So every time a new year begins there is a huge trend of people joining the gym and everyone is really geared towards making their health and fitness their priority, so they quickly sign up to their local gym and get a trainer to help them get into shape but then what you find even before the first quarter is over the regularity of going to the gym changes and all of a sudden the commitment to stick to the days are overtaken by events and then excuses come to play and what we know about excuses is they give us reason to keep doing it.
So, we have outlined below three fitness tips that we believe will help you have a long-lasting relationship with the gym and one that will surely lead you to have the health and fitness goals you’re after this year.
1. Understand you "why" to tolerate your "how"
It is important to have a clear understanding of why you have decided to sign up to the gym and either sign up to classes or have a trainer to help you get in shape. When it is clear to you why you want to add this routine in your life then no matter how difficult it is to achieve your fitness goal, you will have tenacity, strength and patience needed to persevere through it.
What I must stress though is that your “why” must be greater than your “how”. When you deem the result you desire, to be of more importance, only then will it be easier to quickly attack procrastination, self-doubt, and self-defeating thoughts. And what you need to remember when you start something new or introduce a new habit and a routine in your life, it will definitely be difficult but what starts out as challenging in your fitness journey is only but a temporary struggle that once endured you will in the end be its master.
2. Find an anchor to your Health and fitness goal
When we went to school, we always knew the ultimate goal when studying is to be an A-star student because getting the best grades would either lead you to attend one of the best universities or secure a great job position in a reputable company. This is the type of mentality you need when introducing the habit of going to the gym and honestly this can be anything from choosing an outfit you would want to fit into, to identifying areas of your body that you need more defined or even working towards looking good for a particular event. Anchoring your reason of going to the gym to a tangible goal will help you find the self-motivation you need to keep going. In addition, you can also measure your progress every quarter to see how well you’re doing and from that then you up your effort to ensure you have the fitness goal you desire.
3. Accountability partner
As the African proverb states “if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together”. There is truth in that statement and yes some of you reading this might be naturally self-motivated but at times if not on most occasion you need to surround yourself with individuals invested in the same goals as you and have them be your accountability partner. Watching them going for it gets you motivated and at times you become the cheerleader they need when their energy is running low. This accountability partner should be someone who will not be scared to tell you to pull up your socks, the kind who will get you to join them in an activity that is beneficial to your fitness goal, who’s habits will have a positive effect on you and best of all will help you celebrate your small wins.
If you adopt all three tips within your new way of living, there is no doubt in my mind that you will not achieve your fitness goal perhaps even quicker than you even anticipated, however it is important that you support your health and fitness journey with better eating habits because after all abs are made in the kitchen and maintaining consistency within your fitness routine will offer you the best reward.
We wish you a winning health and fitness journey!