I think even the people who live and breathe the gym, can sometimes find themselves getting into a bit of a rut when it comes to workouts.
I love working out, and my idea of a top Friday night is in fact going to the gym (I know- I hate me too) but that doesn’t mean that I always love going or have the motivation to do so.
I think we all go through phases of not wanting to go to the gym/working out, it’s something that’s so easy to fall into and so ruddy hard to get out of.
I always think this is a weird time of year, the whole new year motivation has left the building, and summer still seems a million miles away. And I’ve been struggling a little recently with motivating myself to go and finding myself getting a little bored with my workouts.
So let’s talk about how get out of this rut, because if like me, you work out because it massively helps your mental health, it means that you want to try and kick this slump sooner rather than later.
Work Out What’s Stopping You
So first of all, if something is really stopping you from going to the gym/work out, maybe you need to work out what that is.
Is it the time of your work outs (so the getting out of bed early to go to the gym isn’t happening or you’re skipping it on your way home from work cause you’re tired.) Or are you bored with your workouts, maybe you don’t like going on your own, or don’t have any inspiration for your workouts. Is it maybe the length of your workouts, you just don’t have the time to spare? Is it your confidence holding you back?
For me, I was finding that I didn’t want to go to my usual evening workouts as Henry was working away a lot, and I didn’t like being out for ages at night, as I hated walking Frank on my own in the dark.
So once you have your reason, it’s time to change that.
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Change Up Your Workout
So you’re bored with the gym. I get it. It happens to the best of us, doing the same thing week in week out can get boring. Maybe you’re not seeing results, maybe you’re just not enjoying it, and that can be a massive reason for not going to the gym which is totally understandable.If you don’t enjoy something, you’re not going to go are you?
My number one tip is to try to change things up, I’ve spoken before about how I love gym classes, I find them motivating and a great way to try new things. Could you maybe see what classes are on at your gym and try a new one. Or try a class in your area if you don’t go to a gym.
If classes are completely not your jam, could you change-up your workout? There’s so many ways out there to work out, that it could help to mix things up. I get a lot of Inspo from Grace Fit, Blogilates and Meggan Grubb. They all do great workouts that you can try yourself!
2. Change Your Routine
If you’re struggling with the time of the day of your workout, like I was, maybe you could try working out at a different time if your schedule allows it. I started going to earlier classes in the evening, and would try to go in the day sometimes ( I know that I’m very privileged to be able to do this) but could you swap mornings for evenings, or vice versa?
3. Get A Workout Buddy
I always find I’m much more inspired and motivated to go to the gym if I’m going with someone else. It’s much harder to flake when someone else is depending on you, or you have plans together. I usually find going with someone else makes classes so much easier. I know that it’s not that easy if you don’t know anyone else at the gym, so could you maybe persuade someone else to join, or see if there’s any group classes that aren’t huge that almost give you that workout buddy kind of vibe.
4. Get A Personal Trainer
So this kind of goes with the whole workout buddy thing, and this won’t be applicable to everyone. But if you really wanted to get some motivation/work out with someone. Maybe look into hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions. I’ve never done this but have heard that it’s really helped with motivating, Henry’s worked with a PT before as have a couple of my friends, and they both said they found it really motivating to have sessions. It might also help to give you more confidence in the gym and help to see results.
5. Change The Duration Of Your Work Outs
There’s no set rule for how long you need to work out, and in my eyes anything is better than nothing. Now if you’re struggling for time, or just don’t want to spend a lot of time at the gym, maybe look into creating shorter workouts. Could you maybe look for a shorter version of your fave class, or go to the gym more often but for less time? I personally really like HIIT classes because they’re over and done with so quickly. You work super hard for 20/30 mins and then you’re done. It’s so quick but really hard, meaning it’s a good workout. I swear by HIIT workouts, so would recommend them if you’re short on time.
6. New Workout Gear
This is probably going to be one of the most basic bitch things I’ve ever said but new workout gear always makes me so much more inspired to work out. I feel confident and excited to wear it, which sometimes help with getting me along to the gym. Hey anything is worth a try right?
7. Create The Best Playlist
Finally, if you’re kinda happy with your workouts and just lacking a little motivation, maybe all you need is a new motivating playlist that is going to seriously inspire you. Get on Spotify, and create the most motivating playlist ever. I love a good old pop punk playlist for the gym, but do some digging around and create something that is going to make you feel great.
I do find that all these things really help me when I’m lacking gym motivation, I usually find that trying a different class, or trying to rope someone to come along with me massively helps!!
I’ve actually been in talks with some local fitness trainers about creating some content for you guys, and would love to know what you’d maybe like to see? Let me know as I’m really excited to create some fitness posts for you!
Finally, I’d love to hear your tips for how to get out of a workout slump?
