So we are officially at the start of the new year and we all know what this means… GYM. Majority of us have the exact same new year resolution as we had last year, tone up, lose weight and have the beach body of our dreams by summer and majority of us stuck to that… for about 2 weeks. So these are our top ten tips to get you to stay motivated long term, or at least until we catch that ever-elusive 'gym bug'.
2. SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS One of the most important factors when starting a new exercise routine is to set realistic and achievable goals. Setting these goals will allow you to strive for something and keep you motivated throughout that time frame however it is important to be realistic when you set them, because if you set one that is going to be impossible to reach then it is only going to have the opposite effect and de-motivate you when you don't achieve it. 3. EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISE Working out and staying fit is only growing in popularity year on year and because of this, there is now a million and one different exercises you could be doing, so a big tip would be to experiment with different sorts of classes and find the one that suits you best. Obviously you will be a lot more motivated to consistently go to the gym/workout classes if you enjoy them but a big tip would also be to try and pay attention to the one that is making the most changes in your body. Everyone is different and everyone responds to exercises differently, so you wouldn't want to be going to the gym and doing an hour on the treadmill every day for a year and not see huge differences, to then start going to a yoga class and see noticeable changes within the first few months would you? No. So experiment! 
4. CREATE A PLAYLIST Having a good playlist can do wonders in aiding your workout, your body will automatically go into rhythm with the music and hopefully this will make your workout a little easier and possibly make it go a little quicker. However if you struggle to make time to even go to the gym in the first place, you more than likely won't have much time to sit there and create a custom playlist, apps such as Spotify already have a lot of good workout playlists ready to use. But if you don't personally find music that motivating, Netflix now has an offline mode which means you can download a few episodes of your new favourite addiction before you go and watch them while you workout (because who are we if not multi-taskers) and this will without a doubt make your workout go quicker. 5. SET TANGIBLE REWARDS Now this is one we can all enjoy, the rewards. Obviously us making changes in our bodies, having more energy and overall feeling better should be reward enough but lets be honest setting little tangible rewards throughout can do a lot for your motivation. Dependant on whether you need more of an instant gratification, then possibly going for a healthy smoothie or breakfast straight after your workout can give you the little push you need to get up and go in the morning or if you posses a little more willpower and patience, you can wait until you reach your goals to buy yourself a reward such as a new pair of jeans or some new heels. 
6. TAKE PROGRESS PICTURES Although a little daunting at first, this will without a doubt be a driving force in your motivation. There is a millions of girls on social media that we all look at and think 'I wish I had her body…' but 99% of the time it very easy to disassociate ourselves from them, whereas if the pictures you are looking at are of you, it is very difficult to use this tactic. This will also be an easy way to track your progress, 3 months in to your routine, you might think you're getting nowhere, your body hasn't even changed and you find yourself questioning whether it is all worth it... taking progress pictures will enable you to compare what you looked like when you started to what you look like now. After doing this, no doubt you will be back at the gym tomorrow because you will be able to instantly see the progress you have made, motivating you to carry on. 7. GET YOURSELF A GYM BUDDY Having someone to go to the gym with with makes it a little more enjoyable for a start but also makes you a little more accountable, if you have made plans to meet someone no matter where it is, you're never likely to cancel last minute and that is going to be the same for the gym. Even if you and your gym buddy don't workout together once you are there, the point is that you have motivated one another to at least go, and as they always the say 'hardest part about going to the gym, is actually going'. 
8. GET A PERSONAL TRAINER A great thing to do when first starting out with a new workout routine is having a personal trainer. If you find having one very motivating and feel like you just couldn't bring yourself to even go to the gym unless you have a session booked in then great, do that! But having a personal trainer permanently can be costly, (a lot of gyms do now offer a personal training service as part of your membership) but I think booking a session in, even if it is just the once, will benefit you because you can carry on following their plan on your own after that session. They will show you the exercise you should be doing to achieve what you want, specifically in the areas you wish target and they will also help make sure you are doing those exercises correctly in terms of form etc. 9. READ MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES Stick these on your fridge, put them as your screensaver, you can even write them in your calendar instead of 'gym', just put them anywhere that you're going to see them. Physically reading a motivational quote makes you think about going, even if you are at the point that you have decided you are not going to go tonight, "you're going to have a night off instead" and you are already snuggled up on the couch in your pyjamas, going to the gym will play on your mind and hopefully after an hour or 2 of feeling guilty you will be getting changed and heading back out again. 
10. EXERCISE AT HOME For some just the idea of going to the gym is enough to put them off working out before they have even started and for most it is just a case of its still winter, its cold and miserable, and after a long day at the office the only thing you want to do is race straight back home and stick the heating on, however there is a ton of exercises you could be doing from the comfort of your own home. There is obviously the old age workout DVDs but with youtube so accessible and millions of videos to choose from exercising at home could not be easier and a lot are specific to different parts of the body, so if you are wanting to target particular areas or switch up your routine, you can easily follow along and customise it to suit your needs. Now, if you try all these tips and still manage to find yourself falling off the exercising bandwagon, we are coming up to the end of the 2nd week after all... then do not fret! All those cute exercise clothes you have bought can still go to good use in helping you nail the athleisure trend! This is the one that is spotted regularly on the likes of Gigi Hadid, after all if we can't have her body we can at least attempt to have her style, right? Possibly minus all the crop tops though... 
- NEW WORKOUT CLOTHES
2. SET ACHIEVABLE GOALS One of the most important factors when starting a new exercise routine is to set realistic and achievable goals. Setting these goals will allow you to strive for something and keep you motivated throughout that time frame however it is important to be realistic when you set them, because if you set one that is going to be impossible to reach then it is only going to have the opposite effect and de-motivate you when you don't achieve it. 3. EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISE Working out and staying fit is only growing in popularity year on year and because of this, there is now a million and one different exercises you could be doing, so a big tip would be to experiment with different sorts of classes and find the one that suits you best. Obviously you will be a lot more motivated to consistently go to the gym/workout classes if you enjoy them but a big tip would also be to try and pay attention to the one that is making the most changes in your body. Everyone is different and everyone responds to exercises differently, so you wouldn't want to be going to the gym and doing an hour on the treadmill every day for a year and not see huge differences, to then start going to a yoga class and see noticeable changes within the first few months would you? No. So experiment! 4. CREATE A PLAYLIST Having a good playlist can do wonders in aiding your workout, your body will automatically go into rhythm with the music and hopefully this will make your workout a little easier and possibly make it go a little quicker. However if you struggle to make time to even go to the gym in the first place, you more than likely won't have much time to sit there and create a custom playlist, apps such as Spotify already have a lot of good workout playlists ready to use. But if you don't personally find music that motivating, Netflix now has an offline mode which means you can download a few episodes of your new favourite addiction before you go and watch them while you workout (because who are we if not multi-taskers) and this will without a doubt make your workout go quicker. 5. SET TANGIBLE REWARDS Now this is one we can all enjoy, the rewards. Obviously us making changes in our bodies, having more energy and overall feeling better should be reward enough but lets be honest setting little tangible rewards throughout can do a lot for your motivation. Dependant on whether you need more of an instant gratification, then possibly going for a healthy smoothie or breakfast straight after your workout can give you the little push you need to get up and go in the morning or if you posses a little more willpower and patience, you can wait until you reach your goals to buy yourself a reward such as a new pair of jeans or some new heels. 6. TAKE PROGRESS PICTURES Although a little daunting at first, this will without a doubt be a driving force in your motivation. There is a millions of girls on social media that we all look at and think 'I wish I had her body…' but 99% of the time it very easy to disassociate ourselves from them, whereas if the pictures you are looking at are of you, it is very difficult to use this tactic. This will also be an easy way to track your progress, 3 months in to your routine, you might think you're getting nowhere, your body hasn't even changed and you find yourself questioning whether it is all worth it... taking progress pictures will enable you to compare what you looked like when you started to what you look like now. After doing this, no doubt you will be back at the gym tomorrow because you will be able to instantly see the progress you have made, motivating you to carry on. 7. GET YOURSELF A GYM BUDDY Having someone to go to the gym with with makes it a little more enjoyable for a start but also makes you a little more accountable, if you have made plans to meet someone no matter where it is, you're never likely to cancel last minute and that is going to be the same for the gym. Even if you and your gym buddy don't workout together once you are there, the point is that you have motivated one another to at least go, and as they always the say 'hardest part about going to the gym, is actually going'. 8. GET A PERSONAL TRAINER A great thing to do when first starting out with a new workout routine is having a personal trainer. If you find having one very motivating and feel like you just couldn't bring yourself to even go to the gym unless you have a session booked in then great, do that! But having a personal trainer permanently can be costly, (a lot of gyms do now offer a personal training service as part of your membership) but I think booking a session in, even if it is just the once, will benefit you because you can carry on following their plan on your own after that session. They will show you the exercise you should be doing to achieve what you want, specifically in the areas you wish target and they will also help make sure you are doing those exercises correctly in terms of form etc. 9. READ MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES Stick these on your fridge, put them as your screensaver, you can even write them in your calendar instead of 'gym', just put them anywhere that you're going to see them. Physically reading a motivational quote makes you think about going, even if you are at the point that you have decided you are not going to go tonight, "you're going to have a night off instead" and you are already snuggled up on the couch in your pyjamas, going to the gym will play on your mind and hopefully after an hour or 2 of feeling guilty you will be getting changed and heading back out again. 10. EXERCISE AT HOME For some just the idea of going to the gym is enough to put them off working out before they have even started and for most it is just a case of its still winter, its cold and miserable, and after a long day at the office the only thing you want to do is race straight back home and stick the heating on, however there is a ton of exercises you could be doing from the comfort of your own home. There is obviously the old age workout DVDs but with youtube so accessible and millions of videos to choose from exercising at home could not be easier and a lot are specific to different parts of the body, so if you are wanting to target particular areas or switch up your routine, you can easily follow along and customise it to suit your needs. Now, if you try all these tips and still manage to find yourself falling off the exercising bandwagon, we are coming up to the end of the 2nd week after all... then do not fret! All those cute exercise clothes you have bought can still go to good use in helping you nail the athleisure trend! This is the one that is spotted regularly on the likes of Gigi Hadid, after all if we can't have her body we can at least attempt to have her style, right? Possibly minus all the crop tops though...
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