We all dream and desire that bikini bod, but most believe that it is too far out of our reach to become a reality. It takes only 21 days to make an activity a habit in your life, so get to it! Here are a few tips for staying motivated and excited about working out!

1. Eat! Working on your body and increasing your exercise habits does not mean going on a crazy fad diet and cutting nutritious food groups from your body. It's important to maintain a balanced diet full of foods that you enjoy eating and that your body will thank you for.

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2. Make a plan. Having an idea of what you are going to do at the gym is crucial to your workout success. Plan out what muscles you want to work on each day, and formulate a plan of action. Have this plan very precise, down to the minutes on the treadmill or the reps of crunches you plan to do. This will keep you focused and motivated, and you will spend less time wandering about the gym deciding what to do.

3. Drink up! Staying hydrated is so important to exercise! (and to life, in general). Drinking plenty of water while exercising to help your muscles and reduce soreness the next day!

4. Switch it up! Don't do the same workout every day! Even though you are exercising regularly, the same workout too regularly can actually hurt you instead of help! Switching it up is important. Whether you alternate the machines you use at your gym, or actually participate in different workout methods (try yoga or barre classes for a nice change of pace), it is important to push yourself (and your body) to try new things! It will keep you excited and motivated about working out!

5. Don't overdo it! While it's important to push ourselves and set goals at the gym, we don't want to overdo it and hurt ourselves. Especially with weight training, one can easily pull a muscle or hurt themselves long term if they overdo it. With that said, set realistic goals for yourself and don't be too ambitious. You will get there, eventually!