This is a very common issue for many people: I join a gym and work out for a week or two, and then lose my motivation. How can I stick with it?
The key to sticking with any new fitness regimen is to make it part of your lifestyle, not something you do for a few weeks, and then abandon. You need to find ways to stay motivated without relying on willpower alone. Here are four tips that have worked for me when starting a new exercise routine:
1. Set realistic goals that you can achieve. For example, if you are trying to run farther or faster than you ever have before, set small goals each week (add five minutes of running each week) so you can achieve your final goal. This makes it easier to stay motivated because you’re not always striving for something far off in the distance; instead, you are achieving smaller milestones along the way.
2. Be patient with yourself. If you miss a day of exercise one week, don’t beat yourself up over it. Just get back on the treadmill the next day and try again. If you mess up twice in a row, just realize that tomorrow is another chance to start fresh. Everyone misses a workout now and then; don’t let it be an excuse to give up on your entire training.
3. Another common pitfall is working out without enough sleep, especially if you’ve been keeping odd hours while traveling or on vacation. Skimping on sleep causes stress and raises cortisol levels, both of which can make it harder for your body to burn fat. So make sure to get a good night’s rest so your body can recover after workouts.
4. One reason you might fail is that you may be trying to do too much, too soon. If you start off feeling sore every day or exhausted from exercising, that’s probably because your body isn’t used to being challenged in this way. You may want to start by walking for half an hour three times a week and then build up from there.
