Set short-term goals
Having something specific to aim for, such as losing a certain amount of weight or entering a race, will help you stick to your training plan. But make sure your goals are realistic. Setting and failing to reach outlandish targets will put you off.
Reward yourself
Hit one of your targets? Then you’ve earned the rightto spoil yourself by spending some cash on something you’ve always wanted. Fitness-related gadgets are ideal because they encourage youto keep training so you can test them out.
Reward yourself
If you’re struggling to motivate yourself, pay someone else to do it for you. A good personal trainer will devise a tailored eating and exercise plan to help you hit your targets. For advice on choosing a trainer, visit the REPs website at exerciseregister.org.
Keep a journal
A workout log can help keep your exercise routine on track when you’re struggling to stay motivated because it will show you how far you’ve come since you started, and therefore how worthwhile it is to keep going.
Use visualisation
If you don’t believe that you can lift your target weightor make it through those final torturous reps, you won’t be able to. By picturing yourself doing it before you try it, you’ll create a mental template that can translate into real-world success.
Get out of the gym and train
Not all your training has to be done in the gym. If you’re bored with plodding along on the treadmill, get outside and run in a park. You can even do exercises, such as press-ups and dips, on benches along the way.
Take positives from bad sessions
Even a bad session can help improve your overall fitness because you can learn from training mistakes you’ve made. If you failed to complete a lift, for example, think about where it went wrong and do it differently next time.
Don’t give in easily
We all have days when we feel like skipping a session. Instead of letting it slide, go to the gym, get changed and warm up. Once you’ve done that, your endorphins will be flowing and you may find you’re feeling more positive about completing your workout.
Next New Year fitness guide: The ultimate New Year, new you workout plan.
