Stick to Your Workout Grind with these 6 Motivational Tips

By Meghen Jones

Take a minute and think about the last time you committed to working out. Whether it’s been a few months or a few years, you didn’t stick to it because, as we all know, life tends to get in the way of our goals sometimes. We’ve all been there! It’s like being stuck between a rock and a hard place—a part of you knows you can do it while the other half of you settles for the excuses inherent in bettering one’s lifestyle.

Just like any extracurricular activity, school assignment, or job, working out is driven by self-determination and motivation. Though it may seem like your hard work isn’t paying off, there are many reasons why you should fight to the finish. Working out allows you to feel happier, increases your energy levels, and promotes a better sleep routine, and as a college student, these are all things that we need to get us through the semester.

But, again, there are many reasons we tend to give up, whether it’d be residual soreness or other physical discomforts, impatience towards results, and lack of motivation or time. Good thing uCribs is around to encourage you to get back on the horse with top 6 ways to keep you motivated to hit the gym and finally get the results you desire!

Attend A Fitness Class

When it comes to working out, sticking to your tedious regimen can sometimes be your worst enemy. No one wants to engage in a repetitive, recycled workout every single session—not only is not good for your mind, but it’s not beneficial to your body, which over time, will adjust to this series of movements, making results nearly impossible.

Get your adrenaline going by joining a fitness class at your university! Most are included with your student membership. Whether you move and groove your way through Zumba, stretch your muscles at a calming yoga class, or get your heart pumping with some high-intensity interval training, you won’t regret peeling yourself off the couch and away from your Amazon FireStick.

Not only will a fitness class keep you on track with a solidly blocked-out time frame each week, but it will also motivate you to keep pace with the rest of the class and maintain the same stamina from start to finish. You can find out what classes your university offers by visiting the campus recreational facility or university’s website for the weekly class schedule. Plus, the times these fitness classes are scheduled will probably mesh perfectly with your class lecture schedule—and ya know, the elimination of costly annual gym fees is pretty awesome, too.

Create an Energizing Playlist

When you’re driving (or speeding—don’t worry your secret is safe with us!) to get to your destination, what do you do? You play the hottest tunes, of course. When you’re studying for that exam that you can’t wait to get past, you’re probably listening to music, too. When you need something to set the tone for your productive day, music is the key.

If a good, well-curated playlist doesn’t get you going during your scheduled workout time, then nothing will! There’s nothing better than the perfect playlist booming through your earphones as you move your body to the sound of the beat. I mean, think about all of the times you’ve gone to the gym and were on the edge of calling it a day when that one song came on your playlist that helped you push through.

Start by creating a 360-minute playlist or two of all of your favorite, high-energy songs. Whenever you hear another song that seems fitting, add it and watch it grow like your stamina! Better yet, Spotify boasts a genre specifically for workouts—just in case you have no clue where to begin! Just imagine it now: it will be you, the music, and very soon, another successful workout completed.

Invite A Friend 

Time spent with your closest friends is the best time, especially when you need someone to keep you motivated through the energy-sucking semester. With school on your plate, in addition to extracurricular activities, part-time jobs or internships, and devoting some much-needed alone time to yourself, sometimes it’s difficult to fit friends into your already busy schedule.

While it is in your every intention is to stay focused on your fitness routine, you will definitely find yourself not feeling motivated every time you step foot into your gym. So, why not kill two birds with one stone? You can make that additional time for your friends while achieving your fitness goals by inviting those your closest with to join you for your scheduled workout. It really is the best way to create a more entertaining atmosphere to get you through your workout.

Plus, it’s like having a teammate! During your workout, you bond over your latest nutritional plans, workout routines, and of course, those undeniable gains while catching up on all the latest happenings in your life outside of the gym. The best part of teaming up with a friend at the gym? It also provides the opportunity to have an accountability partner when you need it most; in other words, you will have a partner to monitor eating habits, workout regimen, and overall progress—it’s like having a free personal trainer!

Establish Your Goals

It’s so easy to speak your desires into existence, but it’s much harder to actually do them. Let’s face it: it’s even easy to stray away from the gym when we have not set personal goals for ourselves. However, monitoring your progress is one of the best ways to stay motivated as you begin your fitness journey.

When you think of fitness goals, the first thing that crosses your mind may be those hard-to-stick-to diets or extreme workouts that seem terribly daunting and unachievable. But, goals do not have to push you to the limit; in fact, it may be more efficient to set several smaller goals, whether it’d be a loss of pounds, a gain of muscle, or an increase of strength and stamina. These little milestones encourage us to keep going despite the hardships, fatigue, and food cravings.

To begin tracking your progress, consider keeping a journal or taking progress pictures. If you love spicing up your outfit with accessories—watches specifically—a fitness watch may be just what you need so that you can track your steps and monitor your heart rate throughout the day. And if you prefer not to invest additional money on fitness gear, lucky for you smartphones have an app that tracks all of your progress. All you have to do is update the information as you workout!

Invest in Stylish Workout Gear

There comes a time when you must let go of some things, and by things, we mean your signature black leggings that are on their way to looking like swiss cheese and those tired-looking workout tops. Sure, it’s comfortable, but it doesn’t hurt to upgrade your gym fashion with trendy tops, shorts, and leggings that are covered with the coolest patterns or a pop of color.

Believe it or not, what you wear to the gym can also improve your performance, so it may be worth investing in a great pair of running shoes or cross-trainers. Not only will a good pair of sneakers absorb shock, but they provide great support and add stability when you’re busting out the most difficult of movements. Plus, you’ll no doubt be working up a decent sweat, so make sure to invest in clothes that fit correctly and allow your skin to breathe.

And if we’re being honest, we just know that once you purchase your new workout clothes, you’re going to want to show them off immediately. There’s nothing like a good gym selfie, right? While quality workout clothes seem pricey, stores such as Old Navy and Target sell some of the most affordable workout gear in the game! Now, you have no excuse not to dump that repetitive montage of outfits that are only fit for a cartoon character and swag yourself out!

Reward Yourself Weekly

Whether you nailed that organic chemistry project or caught up on your volunteer hours that are required by your organization, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that everyone loves that rewarding feeling of accomplishment. Furthermore, it is also true that we all love to be rewarded occasionally for those very accomplishments, and at the end of the day, where is the harm in treating yo’ self?

Rewarding yourself is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Some choose to do it with food, which is actually beneficial to your diet. It all has to do with metabolism as well as the hormones leptin, which regulates your appetite and signals when you’re full, and ghrelin, the signal for hunger. If your goal is to shed a few pounds, you consume fewer calories than what your body needs to normally function. Over time, your body will adjust to this low-calorie diet, which will lead to the dreaded plateau. But, a cheat meal high in calories in carbs will jumpstart your metabolism and regulate these hormones, encouraging your body to burn once more!

If rewarding yourself with food is too difficult at this point, consider treating yourself to a small shopping spree or movie night out with friends. And if you desire something a bit more soothing, an evening at the spa will provide the ultimate level of relaxation with a nice and warm pedicure topped off with a therapeutic massage.

It’s a no-brainer that working out can leave you feeling frustrated, tired, or just plain unmotivated at times, but that’s no reason to throw your goals into the wind. Success doesn’t happen overnight, and like anything you’d like to achieve in life, bettering your diet, instilling an exercise routine into your weekly schedule, and living an overall healthier lifestyle is no simple task. But, with these 6 tips for staying motivated at the gym, you are sure to accomplish all of your fitness goals this semester and beyond!

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