Let’s face it, fitting in the time to work out can be difficult. With juggling both your work and social schedules, it can sometimes be hard to get in a workout that feels both fulfilling and fast-paced. If you’re finding that you’re stuck in a routine of short-lived exercise options, consider the tips below on how you can start to maximize your future workouts for the better.
1) Schedule in Advance
Whether you put your workout on a physical calendar, your computer, or your phone, get your workouts on the schedule.
As obvious as it sounds, the absolute best way to get the most out of your workouts is to schedule them in advance. If you’re someone who is truly motivated to stick to your fitness goals, try to hold your workouts to the same standard as your work responsibilities. Have you ever missed a meeting? Allow this to get you in the mindset of never missing your allotted cardio time as well. Schedule your workouts far in advance and treat them with the same importance as all of your other future appointments. Once you have your exercise times mapped out, you’ll be more likely to maximize your time at the gym.
2) Have the Right Apparel
The best workouts start with comfortable clothing–clothes that breathe and move with you rather than restricting your movements.
Though it’s always nice to feel like you look good while you’re working out, never choose style over comfort for your workouts. If the apparel you choose is too tight or simply uncomfortable, you’ll be less motivated to finish the workout you started. Do your research on available fitness clothing options. The best ones are breathable and light-weight. Whether you splurge on the best of the best or you find ways to get the best brands for less, it’s important to take the time to invest in the right apparel. Read reviews on the best name brands for your workouts, and then investigate where you can get those brands for less. You shouldn’t have to compromise when it comes to quality for fitness gear. Online thrift stores like thredUP offer a variety of brands, including well-known fitness names like Lululemon, making top quality accessible for everyone. Thrifting makes finding even the most expensive workout gear both easy and affordable. Scout out all of your options and you’re sure to find that perfect pair of gym shorts or leggings to keep you confident and comfortable during all your exercise routines.
3) Grab a Buddy
Exercise buddies keep you accountable and push you to work at your full potential.
If you’re finding that your workout motivation is petering out before you should be leaving the gym, grab a buddy the next time you go to hold you accountable. Having someone else to rely on will no doubt maximize your exercise time and might even push you to try other workouts you’ve been too scared to test out. Share your favorite exercises with your partner and make the most out of learning from each other. You might even be able to develop a better workout routine together than the one you had on your own. Not sure where to start? Take a look at what trainers say are their favorite exercises of all time.
4) Determine What Motivates You
If you motivation to workout starts to wane, remember what inspired you to exercise in the first place, whether it was to lose weight, maintain your health, or be able to splurge on meal cheat days.
When all else fails in maximizing your workouts, it might be time to start assessing what motivates you to exercise and get your exercise done in the first place. Whether you crave the endorphins, work out to stay in good shape, or simply want to feel good about your cheat day at the end of the week, evaluating the why factor is important. Take a quick look back at your motivation behind going to the gym and set the right goals for yourself based on what speaks to you the most. The more motivated you are, the more you’ll get out of your workouts.