Somewhere between New Year’s Resolutions and bikini season most Americans stop making time to sweat! We meet a few goals, get comfortable, skip a few sessions and before you know it, your gym clothes haven’t seen the outside of your drawer in months! One of the hardest things I can think of is getting back to the gym after a hiatus. Motivation is low, you fear you’re not on top of your game anymore, you forget about how good you felt after a workout, and add all the negative self talk that comes with undo-ing all the progress you had made, and seriously, how can you get back to that Zumba class? Alas, it’s summer, and pool parties and lazy beach days are among us, and the gym is getting packed again. Here are some tips to make getting back to the gym as painless as possible!
- Start with the least painful or intense workout you can think of. Go for an evening stroll or take a yoga class, something that is easy to convince yourself to do but you’ll still feel like you got a workout in at the end of the day.
- Grab a partner. It’ll be easier and more fun to get to the gym if it means you’ll get to also spend some time with a friend. It’s harder to flake if you’ve already committed to someone else, and they can motivate you to push harder than you would if you were alone.
- Go shopping – for new gym clothes that is! Those new shorts might just give you the motivation you need. That, or you’ll feel guilty if you don’t put them to good use!
- Reward yourself. Set some realistic goals and treat yourself once you meet them.
- Make a great playlist. Once you get to the gym, your favorite music will make it easier for you to stay!
- Don’t stop. I know this tip is a few months late, but it would be a whole lot easier if you never stopped exercising in the first place! Commit this time and make sure you don’t go more than 10 days without a workout.