Making Fitness Part of a Routine

One of the hardest parts about getting into going to the gym has to be finding time for it, particularly when you either work a 9-5 or have a day that is already packed with watching Netflix and eating pizza in bed. I know this is something I struggled with. But it's surprisingly easy, particularly if you're prepared for it so here are some of my tips for engraining fitness into your daily life.

1. Go to the gym either before or after work. Now I know this is completely dependent on your gym's opening times - mine isn't open early enough to get a workout in before work, but taking your gym bag with you to work is a great motivator. I find that if I go home after work, I tend to lose motivation (plus it's often more efficient to just go straight from the office!). Sidenote: it's also a great way to relieve stress after work and you don't have to worry about washing your hair and looking presentable before work! Initially it's quite hard to summon up the motivation, but once you get in the habit, it's no problem.
2. Schedule it in your planner. If you're like me, I write everything down into my planner and I find that if I "schedule" in a workout, I'm able to plan things around it. Same applies to classes and also means I'm mentally able to plan what kind of things to include in my workout.
3. Join a class. Because classes are a group activity, they're not only motivating but most gyms have a fine system in if miss a class or don't cancel it within a time limit. Of course this is done to avoid people signing up for classes they don't attend but it's a great motivator if you know you could get a fine if you don't go!
4. Have a gym buddy. Again it's the mentality of letting someone down but if you're meant to be meeting a friend at the gym, you're unlikely to cancel last minute. This personally doesn't work for me as I prefer doing my own thing at the gym but I've had buddies in the past and it definitely helps!

Once you get into the habit, everything's far easier to get on board with! It's amazing how much a little bit of exercise can really improve not only your wellbeing but also your energy levels!

Are you a gym person? What are your favourite tips for motivation?