I’ve been going to the gym a lot this year. And I’m actually sticking to it. Which is pretty impressive for me!
At first, I was just aiming for consistency. I wanted to just go to the gym, workout for a decent amount of time, a couple times a week. And I achieved that. But to avoid workout plateaus and decreased motivation, I had to switch it up.
Naturally, once you’ve achieved one goal, you might want to set a new one to go for. So, I started looking for a new fitness goal to set. I decided to start really pushing myself at the gym to create gym consistency. I wanted to make the most out of my sessions, especially since I started paying for a membership.
It started while I was using the bike one night. I like to do virtual courses for cardio workouts when I use cardio equipment to help increase endurance. This particular machine had 6 different parts of the course that lasts about an hour. Now, of course you don’t have to go through the entire thing, but you can try. Usually, when I did those course in the past, I only would make it through 1, 2, or 3 stages.
However, this day, I decided to do more. In fact, I decided to do all 6 stops. And I was able to do it, and didn’t care that my legs hurt after. I was really impressed that I was able to complete the entire course, and it created a newfound motivation so I decided to keep going with this strategy.
Another thing I did to push myself was try new workouts. Specifically, I have started weight training. Last month, I decided to walk over to the weight section of my gym for the first time. I started doing duel lateral rows while sitting down. I started using the lightest weight, 5 pounds, and managed to do about 20 reps. Now, I’ve moved up to the next weight, 12.5 pounds. I’ve also been lifting hand weights and doing squats with them.
I feel like I decided to start pushing myself once I was working out on a consistent basis. I wanted to not do the same thing over and over again. I wanted to feel like I was getting better at exercising to help build my strength and endurance. I had usually just done ab, leg, and cardio workouts all my life, and wanted to do other things. This has helped with overcoming workout plateaus.
If you are looking to motivate yourself more in the gym, I think you’ll know when the right time is to start. I’d recommend working out more than you usually do as a way of starting, to help with the initial push. Go to the gym more, but keep your regular or favorite workouts to keep it fun! Then when you’re used to that schedule, try a new workout, or a harder one. This helps avoid plateauing, faster results, which keeps your motivation, and then going to the gym is just part of your everyday life!
This article is a part of the “The Wellness Chronicles: My Journey to a Healthier Life“. To see more of my journey, click here!
