If you’re not already a regular gym goer and you’re looking to get fit, the idea of starting a new fitness regime can be pretty daunting. Sometimes the hardest part of the process of getting fit is making the decision to try – so if you’ve already decided and committed to your goal then you’ve passed one of the hardest hurdles!
Whether your goal is to gain muscle, lose weight or to get fit in order to prevent any serious conditions or life threatening diseases, staying focused throughout your journey may present itself with an abundance of mental and physical obstacles. If you use these 7 helpful tips to help you stay focused you’ll be sure to reach your goals!
1. Set A (Realistic) Goal
First things first – it’s always important to set a goal. This way you have something to work towards and you can plan your workouts in accordance to what you want to achieve. It’s important to set realistic and specific goals throughout your fitness journey and adjust and make new ones once you’ve reached the one you have been working towards. If you set an unrealistic goal right at the beginning it might discourage you and make you think that what you want to achieve will never happen.
For example, if your goal is to run a half marathon you would want to give yourself plenty of time to prepare for that 22km run! Most new marathon runners give themselves several months in advance to train and consistently increase their mileage every few weeks until they can complete 22km. That being said, you also don’t want to dive in too fast too soon as this could result in an injury which could prevent you from getting fit.
2. Do Your Research
The best way to reach your goals is to understand what it takes to get there and find what type of regime and eating habits will help you get there. A lot of people lose focus when they are trying to get fit because the workouts that they are doing aren’t helping them achieve their goals. If you have a membership, don’t be afraid to speak with a fitness consultant or trainer for advice.
Be wary not to fall into the newest and latest fitness craze if it doesn’t align with your goals to get fit. However, if you find one that you love and will help you achieve those goals, then stick with it! Just make sure to switch it up or advance the difficult as not to hit a plateau. It’s also important to note that the more you enjoy the workout you’re doing, the more likely you are to stick with it!
3. Schedule Your Workouts
One of the biggest excuses in the book for not being able to get fit is, “I don’t have the time!”, or, “I’m too busy!” The truth is, we all have busy schedules. The difference between those who get their workouts in and those who don’t is the fact that those that do, make the time for their workouts.
Health Magazine suggests scheduling your workouts for the month in advance, that way they take precedence in your schedule and you can plan around your workouts, rather than planning your workouts around everything else (minus work of course).
4. Meal Prep
Getting organized with your workouts is only half of the battle – the other half is the food! Depending on what your goals are will depict what you should be eating. Say for example, you want to lower your cholesterol and lose some extra weight to ward off any potential health threats, you’d want to eat a healthy and well balanced meal while reducing any foods that are high in fat and trans fats. Cooking healthy meals in advance assist in maintaining focus and prevent any diet slip ups!
Preparing healthy meals often takes a lot of time and consideration (which pays off in the end no matter what your goal is). But when you plan ahead, you can get creative and you’ll find have more time to fit your workouts in when you don’t have to cook all the time. Pick a day that works best for you where you have the time and the energy to purchase your groceries and cook healthy and delicious meals to store for the busy week.
5. Stay Positive
Depending on the goals you’ve made for yourself to get fit, it may take quite a bit of time to get there. Throughout the fitness journey it’s easy to get discouraged because progress is often slow and may go unseen for a while. The trick is not to get discouraged and to stay positive!
Sometimes what we need to get us through a workout is our own little pep talk. Focus on what your goal is and all the effort you’ve put into already. If you remind yourself of how far you’ve come already the motivation you’ve been looking for might be yourself and your own journey! Think of it this way – the time is going to pass regardless if you decide to pursue your goal to get fit or not. Ask yourself and visualize how you want to be in six months or even a year from now. When you get there, look back on all the amazing progress you’ve made!
6. Use Your Digital Resources
Today, information is so easily accessible and ready at our fingertips. A great resource for learning about how to train for your age, gender, and goals is bodybuilding.com. This website not only has great resources but and a lot of useful information about health and fitness, but it is also a great community where people with the same goals can discuss their progress and help others.
There are also a great deal of fitness related apps that you can download to help monitor your progress. Most of our smartphones have health related apps built right into them but if you want apps with specific workouts or recipes, there are a ton of great apps to choose from, such as the Nike Training Club app and MyFitnessPal.
7. Buddy Up
Sometimes working out alone can be boring or lonely after a while, so finding a workout partner can help make it fun! Often times you’ll find that the workout goes by faster when you have someone to enjoy (or suffer through) it with. It’s a great time to catch up with friends in between your busy schedules.
Working out with a partner can make your workouts more challenging and it can also hold you accountable. If someone is expecting you to be at a workout class or session, you may be more inclined not to miss a workout you weren’t looking forward to. In addition, they may suggest a workout you haven’t tried before that you may enjoy. Plus the motivational support you get helps as well!
