Having a hard time getting yourself to stick to your gym routine? I know just as well as the next person that it's not so much the cardio that keeps me from going, as it is simply stepping out the door. So I've created five simple gym hacks that will trick yourself into going.
1. Motivate yourself! I keep a "fitspiration" board, which I will admit is something I found on Pinterest. It's like a bulletin board, but instead of filling it with pictures of you and your friends or your weekly reminders, it's full of motivational and gym-inspiring quotes and pictures. I keep it in my bedroom so I can never miss it! Fill it with workout plans or a calendar with a count-down to Christmas or Spring Break! After all, a one-hour workout is only four percent of your entire day!
2. Is the gym messing with your Netflix time? Good thing we all have smart phones! Nothing bores me more than hopping on the treadmill or elliptical for an extended amount of time. I just pull my phone out and open up my Netflix app on there! Worried about the data? Good thing our campus has free wifi! Not to mention that episode lengths can be a good timer for your workouts.
3. Find a workout buddy. I'm sure you've all heard this one before, but that's because it really works! Go with your roommate or find a friend who gets done with classes at the same time as you. It's the best reminder to get to work! Like many others, I suffer from severe FOMO. If my friends are going to the gym without me, then tagging along is the only way to not miss out. Problem solved. Gym FOMO cured.
4. Update your fitness wardrobe! Whether you think this one is silly or not, it actually works too. Don't act like you're not already obsessed with Lululemon or Athleta. Everyone has their weak spot. I know I love an excuse to put on my new kicks. Just try it! It doesn't have to be expensive. I get excited over my half-calf socks and sports bras. It's the small things.
5. Form a habit, set goals, and make yourself a schedule. It's been said that three is the charm; that proves as true with workouts, too. Get yourself in a schedule and don't miss your third day in the week! That third day is the magic number that helps you form your habit of going. Write it in your planner, or make a set time for each day you go. People function through force of habit. When we don't set goals and make plans, that's when we start getting lazy. Just do it! I swear it helps!
Hopefully these simple hacks are as helpful to you as they are to me! Just do whatever works to get yourself there! Trust me, you will feel 10 times better after the work-out.
