Even if you are a gym fanatic, you know that there are times when a work out just does not work out for you. Everyone has times when even getting out of the bed requires a mammoth effort.
If you too have felt that your work outs are getting a little too tiresome, or if you are just starting to work out and want to ensure your motivation levels don’t drop anytime soon, then here are some fun tricks of trade that you can follow:
- Find a workout buddy.
It’s clichéd but true: man is a social animal. If your workouts are bringing you down rather than keeping you motivated, find a workout buddy. You could love different kind of workouts, and even have different reasons to workout. But just the process of sharing your daily or weekly goals with a friend can make the work out more exciting.
Plus, when that office cake is tempting you, your workout buddy will know exactly what to say to help you – because you will be helping him with the same kind of temptations!
2. Keep changing your workout anthem.
For most of us workout means a having a playlist with songs that pump up our spirits and keep the momentum up. But the same songs can lose their effect over time. Experiment with different tracks, and change your gym playlist.
3. Mix and match the workout sets.
Regularly following a HIIT training set? Or have your leg and arm days been constant for so long that even your office colleagues can guess them? Then this the perfect time to change your workout set, with consultation from your gym instructor. Try working with different machines, or switch the routine and work on the complete body for some time rather than a focused workout.
Our bodies can easily become habitual to a routine. Thus, just like everything else in life, even your workout routine needs to be spiced up once in a while.
4. Reconnect with nature.
If your workout routine is only constricted to the four walls of the gym you need to let nature creep in. And there are countless ways to do this. You could take two days out of your five-day gym routine and go for a run on those two days. Or use your YouTube and IGTV to watch how your favourite trainers are working out in the nature, and follow in their steps. If you have pets, then be the ones to take them out for their walks. Or, help out at a friend, or even animal NGOs and sign up to be dog walkers for some time.
The point is simple, reconnect with nature and you may rediscover the joy of working out all over again!
5. Set personal goals.
Remember how we were challenged by our parents as kids? Well, now that we are adults (almost!) it is time to challenge ourselves. Set up personal goals – like losing or bulking up to a particular weight, or running a particular number of kilometres. Essentially, have something to look forward to. It could be as basic as working out a little extra to be able to indulge during a weekend party, but personal goals are more often than not the best form of inspiration.
When setting up personal goals, be sure to set realistic goals. Also, a preferable idea is to have one long-term goal, but multiple short-term goals so that every goal achieved boosts up your morale. No point in setting a goal that is extremely hard to achieve, as that will only demotivate you.
6. Sign up for challenges and get the competitive juices flowing.
Sometimes an external challenge can do wonders for your workout regime. Like signing up for a charity marathon! Marathons require dedication and training, and when you know you’re running for a good cause, if feels good to train.
You could even enter into a healthy competition with a friend or colleague. Whether it is an extra set to complete, or following a no-sugar diet for a week – winning competitions is always a good feeling.
7. Take up a sport and let out your inner child.
It is honestly a shame that we don’t regularly partake in sports because sports are one of the most fun workouts ever. Why not dedicate your Sundays to a sport? It could be badminton, cricket, swimming – the options are endless. It could be a group sport or an individual activity, but it may just help you change your workout rhythm.
Honestly, get out that old racket or basketball and make sure that our childhood ‘legendary’ skills haven’t gone rustic with time.
8. Capture your progress.
Often times we lose sight of why we started working out. Or feel that despite strenuous efforts the results are next to nothing. If this is why you have stopped following your workout then there is an easy way to snap out of it, by snapping yourself during the workouts.
Start capturing your weekly or monthly progress moments through photos, and soon you’ll look forward to those workouts all over again. If you don’t like taking photos, logging your performance in a diary can also help.
9. Experiment with time, literally!
For days when you feel even getting out of the bed is an effort, commit yourself to 10 minutes. That’s it. Do no more than just a 10-minute run or a quick round of basic cardio. The point is to keep at it. And pretty soon, your body and your mind will convince you to increase the time.
Before you realize it, you’ll be back to your usual routine time.
10. If nothing else works, indulge in mindful pampering.
It is important to feel good about ourselves. And a little bit of self-help is essential for a good life. So, buy new workout clothes, or head to the sushi place you’ve been resisting for weeks. If you’re craving a dish then indulge yourself a little. The logic is simple – a happy person will always find more joy in even the regular things in life.
However, pampering does not mean that you overindulge, especially if you wish to pamper yourself with good food. Because that is just undoing weeks of hard work.
A good workout is not just about physical exertion. It also means keeping yourself in a better frame of mind. And to do that, it is necessary that we keep jazzing up our usual routines because who does not like a bit of variety in life?
Before making any technical change to your workout routine or diet, please consult your gym instructor and/or nutritionist.