It’s Sunday morning. The weekend couldn’t be any further way and you’re working 9am – 6pm.
All you can think about is going home and putting your feet up but then you feel self-conscious about not going to the gym.
So how do you get yourself there and have a good workout?
1. Stick to going before or after work. Don’t flip flop.
Do you find yourself saying “oh I’ll go after work” only to skip it after work by telling yourself “Oh I’ll just wake up early and go tomorrow”? Making a decision to only go before or after work will help you mentally prepare for your future gym sessions. Also don’t tell yourself you’ll just go home for an hour then go to the gym. You won’t.
2. Prep your meals for the week.
It’s a great feeling to be driving home after a workout but then we have to cook our meal. By setting a day on the weekend to prep your meals for the week, all you’ll have to do is take it out of the fridge and heat it up for 5 mins and it’s ready to eat. Having a TV show to watch while you eat will also give you something to look forward to after your workout.
3. Don’t listen to a Spotify ‘summer’ playlist. Listen to a new album or podcast you’ve been looking forward to.
Listening to songs where you already know when the bass drop is can be a great motivator for workouts but every day? It can become monotonous. Download that new album by that artist you just discovered so you have something to look forward to while you work out. Podcasts are great too if you can’t decide on an artist. We also recommend bringing your iPad so you can watch your favourite comedy while doing that 20 min cardio. The episode length lasts the whole session and laugher will work the abs more.
4. Have a goal to work towards.
Telling yourself ‘I just want to be more active’ is great but it won’t keep you motivated. You need a measurable yet realistic goal. Even if it’s something small like ‘I want to lose 5KG this month’, you’ll be able to measure it by weighing yourself and that progress will motivate you to a make the next goal. Make notes of how many reps you did it at what weight so you know if you were able to beat that record in your next session.
5. Get a gym buddy.
Planning workouts with a friend gives you that sense of competition because you’ll want to constantly out-lift them. They’ll push you to get the extra reps and catch the bar if you’re about to drop it. It makes it less of a chore and more a social outing while also making you feel guilty if you think about cancelling on your friends.
6. Add new exercises to your workouts.
Doing the same exercises gets boring so by looking up a couple of new workout videos, you can make your workouts feel less receptive. It’s also beneficial as your muscles get used to doing the same exercise which slows progress.
7. Plan your outfit.
Probably the most important of all. Maybe you don’t want to work out but you just bought one of the latest Under Armour Project Rock x shirts that says “Blood Sweat and Respect” and you just want to show it off at the gym. Clothes make us feel good and when we look good, we’re motivated. Just be careful if you get the “Outwork The Competition” shirt because we feel like you kind of have to prove that each time you wear it.
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