5 Things I'm Doing to Make My Workouts Count

Is it really January if there aren't articles a dozen promoting working out or discussing a New Year's Resolution to get fit. But thankfully, I'm not going to do that. 

I've been fairly committed to going to the gym since about August 2016 and have been going consistently since then but as when doing any activity for a significant length of time, your body gets used to it and strength and fitness can plateau. So instead of a New Year's Resolution, I'm using the new year to switch things up. Here are the 5 things I'm doing to make sure my workouts aren't a waste of time.

• Try a class. It's pretty much a given that you tend to work harder in classes. Over Christmas when visiting my parents, I went to a few Body Pump classes with my dad and loved them. I'm a big fan of resistance workouts so pump classes are ideal. I'm also getting back into RPM (Spinning) and will be trying to do 3/4 Pump classes and 2 RPM. Pump classes use a bar and free weights so are ideal for toning and RPM is a huge calorie burner. I'll let you know how this combination works - I'll probably try and do a few more classes so again, will let you know how I go! Classes are also an ideal way to go if you're not sure where to start in the gym.
• Go early. I'm not a morning person and would rather not get up early but there's something great about getting a workout in first thing. It really sets me up for the day and it's nice knowing that I don't have to worry about it later.
• Fuel my body right. If you have McDonalds, the last thing you'll want to do is go to the gym. Bad food makes me feel sluggish so I'm trying to eat a bit more mindfully so that I actually do want to workout.
• Wear the right kit. Despite owning numerous different pairs of gloves, I always end up forgetting them so find I'm not able to move as quickly because of blisters or sore hands. Little things like this really will affect your workout. Just like if you know you're going to be doing squats, you're not going to wear see through leggings. It makes all the difference. Trust me. 
• Schedule. Schedule. Schedule. Last week I made the fatal mistake of booking RPM classes three days in a row. Having not been on a spin bike in a good few months, my bum was insanely sore. This meant I flaked out of the third and could hardly perform my best in the second. Schedule your workouts so that you don't compromise yourself. Plus, having them scheduled in means you're less likely to bail...

Are you a gym person? How do you stay committed?