7 Important Fitness Tips for Staying on Track with Your Workouts
It’s no secret that exercising regularly is one of the best ways to maintain your health and well-being.
Exercise has myriad benefits, including reducing your risk of chronic diseases, improving your mental health, and helping you better manage stress.
However, as rewarding as it can be, exercising can also be fraught with challengesāamong them staying consistent with your workouts.
Even if you’re the most dedicated gym-goer in the world, there will be times when life gets in the way of your workout routine. That’s perfectly normal!
But it’s important not to let these occasional slip-ups derail your progress altogether.
If you find yourself struggling to stay on track, here are seven tips that may help:
#1. Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Have you ever set out on a health kick to achieve a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (B.H.A.G.)?
And did you ever get to a certain point where you wanted to give up?
While it is great to aim for a health or fitness B.H.A.G., it needs to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART) for it to be sustainable.
Setting SMART goals is one of the most important things you need to do to stay on track with your workout routine.
If your goal is something unrealistic, for example, to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. You will likely be disappointed and potentially give up on trying to lose that weight.
But, if your goal is realistic, for example, to lose 2 pounds in 2 weeks. You’ll be more likely to be successful and motivated to continue to strive for those continual gains.
When you’re just starting out, setting small, achievable goals can be helpful, such as:
- Working out 3x per week or
- Walking 30 minutes per day
As you become more comfortable with regular exercise, you can gradually increase your goals.
Setting SMART goals and tracking your progress can help you stay motivated to keep working out.
Gradually seeing yourself improve can be a huge confidence booster and help you stay on track.
#2. Find an Activity You Enjoy
If you hate running, there’s no reason to force yourself to do it. In the end, you’re less likely to stick with it in the long run (excuse the pun).
Instead, find an activity you enjoy and look forward to doing.
For some people, it might be as simple and easy as going for a leisurely walk in the park.
For others, it might be a dance or a spin class on the stationary bike at the gym.
The most important thing is to find something you won’t dread doing and that you’ll actually look forward to working into your routine.
Since you’re more likely to stick with an activity that you enjoy, this can be a crucial factor in helping you stay on track, even on days when you don’t feel like working out.
#3. Make a Schedule
As the saying goes, “if you fail to plan, plan to fail.”
This classic saying leads us to our next tip: making a schedule and sticking to it.
If you know you have time for a workout at 6:00pm every night, make that a priority and don’t let anything else get in the way.
When you have a set time for your workout, it’s easier to make it a habit.
If you’re struggling to find time in your schedule, try getting up a little earlier in the morning or working out during your lunch break.
And, if you can’t find even 30 minutes for a workout, remember that shorter, more frequent workouts are better than nothing.
Even a small amount of exercise will be beneficial to your health.
A workout schedule can help you stay on track by giving you a set time to exercise.
It will also make it easier to turn it into a habit, which is essential for long-term success.
#4. Set Smaller Goals within Your Overall Goal
In addition to setting SMART goals, it can also be helpful to set smaller goals within your overall B.H.A.G. goal.
For example, if your goal is to lose 20lbs, set a goal of losing 5lbs first and then focus on losing the remaining 15lbs.
It’s like the snowball effect. Once you start seeing results, it becomes easier to keep going.
Achieving smaller goals along the journey can also help you stay motivated.
Seeing yourself making progress, even if it’s slow, can help keep you going until you reach your ultimate goal.
At the end of the day, there’s no need to strive for perfection; just aim to do a little bit better than you did yesterday.
#5. Have a Support System
A robust support system can be one of the critical factors to long-term success in any venture.
This is also true when trying to stick to a workout routine.
Whether a friend, family member or personal trainer, having someone who will hold you accountable and offer encouragement can make all the difference.
Have you ever made excuses when you just don’t feel like exercising?
How much harder is it to skip your workout when you know your friend is waiting for you to finish work and hit the gym?
Keeping yourself accountable to a workout partner is one of the best ways to stay on track and keep motivated.
It’s also more fun and enjoyable to exercise with someone else, making working out feel less like a chore, especially if you enjoy the social aspect.
Having a support system will also help you stay on track when things get tough.
If you’re feeling tired or unmotivated, your support system can give you the push you need to keep going.
#6. Be Consistent
Like with any other ambitious goal in your life, staying consistent with your workout routine is a fundamental component.
You cannot expect to see the desired results if you only workout out every now and again.
But when you’re only starting out, I’m not saying you need to go to the gym every day.
This can be too drastic of a change for your body and could ultimately lead to losing motivation and consistency.
However, with tip #3. make a schedule; if you’re consistent with meeting the schedule you have made, you’re much more likely to see the results you’re looking for.
It’s vital to recognize that staying consistent in the beginning will not be easy when you may not see an immediate difference.
But the more you stick with it, the easier it will become.
Now, you may not always be perfect at staying consistent all the time. But that’s okay; there’s no need to beat yourself up for it.
Just jump back on your routine and do your best to stay consistent.
Consistency will not only help you see results, but it will also help you maintain those results for the long term.
If long-lasting, sustainable change is what you are after, aim for consistency above all else.
Lastly, once working out becomes a habit, you can start to focus on other goals, like increasing intensity, duration, and frequency.
#7. Reward Yourself
Finally, don’t forget to reward yourself for sticking to your workout routine!
Whether it’s buying yourself new workout clothes or taking a day off from working out once you’ve reached your goal, giving yourself something to look forward to can help keep you motivated.
It’s also important to celebrate your accomplishments along the way.
If you’ve been sticking to your workout routine for a month, give yourself a pat on the backāyou deserve it!
Rewarding yourself is a great way to stay motivated. It gives you something to look forward to and helps you appreciate your accomplishments.
Just be sure not to use your rewards as an excuse to slack off. If you do, you’ll only be setting yourself back.
Rewarding yourself should be something to look forward to, not something you use as an excuse to take a break from your hard work.
Conclusion
So there you have it – 7 tips to help you stay on track with your workout routine.
Remember, consistency is fundamental.
If you can make working out a part of your daily routine, you’re much more likely to see the results you want.
And don’t forget to reward yourself along the way! Celebrating your accomplishments is a great way to stay motivated.
Maintaining a regular workout routine can be challenging, but it’s worth the effort.
By setting S.M.A.R.T. goals, creating a schedule, and finding an activity you enjoy, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your fitness goals in no time!