6 ways to get motivated and refresh your exercise routine
From getting a fitfam to deleting guilt, here’s how to nail exercise at the toughest time of the year
Text: Tiff H
It’s no secret that exercise does wonders for both your body and your mind; our bodies are designed for movement. So how do we turn those new year fitness resolutions that slip into guilt by mid-month into a sustainable full body workout that will last for the long-run? You’ve got to refresh your exercise routine that’s how! The Soothe pick our top six ways to get motivated to get your athleisure on and your heart rate racing.
Track your progress
One of the best ways to get (and stay) motivated to stick to your fitness routine is by tracking your progress. You can do so through apps, online or an old-school fitness journal. Setting your own personal goals — whether it’s completing all the rings on your apple watch, running for 5 more minutes or lifting heavier — means that you’ll be able to see improvements that will encourage you to keep going.
Don’t guilt-trip yourself
That being said, just because you don’t see constant improvements despite attempts to refresh your full body workout fitness routine doesn’t mean you’ve failed. We get it; January is hard going. Give yourself some leeway for rest days or even missing a day or two to allow you to come back to your workout routine refreshed and energised. Don’t force yourself to exercise if you really don’t feel like it as this will create a cycle of resentment.
Hold yourself accountable
In addition to tracking your process, a good way to stay focused and motivated to stick to your fitness routine is getting other people involved in your fitness journey. If you’re working out with your #fitfam either in-studio or at home, the social element comes into play and you’re less likely to back out of an exercise session. Additionally, you’ll have your very own cheering squad to get you through the days where leaving Bridgerton behind and getting off your sofa seem particularly unappealing.
Be prepared
Pack your gym kit and change of clothes the night before so you can either jump straight into them when your morning alarm goes off, or take them with you to work, leaving you no excuses to skip your workout.
Find what works for you
Every individual is unique and this is reflected in how you approach exercise. Get motivated by facing your truth. If you’re not a morning person, don’t drag yourself to those 7am spin classes. If you have weak knees, don’t run a 10km every day. With such a myriad of options for exercise, from traditional strength workouts to the more unique ones such as ballet or trampoline workouts, identify what you enjoy and mix it up if need be.
Reward yourself
While long-term goals and milestones are important, smaller rewards within your fitness journey are key to keep you motivated. Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business advises making the benefits of working out more tangible, such as by treating yourself to a smoothie, new workout leggings or an episode of Friends afterwards.
