#1 Know your goals
It may sound obvious, but ask yourself what you want to achieve from your gym sessions. Want to lose weight? Need to tone up, or trying to bulk up and build muscle? Aiming for a PB in a sport or aiming for a place in that squad or team? Or do you want to achieve a combination of those things? Whatever your aim, there’s a class or an individual programme that will suit you, so try to narrow down your goal and focus on it.
#2 Sign up with a PT
You might think that a Personal Trainer is a luxury you can’t afford but in fact a PT can help you achieve your goals more efficiently and faster than trying on your own. Working on a one-to-one mean’s you have someone to answer to so you’re more likely to stick to the sessions and work harder!
#3 Vary the time you go
Not everyone likes the 6.30am class whilst others don’t feel up to it in the evenings. What works for one person won’t always work for the next – research suggests that if you have trouble with sticking to a routine then mornings are a better time to exercise whilst a lunchtime workout can set you up for the afternoon. Also vary the classes that you do to keep your body guessing at what’s coming next………..
#4 Replace your kit
Have you been wearing the same gym kit for years and have your trainers seen better days – maybe it’s time to upgrade. Technology has massively improved over the years and materials are improving all of the time – treat yourself to some new kit in the sweat-wicking breathable materials now available and look and feel good!
#5 Eat right
Eating the correct food for a workout is essential as is eating at the right time. Studies suggest that the best time to eat is shortly after you leave the gym as this is when your muscles need protein to repair and rebuild. You will also need replenish your carb store but if you don’t fancy eating straight away then wait half an hour but not much longer after your session otherwise your blood sugar level may fall. Keep a food diary to monitor what you eat and when so that you can track weight loss (or gain) easily but also see exactly what you are eating rather than what you think you are eating.
#6 Fitness gadgets
There are lots of apps and fitness gadgets out there such as Fitbit, Garmin trackers, Nike running, Map my Cycle etc so why not make use of them? Most of the wearable gadgets will tell you distance covered, calories burnt, pace run/cycled and then they will sync to an app to track your progress which can be a real motivator!
#7 Buddy up
There’s nothing like the company of a friend to motivate you – you are more likely to stick to a routine/programme if you can share the ‘pain’ with someone else.