If you’re anything like me, you constantly have the intention to get yourself to the gym but rarely actually get yourself to go (but it’s the thought that counts, right?! No? Oh okay fine…). What often happens to me is that I plan to go to the gym after work, then get home later than expected, and find that I’m starving, tired, or just plain lazy. Don’t worry – over time, I’ve managed to work out a few tricks to actually make myself motivated enough to go to the gym.
1. Grab a healthy snack
When I get home and I’m hungry, I need to have dinner, then need time to digest… and end up watching TV instead of working out. The solution? Have a filling, healthy and delicious snack at the ready. Natural Balance Foods kindly sent over a selection of their Trek protein flapjacks for me to try, and I have to say these are perfect to eat at 5pm – they really help to tide me over until dinner! With 10 grams of protein per bar, these are filling and so much healthier than your usual buttery flapjack or chocolatey bar. My favourite is the Original Oat flavour, so yummy. A handful of almonds, a banana or some Greek yogurt would make an equally good pre-workout snack.
2. Make a great playlist
Once I make it to the gym, I need something to keep me from getting too bored or slowing down. That’s why I have a workout playlist on Spotify that I update regularly with upbeat songs which have nothing to do with what I would normally listen to. Try stuff from DJs like Tiësto, David Guetta, Gesaffelstein, or Avicii. Tiga’s ‘You Gonna Want Me‘ always motivates me to workout!
3. Try something different
Working out can easily get boring if you’re just spending all your time on the treadmill. I’ve recently added 15 mins on a rowing machine to my workout routine and I’m loving it! Maybe running outside is more your thing, or a group class like zumba or pilates. Try different things and eventually you’re bound to find something that you like.
4. Take your outfit with you
If you avoid going home to change, there are less chances of you getting lazy or distracted. Bring your gym bag to work, and go straight to the gym afterwards. Changing into your gym clothes at work is even better – I always feel more energetic when I’ve got my leggings and Nikes on, even if I’m just catching the train after work.
5. Find a workout buddy
Sometimes you need someone else to push you to work out more, encourage you to try new things, or just keep you company at the gym. I find that making plans to go to the gym with a friend is a great way to stick to your workout plan. It’s also great if you don’t want to join a group fitness class by yourself. Just make sure that they are as motivated as you are and don’t slow you down too much!
6. Get inspired
In some cases, the best way to make yourself go workout is to look at inspiring pictures. I spent a whole summer a few years ago just scrolling through ‘fitspo’ tumblrs, eating healthy and going to the gym. There’s a huge community of people out there who like to share their healthy meal ideas, workout routines, and weightloss stories. Just don’t get sucked into buying lots of colourful sports bras and avocados!
Now all I need to do is follow my own tips more often and I’ll be ‘beach body ready’ in no time (only joking – I hope we can all agree that we’re always ready for the beach). Hopefully these will help you in your pursuit of health and fitness too! Let me know if I’m missing any tricks.
