Dress for Success

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Everyone knows the feeling of going to bed having their favorite outfit picked out for the next day. It is a small thing, but it can get you so excited for the future ahead. I implement this same idea to the gym.

Putting together workout outfits will spike your motivation to get off the couch and go workout. This is because, rather than just having workouts to look forward to, you’ll be looking forward to that cute outfit, which can be a little more enticing.

Not only will you be looking forward to the outfit before your workout, but you will also feel better during your routine. If you look cute while you’re working out, your confidence will be higher.

This means while you are completing your exercises, you’ll have an easier time convincing yourself that you really can finish those last few reps.

Designate Work Out Times

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No sports team requires its player to be on call 24/7.  Most teams have set schedule that players are expected to show up to.

The team members fill the time slot with practice and it becomes immovable part of their schedule. Prioritizing your workouts like this helps establish a routine for yourself.

This allows workouts to become second nature and you don’t have to worry about making the time—you just go.

Make Workouts Social

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Having other people who depend on you showing up to the gym will make you more likely to show up, because they will hold you accountable. Your gym partner isn’t going to let you live down that cardio set that you didn’t show up for, when they did.

Not only will others guilt you into showing, but having other people with you make gym trips more fun. It’s always nice to crack a joke with someone while on a rest interval. 

The people you choose to go to the gym with is crucial. If you need someone to be intense, motivate, and keep you on track, you should probably consider getting a personal trainer.

If you are looking for someone who can motivate by competing with you, bringing just one friend with you may be optimal. If you are pretty good at sticking to your workout and want to meet new people, an exercise group can transform into a group of buddies in no-time.

You can form an exercise group on your own by recruiting friends, or go to exercise classes offered at the Hamilton Recreation Center.

Set Goals

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There’s no reason for going to the gym if you don’t aim to get anything from it. When it’s freezing cold and you just want to be snuggling in bed, that is going to be very apparent in your attitude.

Therefore, you should establish a ‘why’ for working out. What goal do you want to reach from going?

Six-pack abs, bomb biceps and killer obliques are all good things to obtain from your workouts. But, working out can offer you much more than a healthy physique. 

Physical activity boosts your all-around health. It also boosts your endorphin levels, which put you in a better mood.

Whether you’re trying to build your muscles or just be in a better mood, having a goal in mind at the gym will give you a reason to put a continuous effort in each day.

Remember, you are working out because you want to work out. Nobody is making you go to the gym. You are going because you want to be there. If you look at going to the gym as something you love enough to make time for, that in itself will become a reason to go.