We are just over a couple of months into 2017 and I am seeing the gym motivation starting to quiet down. As veteran members all know the wait for gym equipment usually peters out by the beginning of February as most of the new members stop going to the gym or at least stop coming very often.
I always think of new years as being a very trendy time for gym memberships as the prices drop to get new members and there is a lot of excitement as many people show up for the first time and then get bored, sore and disillusioned and move on to the next exciting thing in their lives.
A few people we will see get the bug and do not stop and will become lifelong lifters but I always used to wonder what makes the difference between those that stay at the gym and those that leave.
Here is my list of the things that stop people from hitting the gym and how to get around them.
Gym Motivation Killers – How To Break Them
1. No pain, no gain – The problem here is that most people push themselves far to hard and have no time to recover between workouts and after being sore for a month it is impossible to go on. This looks to newbies as a ridiculous lifestyle.
To get away from this problem why not just slow down. If you want to look hot for the summer why not take it a little easier. The beach will still be empty next week so dont kill yourself trying to look like a greek god now.
2. No results – When getting started in a gym you may not get fast results in losing weight. Your workouts are going to lose you fat as well as gain you muscle so you are going to not be losing as fast as you hope.
Give it time.
As you gain muscle it takes your body more calories to keep that muscle, as well as increasing your metabolism, which in turn will help you lose fat.
3. Tiredness – This relates to number one. You will be tired as your body adjusts and as you gain strength, lose fat and get healthier. After you adjust to the new workouts you will get more energy and not be nearly as tired as you were before you started this healthier lifestyle.
4. No time except for the gym – This is a doozy. When you get started the only thing that matters is going to the gym and then suddenly you have lost touch with the rest of the world and you miss that.
Why not just start reducing the time you workout. You do not need to work out two hours a day. 45 minutes to an hour is all you should be spending in the gym as you get started.
5. Boredom – Boredom can definitely creep into your attitude at the gym. This is usually caused, I believe, from not having a plan, goals and a way to make sure that you are going to achieve them.
If you just go in and lift weights randomly or do a cardio workout when you cant think of any muscle groups that you feel like doing then you are quickly going to get bored and not know why you are spending time in the gym.
Get together with a trainer at the gym that you join and get a plan together for what you are going to do each day in the gym and set some realistic goals and you should be set.
Other than these issues the biggest issue is that the first gym you saw was the one you joined and you just might not enjoy working out there. Try going through my list of how to choose a gym, and my other gym staff articles to make sure that you pick the right place to workout and keep your gym motivation up.