Five Simple Ways To Regain Your Motivation In The Gym

It is completely normal to lose motivation for the gym, but there are a few simple tips to help you get back into the swing of things.

Perhaps you need to learn to take your gym progress slowly, look at exercise in a different way, refresh your diet, invest in gymwear that gives you the confidence you deserve or set non-weight related goals. 

So, let’s look at small changes you can make to your routine to regain motivation in the gym to support your brain and body. 

1. Take Things Slowly

Our first tip to help you regain your motivation in the gym is to take things slowly. 

If you’re struggling to get back in the gym, trying to go 5 days a week is probably going to be unrealistic and unsustainable. So, the best thing you can do is set smaller goals that you are more likely to achieve and then you can build from there. 

For example, you could start by saying you want to go to the gym twice a week, one day to lift weights and one day to do your favourite gym class. Then, on the days you aren’t going to the gym, you will aim to do 5,000 steps to stay active. Once you are hitting these goals consistently, you could then move up to 3 days a week and 6,000 steps a day on your rest days. 

When you are hitting your goals, it will help you to feel so much more motivated than if you set unrealistically high ones and feel disheartened when you are unable to meet them. 

2. Set Non-Weight Related Goals

Somewhere many people make a mistake is by only setting weight related goals, as this can spark an unhealthy relationship with your body and the gym.  

Instead, think about other things that you are wanting to achieve in the gym, such as: 

• Building muscle
• Being able to run non-stop for 10 minutes
• Learning to do 3 push ups or pull ups
• Focusing on your form for core moves like squats
• Doing 30 lengths in the swimming pool

When you choose these goals, you will naturally be making your body stronger and healthier, but also working towards building a healthier relationship with fitness. 

3. Do Exercise You Truly Love

Another vital part of regaining your motivation is to do exercise that you really love. 

Trying to force yourself to go on a treadmill for an hour if you hate it is not going do anything for your motivation. So, commit to finding exercise that you really enjoy by trying a variety of things. You might try a new fitness class at the gym if you like to work out with other people. If you love to dance, go along to a dance class, go to an outdoor gym in the sunshine, go swimming (even outdoors if you enjoy the fresh air), try skipping rope, join a tennis club, find a great new rock gym playlist and lift some heavy weights, or spend the day on a hike with friends and a picnic. 

Spend some time thinking about what you really enjoy and try a few new things and you will certainly feel the benefits when you fall in love with exercise again! 

4. Refresh Your Diet

When you are fuelling your body with everything that you need, you will naturally have more energy and feel much more productive, helping you to get the motivation you need to exercise a bit more. 

So, try to incorporate a mixture of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and high protein foods into your diet:

• Healthy fats can help to reduce your cholesterol and they also help to keep you fuller for longer.
• Complex carbohydrates like brown breads and brown pasta, as opposed to simple carbs like sugary foods, are packed full of nutrients and the vital sugars that your body needs to convert food into energy.
• Protein is a vital part of any healthy diet, as it helps the body to repair and build muscles, as well as an energy source. If you aren’t eating enough protein, after working out, you will feel very achy and tired. When you are eating more protein, you will be able to enjoy your workouts much more and feel revitalised.

5. Wear Gymwear You Feel Confident In

Last but not least, you should invest in some gymwear that you feel really confident in. 

If you are wearing gymwear that you feel self-conscious in, whether that be because it doesn’t fit quite right, it might not be squat proof or it feels restrictive, you will find it hard to simply enjoy your workout and put your all into it. So, you need to make sure you’re wearing something that makes you feel good and supported. This could be squat proof womens gym leggings, more comfortable trainers, a more supportive sports bra or a sweat wicking t-shirt to keep you cool. 

Everyone likes different gymwear, so the gymwear you choose will of course be different, but choose something you feel great in and you are likely to find that your gym experience changes for the better! 

Final Thoughts

These tips should include something for everyone, no matter how much you go to the gym, what your current fitness level is or what you are wanting to achieve in the gym. Going to the gym or exercising, even a couple of times a week, can really transform your wellbeing. So, give a few of these tips a go and see how you feel! 

You might also like these articles on committing to your fitness goals, how fitness can improve your productivity, and ways to reduce tiredness.