Lifestyle
Food & Nutrition
Fitness
A lot of people pay monthly dues to belong to gyms, but they’re not sure what they’re actually getting out of it. Even though you might feel like you’re spending money on something that doesn’t directly benefit you, there are many things you can do while at the gym to improve your health and keep your body in top shape. This guide offers tips on how to make the most out of your gym membership, whether you’re trying to lose weight or just get more active in general.
1. Don’t Wait Until You Feel Motivated
As much as you’d like to say you’ll go for a run at 6:30 every morning, most people never do. And it’s not because they don’t want to — it’s because they don’t feel motivated. The longer you put things off, however, the harder it becomes to get started, and eventually—when you feel too tired or busy—you quit entirely. So what can you do? Start small. Pick one small activity (maybe walk around your house for 30 minutes each night) and make that your goal for a week. When that becomes easy, pick something else (try swimming). This small-step approach makes goals seem more manageable than going from 0 to 60 with exercise in one day.
2. Pace Yourself
Gearing up for an intense gym workout? Don’t sprint straight into it, especially if you haven’t worked out in a while. Go slow at first and gradually increase your intensity, or you might hurt yourself. Start with a five-minute warmup and then spend 20 minutes on strength training; finish with another five-minute cooldown. You may not need to follow that exact schedule every time you go to the gym, but knowing how long each part should take will help you focus on getting your heart rate up without overdoing it on your first day back in months.
3. Keep Track of Workouts
Tracking your workouts can help you feel like you’re not wasting time, but spending it productively. It may seem tedious, but taking notes after each workout will help you track how many sets and reps of what exercises you did that day. If I have a goal of doing four sets of squats every Tuesday, for example, having that note will make sure I don’t do an extra set on Monday or skip my session completely. In addition to helping me accomplish my personal fitness goals, it also helps me keep track of my diet—if I notice I didn’t eat much protein one day after going lighter with my squats, I might add more chicken or eggs at dinner.
4. Write Down What Works and What Doesn’t
Making a list of your favorite and least favorite things about your gym is a great way to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. First, write down everything that is enjoyable and effective about your gym, like I love having classes on Saturdays or I enjoy how close my gym is. Then, write down all issues you have with your current gym (for example, I hate that I don’t have any non-squatting equipment in my home gym). These lists will help you outline how to make any changes. You might also discover ways in which your current gym could improve by filling out these lists. Write Down What Works and What Doesn’t: Making a list of your favorite and least favorite things about your gym is a great way to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. First, write down everything that is enjoyable and effective about your gym, like I love having classes on Saturdays or I enjoy how close my gym is. Then, write down all issues you have with your current gym (for example, I hate that I don’t have any non-squatting equipment in my home gym). These lists will help you outline how to make any changes.
5. Bring a Friend to Workout with You
One reason people often find themselves quitting their gym membership is that they simply aren’t accountable to someone. It’s much easier to skip a workout if you don’t have to face a friend in order to do so. However, having a friend with you can help motivate you and keep you moving. If you struggle with wanting to skip your workouts, ask your friends or family members to join you—you might just find that having them with you makes it easier than skipping and worrying about disappointing someone else.
6. Set Realistic Goals and Timeframes
Setting unrealistic goals, or not having a specific timeline and benchmarks, can lead to quitting and a waste of your hard-earned money. If you’re setting fitness goals for the first time, or have struggled with sticking with them in years past, try taking things one step at a time. Start with something small that won’t take more than 10 minutes but will get you moving. Once you feel comfortable with that goal, set another just like it. Work up from there—you may be surprised by how quickly your new workout habits stick. No matter what kind of goal you’re shooting for (losing weight, gaining muscle), be sure to follow through on your plan every day and give yourself positive reinforcement along the way!
7. Change it Up (to avoid boredom)
This is one of the most important tips. It may be easy enough to find an exercise routine that you enjoy, but making it fun requires that you switch things up every once in a while. This prevents boredom and will help you keep exercising for a long time into your future (and hopefully many more years after!). Also, don’t forget about adding variety to workouts; if there are machines at your gym, experiment with them all! If classes are offered at your gym, take as many as possible until you find one or two that fit your schedule and style perfectly. Finally, watch workout videos online or get DVDs from your library—change it up by watching something new every few weeks!
8. Reward Yourself (for sticking with it!)
After you complete your workout, give yourself a reward. Doing so will make it easier to keep going because it feels good—and it makes sticking with your fitness routine much more enjoyable. You don’t have to spend money; a simple treat like an extra glass of water or a quick trip outside counts. Just take some time to appreciate what you’ve done and be proud of yourself for achieving your goals. Losing weight is difficult, but it’s worth it in more ways than one!
