Are you in a gym slump lately? Here’s 5 easy ways to get back into fitness for those of you who may not know where to start!

Have you been struggling to get back to exercising for a while? If you're like me, finding motivation, especially during the cold winter months in New England, is hard. Most people go through ebbs and flows throughout there fitness journey. The awesome thing about fitness is you can start any time at any level! If you're having a hard time getting motivated to get back into training here's some tips to get started again! 

1. Start small: You don’t have to go back to a 30 minute to an hour long workout right away. Start with 10 minutes doing something you enjoy like walking or riding the bike. Starting off small with low intensity exercises can help you build back up to whatever level you were at before and help you find activities that you truly enjoy doing 

2. Skip the gym membership: This is not to say that a gym membership doesn’t have its benefits because it most definitely does. Some people thrive in a gym setting and feel more motivated to go to the gym if they have a gym membership. Some people also love group classes and are more motivated in a group setting. But if this is NOT you then DON”T FORCE IT. Some people hate the gym and don’t look forward to going and then they just end up feeling guilty for paying for a membership they’re not using. Instead look at possible online gym memberships to do home workouts, invest in some equipment to use at home like a yoga mat and some light dumbbells or look into some of the new interactive machines they have now like the Peloton or the Tonal trainers. These are all great ways to start getting active in a way that’s comfortable for you. 

3. Schedule your workouts: If you set a schedule and stick to it it will help you be more consistent. I am so guilty of doing this. I tell myself the night before I’m going to workout in the morning and then when I get up I keep pushing my workout off until it’s 7pm and then I’m too tired to want to do it. Schedule your workouts and stick to it so that you can get in, get it done and feel better after!

4. Find a workout buddy: It’s way easier to get motivated when you have someone working with you. It’s easier to bail on a workout when you’re the only one doing it. If you’re doing it with a friend you might feel a little more obligated to follow through. It can also make workouts more fun and you’ll look forward to it more if you’re doing it with someone you enjoy spending time with. Finding a workout buddy is a great way to get motivated to exercise and enjoy your workouts a little more! 

4. Set goals and track your progress: Set realistic, achievable goals and track your progress. If you can see changes and you see yourself achieving your goals it will help you stay motivated. And it doesn’t have to be anything crazy. You can literally set a goal to get some exercise in twice this week. If you can do that for a few weeks in a row, set a goal to exercise 3 times next week. On top of setting goals, you should track your progress. Whether you find an app that does it or you’re old fashioned and you keep a notebook, which is what I do, keeping track of your workouts is so helpful not only for you to see your progress but it also helps it to not feel as redundant. If you track what you’re doing it’s easier to change up your exercises so your workouts don’t feel so repetitive and you can see progress by tracking your exercise intensity (weight, distance, speed etc). Tracking your intensity will also help you to progress better and keep you invested in continuing to get better!

Exercising doesn't have to be a chore. Experiment and find things you love doing. Talk to friends, take classes, meet people with similar interests and find something you truly enjoy and then getting motivated to work out will be so much easier. Hopefully this article gave you some good info and will give you the little push that you need to get yourself moving again! If you have any questions or you're looking for any more information feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me via email. Thanks for being here and I hope this helps you on your journey!