8 tips to start exercising

It’s no secret: working out makes you feel good. It fills you with a lot of energy and simultaneously you get a stronger, slimmer body. Who wouldn't want that? You feel like a champion when you can lift heavier weights or when you can run that one mile further than before. But other times it can definitely feel more like a drag, causing difficulty to maintain this healthy lifestyle. You end up in a motivation dip that’s hard to get out of sometimes.

Remember this: never back down and don't throw in the towel. Quitters never win and winners never quit. We have 8 tips to get you back in the saddle and to keep exercising fun!

1.   Set small, realistic goals

Working out without goals is fine but when you set goals, you have to stay motivated and to keep pushing yourself. Especially if you've been exercising for a long time, or when you’re just starting out. It really helps to set goals to stay motivated. These do not have to be big goals; celebrate small victories every day! Big goals can sometimes be demotivating because it takes a longer time to achieve them. For example, start exercising twice a week and build up to it. Want to lose weight? Then look at what is feasible. Losing 20 pounds in 5 weeks can be done, but it might be better to aim for half of that. Losing two pounds per week is much more attainable and will keep you motivated much longer.

2.   Dot it for yourself, not for others

I do it because I can! Nowadays being fit and sporty has become a real hype. This is not necessarily bad, because everyone is working on a healthy lifestyle. What is bad is to compare yourself to others, making you feel bad about yourself. Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable. Sometimes your own goals fade when you look at the goals of others. You will then lose interest faster and you are no longer doing it for yourself but to become better than others. Instead, battle with yourself and find the drive to really enjoy yourself. Every day, aim to be a little bit better off than you were yesterday. This way, the you of the past is your only comparison.

3.   Keep track of your progress

Everyone is happy with good results. This could mean losing weight, gaining muscle mass or getting a more positive, motivated mindset. Whatever it is, keep track of the progress! Sometimes you may think "what am I doing it for? I still look the same." But, because you see yourself in the mirror every day it is difficult to really see the progress for yourself. How to do this? For example, a sports blog, measure your waist to see how it goes or your triceps to see how much they grow. Or see what clothes have become too big or too small. Of course, taking pictures of yourself in the mirror is also very effective. Work hard, have fun and enjoy every victory!

4.   Keep it fun

Challenge yourself and have fun with hit. How to keep it fun, even after a while? Go for variety in your workouts or carefully craft a great playlist. Change your training schedule every 5 weeks and get out of your comfort zone sometimes. If you always do the same thing it becomes routine, which works fine for some, however variety absolutely is the spice of both life and working out.

5.   Reward yourself

Rewards give a lot of motivation and positive energy. Reward yourself once a week with something sweet that you really feel like. A greasy pizza, a bag of chips or cookies. A healthy lifestyle requires balance, and an unhealthy snack is part of that. If you have achieved a certain goal, reward yourself with a new outfit or a new fragrance. What sometimes helps is to buy a cool pair of gym leggings to shine in the gym or a new headset to enjoy good music during your workout. You can think of anything you like but look for what you like so you can work harder towards your goals and reward yourself.

6.   Work out with a friend

Meet up with a sports buddy! You can guide each other, give each other extra motivation and pull each other to the gym when one of you doesn't feel like it. There are only advantages. Chatting between sets while you train hard, you have a spotter on hand and someone who just shouts "you got this! if you have trouble finishing that one set. Of course, working out with a buddy isn’t only great in the gym. Maybe you prefer tennis, rowing, swimming, jogging or kickboxing. Whatever you and your buddy like, both of you will probably see better results when you motivate each other.

7.   Plan your sports moments

Planning sport moments in your calendar helps tremendously. Ever heard of decision fatigue? After a long day of being disciplined and focused at work, in the evening you’re often tired and more likely to make bad decisions (like not working out). By planning your workout sessions well in advance, or by most preferably having the same moments each and every week to workout, you take away the mental struggle before each workout whether to go or not. The dentist appointment in your calendar; you do cancel because you do not feel like it? Probably not, so don't do that with your workouts either.

8.   Do not listen to your own excuses

Everyone has an off-day. That day when you really don't feel like it. That's fine, but sometimes those off days accumulate and before you know it you haven’t worked out in a month and lost significant progress. Is it raining? Then just grab the umbrella or do a brisk workout at home. Are you going tomorrow? Then really go tomorrow. Are you tired? Exercise gives energy! Weigh the advantages against the disadvantages. In the end, it actually is not difficult at all. Just go and do it! You got this.

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