliever after sitting in traffic. All I've really done is add an hour and a half or so to my day, and when I get home I can just eat dinner and relax and feel good that I had a full day. On the days I work in the restaurant, I'm not in until 11am at the earliest so I go before my shift. Again, all I've done is add the same hour and a half to my day and going to the gym before helps wake me up. Now my days off from both jobs can really be my days off.

5. Put yourself in the right mindset.

Every day you want to go to the gym and then end up skipping and you tell yourself, "Eh, it's okay I'll go tomorrow" and then tomorrow comes and you do the same thing. Nothing will change if you keep giving yourself this free pass of constantly skipping and never starting your routine. You have to change your mindset and actually hold yourself accountable. When you start to talk yourself out of going, really ask yourself why you're not going and develop some self discipline when you give yourself a lame excuse.

6. Set goals and attack them.

Setting a goal of wanting to get in better shape or lose weight is great, but they're not specific enough. Do you want to lean out, grow muscle, lose fat? Do you want to lose 20 pounds, 5 pounds, 5 pounds by the end of the month or by the end of the summer? You need to set a tangible goal so you can really go after it, and take pictures too. On day one, snap a picture, and take one every single week. You may not see a difference week to week, but when you compare your pictures across multiple weeks, or months, you will see your hard work paying off.

7. Get addicted.

Working out is incredibly addictive, ask anyone you know that's been going for years. Once you get into that routine you just can't break it and furthermore - you don't want to. Open up your mind, don't be timid, and let yourself fall in love with your new lifestyle.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Relationships

11 Things Summer Nannies Can Relate To

There are plenty of obstacles that come when taking care of kids, but it's a very rewarding experience.

90
11 Things Summer Nannies Can Relate To

As a college student, being a nanny over the summer is both enjoyable and challenging. Underneath the seemingly perfect trips to the pool or countless hours spent playing Monopoly are the obstacles that only nannies will understand. Trading in your valuable summer vacation in return for three months spent with a few children less than half your age may seem unappealing, but so many moments make it rewarding. For my fellow summer nannies out there, I know you can relate.

Keep Reading...Show less
girl

If it hurts now, it'll hurt again. Not because you're gullible or naive, only because you fall fast, hard, and you do it every time.

We fall each and every time with the complete and utter confidence that someone will be there to catch us. Now that person we SWORE we were never going to fall for has our hearts, and every time we see them our palms start sweating. The butterflies in our stomach start to soar and our hearts are entirely too close to bursting out of our chests.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

10 Things Only Equestrians Understand

Yes, it IS a sport. Yes, I fall all the time. No, I do not ride in jeans with a cowgirl hat on.

570
horses
Barn Pros

Growing up I have always wanted to own a horse. My grandparents own a well known equestrian facility in Georgia, so I have been riding since I was born. A bond between a person and their horse is a bond so strong that it cannot be broken. Everywhere I went I wanted to be around horses, even forcing my family to go on trail rides during vacations. Horses have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember has taught me great responsibility, as well as 14 things that all equestrians can relate to.

Keep Reading...Show less
man wearing white top using MacBook
Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

College is super hard. Between working, studying, and having a social life, it feels like a struggle to just keep afloat.

I understand. When you feel like your drowning and there's no way to stay afloat I understand that it feels like everyone else is doing just fine. I understand all the frustration, long nights in the library, and that feeling that you want to just throw in the towel. I understand that sometimes it's too hard to get out of bed because your brain is already filled with too much information to remember. I understand because I am also feeling pretty burnt out.

Keep Reading...Show less
No Matter How Challenging School Gets, You Have To Put Your Health First — A Degree Won't Mean Anything If You're Dead
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Some of the best advice I've ever received was from my social studies teacher in sophomore year of high school. He stated, "If you don't know it at midnight, you're not going to know it for the 8 a.m. exam, so get some sleep."

It's such a simple piece of advice, but it holds so much accuracy and it's something that the majority of college students need to hear and listen to. "All-nighters" are a commonality on college campuses in order to cram in studying for an exam that is typically the next day.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments