Keeping your workout motivation at an all-time high can be tough.

Throughout the year, our social schedules get crammed, our bodies get tired and our motivation levels can take a bit of a tumble.

90% of gym members lose their motivational mojo somewhere around the 8 month mark. For some, the tedium of the treadmill sends our boredom levels into overdrive. For others, a plateau in seeing results puts the dampeners on our efforts.

The one consistent factor? A kind of mental apathy toward going to the gym and keeping on track with your fitness journey. Evidently then, a major component is your mentality, but is it really all in your head?

IT'S YOUR JOURNEY

According to a recent study* the way you think about your workouts can have an impact on your results.

The study looked at over 60,000 adults for 16 years, examining their level of physical activity and their thoughts about their fitness levels. 

They found that those who compared their progress to their fellow gym members thought of themselves as less healthy. Those who adopted a positive thinking approach, felt more confident and worked harder to smash their fitness goals.

STAYING IN THE COMFORT ZONE

We hear you. The comfort of the sofa seems much more appealing after a hard day's graft. So let's switch up that mindset and dig deep for some motivation through the power of positive thinking...

That 20lb barbell is still going to be 20lb tomorrow. And that 5k run will still be 5k. The weights don't get lighter, the workouts don't get easier... You get stronger.

Focus less on making your workout easier, on more on making yourself harder!

Challenge yourself to go a little further each week. Add a little more weight, run an extra few metres, cycle on a higher gear. You'll soon see just how much you've progressed. 

THERE'S NO TIME LIKE NOW

Work schedule too busy? A whopping 90% of us find excuses for ducking a gym session, with 'limited time' being one of the top reasons to bail. 

But come on now, you can get a good, well-rounded full body workout done within an hour. Change your mindset from worrying about what little time you have to making the most of your time on the gym floor!

If you had just one hour to maximise your fitness goals, how would you approach it? One really easy way that avoids the faff of planning out a set is by just booking yourself onto one of our fitness classes. That way you know you're setting yourself up for a sweat sesh and don't have to worry about all the pre planning of gym training.

Truly tight for time? Get your workout done in as little as half an hour with our fat-burning HIIT classes. Our Metafit class will give you all the benefits of a much longer workout, in just half the time. Or if you prefer a workout with more bounce, try HIIT Step! In just 30 minutes, you'll get a super intense workout set to top tunes.

NAIL BITER?

Is being a gym member really making you stressed? Or are you feeling unmotivated by the lack of results? 

Forget thinking that your workout is making you stressed... it's actually proven to relieve stress!

The body likes to move. It’s what keeps it performing at it’s best, plus your workout will increase blood flow around the body, including the flow to the brain. The results? Less sluggishness, better focus, concentration and more positive thoughts! It's a cycle of happiness!

DON'T WAIT AROUND

We know how it goes. After months of half-hearted gym sessions, you hit the beach/bar/best friend's wedding with overwhelming regret that you didn't try harder to reach your fitness goals.

Shame, guilt, regret...

Don't let yourself get in that negative headspace, work on it now! Swap your thoughts from how hard it feels now to how great you'll feel later.

BUDDY UP

Working out with a friend doesn't mean competing with them, it means supporting each other to achieve both of your goals as a team.

Studies have shown that working out with a buddy can improve your performance, endurance and weight loss results.

So use your bestie to your advantage rather than comparing your speed, stamina and strength with theirs, take motivation from their techniques, make your workout fun together and go in with a joint goal in mind. Your workout will see a huge increase in positive vibes!

THE LITTLE SUCCESSES ARE MAJOR

Only managed half of that BodyPump class? That's 50% more than you would have before.

Only lifted 10 reps instead of 15? That's 75% of your goal.

Celebrate the small stuff. Your body is an amazing machine and if you keep pulling it apart with negative comments it'll soon rust up. So quit focussing on what it didn't do, and start celebrating what it did. Small gains add up to big wins!

Need a little motivation? Speak to our personal training team about adding a little more positivity into your workout. Or try these quick tips...

• Rent a locker of your very own at your Village Gym. Then keep a photograph in there of something that motivates you. A picture of the beach you're planning to hit, the finish line of the marathon you plan to run, or that pair of jeans you plan to buy! Every time you open your locker, you'll get a reminder of why you plan to hit the gym hard.
• Surround yourself with other who are also striving towards a fitness goal. Motivation is contagious. Seeing others dedicated to achieving their goals should help your mind to focus on doing the same. 
• Measure everything! Not in an obsessive way (no-one wants to read about the ins and outs of your lunchtime macros on Instagram). But by documenting your activity, you can see your progress at a glance. Our MyZone belt records MEPs, tracking effort levels and heart rate. A great way to remind yourself of just how far you've come.
• Perfect that playlist! Research shows that elements of music can switch on our positive mindset (in the same way that your favourite songs make you feel good). Music can also distract us from discomfort. This is why many top athletes enjoy a spot of music to psych themselves up before competing.  How to choose your tunes:
  • Choose music that goes hand-in-hand with the mental state you want to achieve. For example, fast, loud, hard beats are great for psyching yourself up.
  • Match the speed of the music and the rhythm with the movement. If it’s a dance inspired workout, choose a dance track you can step to. If it’s a yoga session, opt for a more chilled sound.
  • As a general rule, music at 130 to 140 bpm is best for very intense exercise, like rowing. 85 to 95 bpm, like hip hop  or 170-190 bpm like rock, is best for running.
  • Positive, affirmative lyrics, e.g. “do it”,  “move it” or “push it” are proven to boost motivation.
  • Try using a song with a faster pace than your usual comfort zone to help you stretch to reach new fitness targets.

*Published in Health Psychology