10 WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO GET BACK IN THE GYM
When you’ve worked hard all year on getting your summer bod, it can be easy to let things slip when you’re back from your summer holiday. Keeping on top of fitness is key and if you’re wanting to live the BADR lifestyle all year round, you need to get your head in the game and get back in the ring.
We’ve asked the BADR team for their top 10 tips for getting motivated when you’re having a fitness slump and how to get yourself back to the gym.
Eat Right
“Rome wasn’t built in a day so use your common sense. Stop eating the chips and pies, start choosing the sweet potato and grilled salmon” Kane Mousah
What you eat during the day can impact how motivated you are to get to the gym. A smart breakfast with protein, fruit and complex carbs will give you a boost throughout the day. Follow it with a light lunch without high sugar or carbs and you can stabilize your energy and keep you feeling awake enough to hit the gym on a night. Aim to eat about four hours before you plan to work out to give your stomach time to digest, if your digestive system is still working to digest your food, it’s using energy that you could be putting towards your workout.
See your goals
It’s all well and good setting yourself goals but you should make sure you have reminders placed around you to keep you on track. Print out motivational quotes, add some fitness inspired artwork to your home and keep post-it notes at the office reminding you what you’re aiming for. Seeing what you want to achieve will give you that added motivation for working out.
“For us, fitness means all round well-being and being the best version of yourself. BADR stands for ‘be a dangerous rival’ and in order to do this you need to combine being fit and in-shape with your appearance and how you feel within yourself. As a fighter, fitness also means being able to defend myself – you have to be strong physically and mentally to take care of yourself” Kane Mousah
Set alarms
We’ve all told ourselves we’re going to hit the gym before work, or chucked our gym kit in the car in preparation for an evening session – but how many times have you conveniently forgot? Set alarms on your phone, your watch and your laptop to remind you that it’s time to get down to business and start training. Avoid hitting the snooze button and take the alarm as ‘it’s time to go’.
Invest in new gear
One of the best health and fitness motivators is new kit. When you invest in quality gear you’re going to want to wear it so if you’re in a slump, why not take a look at the latest BADR workout gear? We’ve made it our mission to create fresh performance wear that will give you that extra boost of motivation in the gym. From shorts and vests to joggers and hoodies, you can treat yourself to a whole new fitness wardrobe.
Sign up for a new training plan
Look around for new training plans that will mean a commitment from you. A new training plan that you can sign up for in advance will give you a solid goal to work towards, whether it’s boxing lessons or signing up for a distance running event. If you have to pay in advance, even better! No one likes to be out of pocket.
Challenge your mates
Get your mates involved in fitness challenges so you’re always ready to compete. Whether it’s who is the fastest or the strongest, the added competitive element will give you that extra push to get to the gym and show them you’re a dangerous rival. Set up a group chat with the boys and start stirring up some (friendly) competition.
Switch up your workouts
One of the biggest causes of fitness fatigue is getting bored with your workouts. If you start to dread doing your usual routine, switch it up and try something different. Not everyone likes running on the treadmill, so why not try skipping, weightlifting or joining a team sport. If you’re not having fun, you’re going to want to stop
Join fitness groups
Having a supportive group around you will help push you to succeed. Check online for fitness forums or social media groups where you can see other peoples progress, share your journey and get tips from others who are in the same boat. If you surround yourself with people who encourage you, you’re more likely to want to stick with it and show them what you can do.
Update your gym playlist
The right playlist can take your workout from 0-10 so it’s important that your tunes work with you to boost your adrenaline. Take the time to create the perfect mix of high intensity tunes that will give you an extra kick. Whether you’re into hip hop or heavy rock, if it’s loud and it spurs you on – it’s a hit.
Track your progress
If you can see your health and fitness journey working, you’re more likely to stick with it. Start tracking all aspects of your workout, from how many times you’re hitting the gym to the benefits you’re starting to see in your body. Aligning your gym motivation with health goals is a really great way to give yourself a kick up the backside, if you know you need to lose fat or up your stamina, you can start to track it and aim for milestone goals.
“If you can find anything with a weight and run around with it you will start to see the difference. It could be anything from a bag of shopping to milk cartons, once you start doing this regularly you’re going to see benefits in your weight, blood pressure and general fitness”. Kane Mousah