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While the first step is often the hardest, your fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint.
Even still, keeping a consistent pace as you run in the direction of your goals can be a challenge, especially when faced with life’s hurdles. Fortunately, with a few key strategies, you can reach your personal best in no time.
Read on for our top tips on how to stay consistent with working out for maximum results, as well as how to tackle the most common challenges.
Why Consistency Matters
Any amount of exercise is good for you, but if you want to reap lasting results, regular workouts need to be a consistent part of your routine.
Not only can working out consistently improve your sleep, mood, and energy levels, but it can also help fend off a variety of health conditions, from type 2 diabetes to cancer and depression. In fact, one study found that a combination of regular moderate to vigorous activity provided nearly the maximum possible mortality rate reduction: 35%-42%.
By building a workout habit you can stick to, you’ll ensure your hard work pays off long-term.
Key Strategies for Staying Consistent
The best way to set yourself up for success when starting a new fitness regimen is to go in with a strategy. Being intentional with the way you set and track your goals is essential to meeting them.
Set Realistic & Achievable Goals
Sports psychologists say that specific and realistic goal-setting is key to motivation and commitment. When you set a specific goal, like hitting a certain mile time or completing a certain number of pull-ups, you’re more likely to show up for yourself in order to track your progress.
Being realistic is also important here. As tempting as it is to shoot for the moon right off the bat, breaking down your long-term fitness dreams into smaller, more achievable “set points” will help you avoid becoming overwhelmed and burnt out.
In fact, research suggests that we often see the most success in striving towards goals that are just barely out of reach (rather than ones that are too easy or feel unachievable, which are more quickly dismissed).
Aim for process-oriented goals (like working out a certain number of times per week) rather than focusing solely on outcomes (like achieving a certain physique). The most attainable process-oriented goals are SMART:
- S: Specific
- M: Measurable
- A: Achievable
- R: Realistic
- T: Timely
By keeping your goal as specific as possible, tracking your progress, and setting a deadline, you’ll maximize your motivation (and your satisfaction as you see real-time progress).
Set a Schedule
It’s crucial to schedule your time at the gym just like you would any other commitment. Add workout sessions to your calendar alongside your regular meetings and appointments, and plan what you’ll do at the gym in advance.
Experts recommend a split workout routine, which allows your muscles time to recover between sessions. This might mean programming rest days between full-body workouts (recommended for beginners) or adding muscle group-specific days to your calendar.
Track Your Progress
Interestingly, one study found that wearing a digital fitness tracker more than doubled participants’ weekly time spent exercising. So, whether you wear a gadget to the gym or simply log your stats in a notebook, consider monitoring your progress to stay consistent.
Not only does tracking hold you accountable, but it also lets you see the objective intensity of your workouts and can inspire you to continue pushing yourself.
Choose a Workout You Love
Working out is hard work, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fun!
The list of ways to get moving is endless—so, if you hate the treadmill, get your cardio in via spin or Zumba. If lifting weights isn’t for you, try pilates or HIIT classes to build strength.
Choosing a workout you actually enjoy can help you stave off boredom and burnout.
Why Can’t I Stay Consistent? Tackling Common Obstacles
Being consistent doesn’t mean being perfect, so don’t sweat it if you break your streak. Life can often get in the way of healthy habits, but you can always get back in the saddle with the following tips.
Combatting Scheduling Troubles
One of the most common obstacles to gym-going consistency is a busy schedule. Between work, hobbies, and social and family commitments, squeezing a workout session onto the calendar can be a challenge.
The key to keeping a workout in your daily rotation is to experiment and find a time that consistently works for you. You might prefer to start your day with an endorphin rush, but if you’re not a morning person, consider scheduling gym time on your lunch break or immediately after work.
Even a few minutes of movement per day can go a long way—on days when you’re short on time, try getting your steps in between meetings or squeezing in some bodyweight exercises while you watch TV.
Rebuilding Motivation
You might find that after weeks or months of consistency, your motivation starts to dip. Don’t worry—this is completely normal. Take a moment to self-reflect: Are you simply bored or burnt out with your current routine? Allow yourself a week off, or consider switching things up with a new workout class or a different split.
When you return to the gym, try working out with a buddy—it’s the oldest trick in the book for good reason. You can hold each other accountable, and your gym time can double as hanging out with a friend. Fitness communities like a gym, class, or run club can serve a similar purpose.
Sometimes, dwindling motivation means a chance to recalibrate your “why.” If working out has become a chore you “have” to do, try to reframe it as something you “get” to do by thinking about how you feel after a workout (not just the sense of accomplishment, but also the stress relief and boosted mood that comes from endorphins).
Planning for Recovery
When you work out, you’re actually creating tiny tears in each muscle, and it’s through repairing these tears that your body gets stronger.
For this reason, it’s crucial to listen to your body and allow for regular rest days—at least one day per week should remain gym-free. Additionally, experts recommend resting for 2-3 days before training the same muscle group again. Otherwise, you run the risk of overtraining, which can take months for the body to bounce back from and hinder your progress.
Creating a Personalized Plan
Ultimately, you’re most likely to stick to a fitness plan that’s tailor-made for you. Determining how to best cater to your lifestyle and preferences might take some trial and error, but once you have a sense of your workout style, mapping the way to your goals can be a breeze.
Start by setting process-oriented goals and plug in your ideal routine. Don’t forget to switch it up often and celebrate each milestone you reach!
Run Towards Your Goals With Chuze Fitness
Your fitness journey is a marathon, but it’s one you can train for by arming yourself with goal-setting strategies and healthy habits. Wherever you are along your journey, the Chuze Fitness community is here to cheer you on.
Chuze offers endless group classes for you to try, from yoga to dance to indoor cycling. Our friendly staff is also here to help you set goals and keep you accountable. Plus, once you’re done for the day, you can reward yourself with a Chuze Blends smoothie, a dip in the hot tub, or a quick session in a Massage Bed.
With Chuze Fitness by your side, you can reach your goals in no time—and have fun doing it.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic. Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
American Medical Association. Massive study uncovers how much exercise is needed to live longer. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/massive-study-uncovers-how-much-exercise-needed-live-longer#:~:text=Meeting%20the%20minimum%20for%20moderate,associated%20with%20lower%20cancer%20risk.
Forbes. 6 Expert Tips for Setting Realistic Fitness Goals. https://www.forbes.com/health/fitness/setting-realistic-fitness-goals/
Healthline. Split Workout Schedule: What to Know and Examples. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/split-workout-schedule
Harvard Health Publishing. Can digital fitness trackers get you moving? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-digital-fitness-trackers-get-you-moving-201508278214
Harvard University. Finding Your Motivation to Exercise. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/143/2016/10/1_2016-Finding-Your-Motivation-For-Exercise.pdf
NBC News. How to get more muscle definition (and what you should know about why you’re not). https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/how-get-more-muscle-definition-what-you-should-know-about-ncna1076431
Hospital for Special Surgery. Overtraining: What It Is, Symptoms, and Recovery. https://www.hss.edu/article_overtraining.asp
Reviewed By:
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group fitness and team training departments. She’s had a 25+ year career in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, CA and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
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