The key to meeting your fitness goal is consistency. How does one stay consistent with their workout program? The Envista Medical team compiled a list of 5 tips to help us stay active. We hope you will benefit from these tips and keep working towards your fitness goals.
1. Accountability
Discipline can be challenging. However, bringing awareness to your habits can help you know if you’re trying to avoid your workout. Hold yourself accountable for your actions. If you find yourself slacking off and missing workouts, remind yourself of your goals and adjust accordingly.
Finding a good workout program can also help you stay motivated. You can find many workout programs online. Some of the programs cost money, and some are free. Spend some time Google searching workout programs. You will see Google is a wonderful source. Bodybuilding.com is an excellent resource for paid workout programs.
Include your friends in your workouts. Working out with your friend or friends is a great way to socialize and have others hold you accountable. If your friends don’t share your interest in fitness, a number of group classes are held at local gyms and fitness centers. Enrolling in these classes is a great way to ensure you show up on time. It is also a great way to meet new people with shared interests.
2. Set a Schedule
Every week, carve out time in your schedule that you will use to dedicate time for a workout. A schedule with blocked-out times will help you stick with your goals. It will also let you know when you will work, run errands or spend time with friends and family. We know life happens, and sometimes schedules don’t go as planned. When that happens, don’t dwell on it. Just jump right back into your schedule the next day.
3. Track Your Progress
Tracking your progress is a great way to stay motivated. You can choose different ways to track your progress depending on your activity. For example, if you choose to walk as exercise, having a pedometer tracking your steps is a great way to know if you are hitting your step goal or falling short. It is also an excellent way to adjust your workout if you notice you are plateauing or working out too much and not recovering properly.
If you are strength training, write down the reps and the amount of weight you are lifting. This is an excellent way to ensure you are progressing and seeing strength increase. Try to lift a little more than you did on your last workout. And when we say lift a little more, we mean a little more. Making small incremental strength gains is key to preserving your technique and not injuring yourself. These small incremental weight increases add up after a while, and you will be surprised at how far you progressed.
4. Set Goals
Before starting to work out, know what your goals are. Many people have different reasons for working out. Some may want to increase their strength, improve their mobility, lose weight, gain weight or have a fitter look to their bodies. No matter what your goals are, know what they are. This will help you in your quest to find what is the best activity for you. Having a goal in mind will also help you track your progress and keep you motivated.
5. Have Fun While Doing It
Finally, once you start becoming active, you will need to continue working out to maintain your gains. Working out in a way that is easy to adapt to your lifestyle will help you to stay active. Some people love one type of workout, while others hate it. So, if you hate running, you will likely try to avoid it. Make sure you are enjoying the activity you are doing. You can make adaptations as needed. For example, you may hate running outside but love running on a treadmill while watching your favorite Netflix show. Be sure you are enjoying what you are doing and making yourself happy.
We hope these tips from our own experience will help you stay active and reach your goals. If you have any questions, our team is here to help you in your wellness journey.