While the first step is often the hardest, your fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint.
Even still, maintaining a steady pace as you run toward your goals can be a challenge, especially when you face obstacles in life. Fortunately, with a few basic strategies, you can reach your personal best in no time.
Read on for our top tips on how to stay consistent in training for maximum results, as well as how to tackle the most common challenges.
Because consistency matters
Any amount of exercise is good for you, but if you want lasting results, regular workouts need to be a consistent part of your routine.
Not only can exercise consistently improve your sleep, mood and energy levels, but it can also help prevent 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 greatest possible reduction in mortality: 35%-42%.
Building a workout habit that you can stick with will ensure that your hard work pays off in the long run.
Key strategies to stay consistent
The best way to set yourself up for success when starting a new fitness program is to follow a strategy. Being intentional about how you set and track your goals is essential to accomplishing them.
Set realistic and achievable goals
Sports psychologists say that setting specific and realistic goals is key to motivation and commitment. When you set a specific goal, like hitting a certain kilometer or completing a certain number of pull-ups, you’re more likely to show up on your own 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 depression and burnout.
In fact, research suggests that we often see the most success in striving for goals that are barely out of reach (rather than those that are too easy or feel unattainable, which are more quickly dismissed).
Pursue process-oriented goals (like working out a certain number of times a week) rather than focusing solely on results (like achieving a certain physique). The most achievable process-oriented goals are SMART:
- S: Specifically
- M: Measurable
- A: Possible
- R: Realistic
- T: Current
Keeping your goal as specific as possible, tracking your progress, and setting a deadline will maximize your motivation (and your satisfaction as you see progress in real time).
Set a schedule
It’s important to plan your time at the gym like you would any other commitment. Add training sessions to your calendar alongside your regular meetings and appointments and plan what you’ll do in the gym in advance.
Experts recommend a split training routine, which allows your muscles time to recover between sessions. This might mean scheduling rest days between full-body workouts (recommended for beginners) or adding days to your calendar for specific muscle groups.
Track your progress
Interestingly, one study found that using a digital fitness tracker more than doubled participants’ weekly exercise time. So whether you wear a gadget to the gym or just record your stats in a notebook, consider tracking your progress to stay consistent.
Tracking not only keeps you accountable, but it also allows you to objectively see the intensity of your workouts and can inspire you to keep pushing yourself.
Choose a workout you love
Training is hard work, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun!
The list of ways to get moving is endless—so if you hate the treadmill, start your cardio with spinning or Zumba. If lifting weights isn’t for you, try pilates or HIIT classes to build strength.
Choosing a workout that you actually enjoy can help you avoid boredom and burnout.
Why can’t I stay consistent? Dealing with 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 tips below.
Combat programming problems
One of the most common obstacles to gym consistency is a busy schedule. Between work, hobbies, and social and family obligations, squeezing a workout into the calendar can be a challenge.
The key to keeping a workout in your daily rotation is to experiment and find a time that works consistently for you. Maybe you 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 right after work.
Even just a few minutes of movement a day can go a long way—on days when you’re pressed for time, try walking your steps between meetings or doing bodyweight exercises while watching TV.
Reconstruction of motives
You may find that after weeks or months of consistency, your motivation begins to wane. Don’t worry – this is completely normal. Take some time to reflect on yourself: Are you just bored or burned 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 get back to the gym, try working out with a friend—it’s the oldest trick in the book for good reason. You can hold each other accountable and your time at the gym can double as hanging out with a friend. Fitness communities, such as a gym, class, or running club, can serve a similar purpose.
Sometimes, a decrease in motivation means an opportunity to redefine your “why.” If working out has become a chore that you “have to” do, try to reframe it as something you “have to” do by thinking about how you feel after a workout (not just the sense of accomplishment, but also the relief from stress and anxiety). mood enhancement derived from endorphins).
Planning for recovery
When you exercise, you actually create tiny tears in each muscle, and your body gets stronger through repairing those tears.
For this reason, it’s important to listen to your body and allow for regular rest days—at least one day a week should remain gym-free. In addition, 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 and hinder your progress.
Create a personalized plan
Ultimately, you’re more likely to stick to a fitness program that’s tailored to you. Determining how to best accommodate your lifestyle and preferences can take some trial and error, but once you have a sense of your training style, mapping out the path to your goals can be a breeze. .
Start by setting process-oriented goals and plug in your ideal routine. Don’t forget to change it often and celebrate every 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 strategies and healthy habits. Wherever you are on your journey, the Chuze Fitness community is here to cheer you on.
Chuze offers endless group classes 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 on 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.
American Medical Association. Huge study reveals 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%20.
Forbes. 6 Expert Tips for Setting Realistic Fitness Goals.
Healthline. Split Training: What you need to know and examples.
Harvard Health Publishing. Can digital fitness trackers get you moving?
Harvard University. Find your motivation to exercise.
NBC News. How to get more muscle definition (and what you need to know about why you’re not).
Hospital of Special Surgery. Overtraining: What it is, symptoms and recovery.
Review by:
Ani is the VP of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group fitness and group training departments. He has had a 25+ year career in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Annie lives with her husband and son in San Diego, California and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
