These Are the Success Tips YOU need to hear in 2016!
Welcome all new gym goers and resolutioners! Hopefully most of you will stick to it well past February or March. If you feel like you’re already struggling and ready to give up, we’ve got some success tips for you to keep in mind while you keep going!
1 – Ease into it
Listen, it is very exciting when you have new workout gear to wear and you are filled with promise and hope that it’s going to work this time. What’s not so exciting, is when the enthusiasm starts dwindling and you’re losing all motivation that got you started! You absolutely need to ease into your new lifestyle. Diving right in sounds like a good idea, but when it comes to workout, dipping in to your knees is an even better idea. If you have not worked out in months or even years, you need to get your body accustomed to your new habit before going full force. Otherwise, you’ll end up feel sore, exhausted and defeated.
2 – Get a Trainer
A good trainer will assess how you move and formulate a workout that addresses your needs while also progressing you towards that beach ready bod come Spring. You need a plan of action, as well as the knowledge to get you there. Having a plan with no knowledge is not going to get you closer toward your goals, and neither is having the knowledge without a plan. Showing up and planning to figure it out is NOT going to cut it this year.
3 – Learn gym etiquette
This may be new territory to you, learn proper etiquette. Here are a few to consider:
- It is ok to ‘work in’ and or let someone do so
- Grunting usually makes you look foolish
- Bring a towel and wipe down the machine after you use it, especially if you are sweating
- If you are filling a water bottle at the fountain and someone is waiting to just drink, let them go
- Don’t spend a lot of time on your phone
- Don’t talk on your phone on the gym floor
- PLEASE clean up after yourself, rerack weights and put your equipment away
- No one standing next to you should be able to hear you blasting ‘My Heart Will Go On’ in your ear
- If you are not sure how to use a machine, ask, you may be shy but it is better than looking foolish
- Don’t stand in front of the dumbbell rack
- Don’t stare at people working out (or at anyone, ever)
- Don’t block heavy foot traffic areas while socializing with friends
4 – Use proper form
Exercises are not good or bad, but they need to be the correct one for you. If you do not know proper form, ask or watch a YouTube video. Some exercises should be modded for your personal limitations. For more, see tip 2.
5 – Get your Diet in Order
If you are working out consistently and not seeing results, your diet is probably to blame. See a dietitian and clean up your eating habits for long term results. In most cases, weight loss is 80% nutrition, 20% exercise.
6 – Kick ass in 2016
Make it your year. Work hard. It pays off.