Workout Success Tips!
Going to the gym can be intimidating and difficult, but if you take the right steps and avoid self sabotaging behavior, you can make the gym something you look forward to rather than dread!
1) Schedule your workout into your day
Too often we think we need to find time for the gym, but in reality we have to make time for it! If you think of the gym like work, then you stand a better chance of making it! You can't skip work without repercussions can you? The same goes for the gym! Skipping isn't allowed, especially if you have goals to accomplish!
2) Plan your workout before you go to the gym
Going in to the gym unprepared is the quickest way to have a lousy workout, and the more lousy workouts you have the less chance you have to stay consistent! How do you fix that? By going to the gym as prepared as you can every time! Make sure you know what you're doing and that it will benefit you and your goals. Pack your gym bag the day beforehand, plan your workout ahead of time, and make sure you have a healthy snack before the gym to supply the energy you need!
3) Ask for tips or suggestions
Any staff member at a gym should be willing and able to help you with your workout! Ask questions about what you're doing and anything that could be better for the goals you have. See if they have any tips or tricks that you could try to take your workout to the next level. If you feel completely lost, schedule a training session with someone knowledgeable that way they can show you the best possible methods to reaching your goal!
4) Workout with a friend
It's not always easy to motivate ourselves, and it's easier to cancel a gym session when no one else knows about it! Any chance you get, workout with a buddy who has similar strengths and goals as you. Even if they don't have the same goals, scheduling a workout with a friend helps hold you accountable for getting in the gym! Don't know anyone who goes to your gym? Make friends with the people there already! Most people that go to gyms are friendly and helpful, and while they may want to continue working out by themselves, knowing someone at the gym makes it a lot less intimidating! Remember, the gym is about getting outside your comfort zone, because that's where progress is made!
5) Set short term and long term goals
Having the right goals in mind when you start out is crucial! It may not be realistic to lose over 20 pounds in a month, but losing 5-10 pounds a month is definitely achievable depending on where you're starting! Similarly, working back towards the body you had in high school might not be something that you can do, but looking better than you've looked in years is well within your grasp! Going into the gym with the right mindset helps avoid feeling defeated by a far out of reach goal, and setting short term goals that take you a month or two to reach can give you that much needed gratification to show that you're making progress!
At Downtown Fitness, we want you to be successful! If you have any questions or need any advice, feel free to reach out to us on our Contact Us page and we will get back to you or post a response on our Facebook page! Don't hesitate to let us help you accomplish your goals!