Sustainable Workout Programs

So there you are, armed with a sparkling new gym membership.

Surely that’s the hard part out of the way – forking out all that hard-earned cash took conviction, not to mention considerable effort earning it in the first place.

Now all you have to do is toddle along to the gym a few times a week armed with a towel and change of clothes.

How hard can it be?

The stats say very hard. Joining a gym might be one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, but wasting said membership with chronic non-attendance should be in the small print.

You may have noticed that during January most gyms are heaving masses of misshapen bodies prodding dumbbells with suspicion, yet come February, most of those people seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

Why? Because they couldn’t sustain their New Year’s enthusiasm, be it artificially stimulated or not. And that is the problem, and the key – finding a workout that works out; a workout you enjoy and want to continue doing.

So what are the secrets to creating a sustainable workout program?

Forget the gym if you don’t like gyms

Yes, gyms are synonymous with fitness and tend to be the default choice for most as a result. But some gyms can be a little threatening, particularly if you’re embarking on your fitness journey with a few extra pounds of self-consciousness.

If that’s the case, forget the gym; there are loads of other ways to get fit. Some involve organised venue-based activities, some don’t.

Running, biking and swimming are great ways to tone and shed weight out of the public eye. If you simply find gym work boring and repetitive, try boxing, mixed martial arts, yoga, Pilates, aerobics, Zumba or, for a serious kick start, join a boot camp.

Don’t be like a bull at a gate

The moment we decide to get fit, we want to be fit in five minutes; we charge into it like crazy people and become even crazier when we rupture something in about three minutes.

Take it slow! Rome wasn’t built in a day and your body will take at least two months to start cooperating with your fitness plan. If you push yourself too hard to begin with, you’ll pay the price with lengthy lay-offs.

Be patient, seek advice to ensure you embark on the most sustainable fitness plan for your current physical condition and focus on your whole week of training.

Don’t rely on motivation

Yes, motivation might help you make the fitness commitment in the first place, but it’s a fad emotion at best. Your desire to train will wax and wane with your moods and daily life complications.

So forget it. Instead, rely on pre-planning every work-out as much as you can. Prepare all your gear in advance (the night before if you train in the morning), commit every workout to your phone or wall calendar and set reminders an hour before each session.

Invest in a Personal Trainer

And it is an investment on all kinds of levels. You want to see improvements day after day; you want to feel like you’re getting somewhere and that this fitness lark does actually work!

Well, for one, a personal trainer will ensure you have the right workout routines to precisely match your goals. They’ll keep you honest and punctual, not to mention technically correct so you don’t injure yourself.

And they’ll update your program regularly to ensure your progress never stagnates.

For more on personal training and how you can take that giant step into personal training yourself, visit our courses page.