When it comes to fitness, there are likely two main groups people fall into. The ones who commit and make it a part of their life, going religiously week after week. And the group who commits, but motivation falls off the grid, and before they know it, the only running they do is to catch up with life.
However, there are some simple things you can incorporate into your life that ensure your workout routine doesn't fall by the wayside.
Start With 3 Days, Not 5
You don't need to commit to going to the gym five times a week, not in the beginning. Three days is plenty to start seeing results. Sure, five days a week might not seem that big of a commitment at first, but when you're rearranging your life to fit things in, you'll notice how laborious even scheduling five sessions a week is.
So stick to three and build this into your life. This gives you less commitment, less room for feeling like a failure. Take the pressure off more by aiming for three, but doing at least two in the early stages of your workout plan. Something is always better than nothing until you get used to your new routine. You can then build up, not abandon it altogether.
Choose The Right Gym
It cannot be overstated how important it is to find the right gym for you to attend. Not all gyms are the same, and commercial gyms like Fitness 19 have multiple locations, making them ideal for people who need more flexibility about where they train, while small independent strength training gyms aren't suited for the more casual trainer and typically cater to those who are looking to build strength over improving cardio.
Location and distance from your home and work also matter. You're more likely to go to a gym closer to home than one you need to drive an hour to, simply because it has more benefits or newer equipment.
Have A Plan
The last thing you should be doing is going into the gym without a plan. Even if your plan is to join the same classes at the same time each week, you need consistency in your workout routine. Because decision fatigue is real, and not sticking to a dedicated plan won't give you the results you want.
You need to write down or use an app to chart the exercises you're doing and how it feels. Regardless of what you do. If your strength training records the weight you lift, the reps, and sets, you can compare week by week as you move forward and progress over the early weeks. Ideally, you need to do this for at least 8 weeks.
Build in Rest Days
Rest days are just as important as the days you work out; you need to give your body time to recover. Because even though the fatigue won't show up immediately, it will when you need to push through. So try to spread your workouts out. Don't do them all on consecutive days. If you're going three days a week, don't train for three, then have four off. Ideally, go every other day or do two on the run, then a few days' rest before doing the third. Your body will thank you, and you'll be able to hit your targets easier thanks to the rest period.
