The first step is often the hardest, but your fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint.
Still, maintaining a consistent pace while running toward your goal can be a challenge, especially when life throws challenges. Luckily, with a few key strategies, you can reach your personal best in no time.
Read on for top tips on how to keep training going for maximum results and how to tackle the most common challenges.
Why consistency is important
Any amount of exercise is good, but if you want to see lasting results, you need to incorporate regular exercise into your daily life.
Consistent exercise not only improves your sleep, mood and energy levels, but it also helps prevent a variety of health conditions, from type 2 diabetes to cancer and depression. In fact, one study found that regular moderate to vigorous exercise reduced mortality rates to a near-maximum extent, between 35% and 42%.
Developing a sustainable training habit will make your efforts more rewarding in the long run.
Key strategies for maintaining consistency
The best way to be successful when starting a new fitness program is to approach it with a strategy. Being intentional about how you set and track goals is essential to reaching your goals.
Set realistic and achievable goals
Sports psychologists say setting specific, realistic goals is key to motivation and commitment. When you set specific goals, like hitting a certain mile time or completing a certain number of pull-ups, you’re more likely to take action for yourself to track your progress.
Again, it’s important to be realistic here: while it may be tempting to aim big from the start, breaking down your long-term fitness dreams into smaller, more achievable “goals” will help you avoid becoming overwhelmed and burning out.
In fact, research has shown that people are often most successful by working toward goals that are just out of reach (rather than goals that are too easy or feel impossible to achieve) (which are then quickly dismissed).
Instead of focusing solely on an outcome (such as achieving a certain physique), aim for process-oriented goals (such as working out a certain number of times per week). The most achievable process-oriented goals are SMART.
- S: Specific
- M: Measurable
- A: Achievable
- R: Realistic
- T: Timely
Setting goals as specific as possible, tracking your progress, and setting deadlines will maximize your motivation (and You can check the satisfaction level by checking the progress in real time.
Set up a schedule
It’s important to schedule your time at the gym just like you would any other appointment. Add your training sessions to your calendar alongside any regular meetings or appointments, and plan in advance what you’ll do at the gym.
Experts recommend a split training routine that allows your muscles time to recover between sessions, which means building in rest days between full-body workouts (recommended for beginners) or adding muscle-group-specific days to your calendar.
Track your progress
Interestingly, one study found that wearing a digital fitness tracker more than doubled participants’ weekly exercise time. So whether you wear a gadget to the gym or simply record your stats in a notebook, consider monitoring your progress to stay consistent.
Tracking not only keeps you accountable, it also gives you an objective sense of intensity in your training, motivating you to keep pushing yourself.
Choose your favorite workout
Training is hard work, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.
There are endless ways to move your body. If you hate the treadmill, try spinning or Zumba for cardio. If weightlifting isn’t your thing, try a Pilates or HIIT class to build strength.
Choosing a workout that you actually enjoy will help prevent boredom and burnout.
Why can’t we be consistent? Dealing with common roadblocks
Consistency doesn’t mean perfection, so don’t worry if your streak breaks. Life often gets in the way of healthy habits, but you can always get back on track with these tips:
Dealing with Scheduling Issues
One of the most common obstacles to sticking to the gym is a busy schedule. With work, hobbies, social and family commitments, it can be hard to fit training sessions into your schedule.
The key to keeping exercise in your daily routine is to experiment and find a time that works consistently for you. While you might want to start your day with an endorphin rush, if you’re not a morning person, consider setting aside time to hit the gym during your lunch break or right after work.
Even a few minutes of exercise a day can make a big difference. If you’re pressed for time, try walking between meetings or doing some weight training exercises while watching TV.
Re-establishing motivation
After a few weeks or months of consistency, your motivation may start to wane. Don’t worry, this is completely normal. Take a moment and reflect. Are you just bored or exhausted by your current routine? Consider taking a week off or switching to a new workout class or different splits.
When you return to the gym, try training with a buddy. This is one of the oldest techniques around. It keeps you accountable and allows you to socialize with friends during your time at the gym. Fitness communities like gyms, classes, and running clubs can serve the same purpose.
Sometimes, when motivation wanes, it’s time to recalibrate your “why.” If exercise has become a chore you “have to” do, think about how you’ll feel afterward (not just the sense of accomplishment, but also the stress relief and mood boost from endorphins) and reframe it as something you “can do.”
Planning for Recovery
When you exercise, you actually create tiny tears in each muscle, and your body gets stronger by repairing these tears.
This is why it’s important to listen to your body and schedule regular rest days: make sure you stay away from the gym at least one day a week, and experts recommend taking 2-3 days off before training the same muscle groups again. Otherwise, you risk overtraining, which could take your body months to recover and thwart your progress.
Create a personalized plan
Ultimately, you’ll be following a fitness plan that’s tailored to you. It may take some trial and error to find what works best for your lifestyle and preferences, but once you know your training style, it’s easy to plan your path to your goals.
Start by setting process-oriented goals and building in an ideal routine — switch it up often and remember to celebrate the milestones you achieve.
Run to your goals with Chuze Fitness
Your fitness journey is a marathon, but with goal-setting strategies and healthy habits you can train for it. No matter where you are on your journey, the Chuze Fitness community is here to cheer you on.
Chuze offers a variety of group classes, from yoga to dance to indoor cycling, and our friendly staff will help you set and reach your goals. And at the end of the day, you can pamper yourself with a Chuze Blends smoothie, a soak in the hot tub, or a quick session on the massage bed.
With Chuze Fitness by your side, you will reach your goals in no time.and Have fun!
source:
Mayo Clinic. Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Physical Activity. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-Depth/exercise/art-20048389
American Medical Association. A large-scale study has revealed how much exercise we need to live longer. https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/massive-study-uncovers-how-much-exercise-needed-live-longer#:~:text=Meeting the minimum for moderate to low cancer risk.
Forbes. 6 expert tips for setting realistic fitness goals. https://www.forbes.com/health/fitness/setting-realistic-fitness-goals/
Healthline. Split Workout Schedules: What You Need to Know and Examples. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/split-workout-schedule
Harvard Health Publishing. Can a digital fitness tracker get you moving? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-digital-fitness-trackers-get-you-moving-201508278214
Harvard University. Find motivation to exercise. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/143/2016/10/1_2016-Finding-Your-Motivation-For-Exercise.pdf
NBC News. How to Get More Muscle Definition (And What You Need to Know About Why You Don’t Have It). https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/how-get-more-muscle-definition-what-you-Should-know-about-ncna1076431
Hospital for Special Surgery. Overtraining: What it is, symptoms and recovery. https://www.hss.edu/article_overtraining.asp
Reviewer:
Ani is the VP of Fitness at Chuze Fitness where she oversees the Group Fitness and Team Training division. She has over 25 years of experience in club management, personal training, group exercise and instructor training. Ani lives in San Diego, California with her husband and son and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.
