If you don’t want to read through my boring introduction click here to jump to the infographic.
January is almost over, and for those of us who go to the gym regularly, this is when we notice that the swarms of people who packed out the place not so long ago have suddenly disappeared, most of them never to be seen again.
Over the Christmas holidays, many of us made grandiose promises for 2017 and we were ready and waiting to hit the gym. However, for some, there is a quick realization that fitness workouts are tougher than they ever imagined, so they soon lose patience and their interest in the gym diminishes.
The following infographic (thanks to our good friends at My Fitness Boutique) outlines how those who began new fitness regimes in January can motivate themselves to keep it going all year round instead of quitting now.
A large part of it is down to ‘safety in numbers’ – if you’re uncomfortable about going to the gym alone, either bring a friend with you or join a fitness class.
It also helps to map out your typical week and find times when you will be able to go. Establishing a routine will keep you disciplined about attending the gym rather than simply going when you feel like it, as then you will most likely find it hard to motivate yourself to go. You will come up with one excuse after the other to justify your laziness and lack of dedication.
Patience is key, too. A lot of gym newbies think that their flab will magically vanish after a week. Proper fitness programs take a whole lot longer to visibly bear fruit.
The best way to see how you’re progressing is to define clear goals within set time periods, e.g. I want to lose 5lbs in two months.
This lays down a definite target and, after the two months, you can go back to see if you succeeded or fell short in your goal. If your goals are ambiguous and vague, you won’t have anywhere near the same motivation to stick with the gym.
If you started going to the gym in early January and you haven’t thrown in the towel yet, you’ve lasted longer than 34% of people who made the same New Year’s resolution and already failed to follow it through. Remember: the gym is not just for January! Stick with it and you will succeed in your mission.
Anyway, enough chit-chat…
Let’s dive in, shall we:
Tell Us What You Think
We would love to hear your personal experience with the New Year’s resolution complex. Did you manage to surpass it? Was it hard? How long did it take you?
And, most importantly, share any tips and tricks that our readers can check out that will potentially help them out improve their consistency and dedication.
Tell us in the comments below!
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