Our Adjustable Dumbbell Set has all you need to get started and keep going
Getting back into a regular workout routine is no small affair. It's hard to count on yourself to summon up the courage to take the first step, and even less to keep the faith when the results take a while to materialize. Here are 4 winning strategies to stay motivated in any circumstances.
Winning strategy #1: become your own coach
Can't afford the services of a fitness coach? No problem! To motivate you to keep moving, become your own personal trainer: try to keep a journal of your exercise/sports sessions. Establish a training schedule to incorporate fitness/sports sessions into your daily routine. It's a good way to make progress over time, and especially, to reach your fitness objectives more quickly. What's the right pace? Twice a week at least; 3 times is ideal. Another tip: look at motivational videos and images that inspire you to do fitness activities and be in good shape. Encourage yourself when exercise becomes a chore. This may be stating the obvious, but when you feel you can succeed, it helps greatly to actually verbalize it to reinforce this feeling and encourage yourself to give it your all.
Winning strategy #2: work out all the muscles in your body!
Have you tried everything to lose weight to no avail and your legs, bottom or tummy don't seem to have budged? It's most likely because you are (mistakenly) too narrowly focused on those parts of the body. Working on the same muscles too much will overdevelop them. Following the exact same training program every week leads to stagnation. Our fitness tip: To get results, work out all the muscle groups, not only those which you're specifically targeting. For example, once a week, instead of running on the treadmill, join a fitness class; or, during your body-building session, take care that only half of your exercises target the lower body.
Winning strategy #3: pump up your sessions
Have you been training on a treadmill to stay in shape, but feel that you're falling into a rut? Our winning fitness plan: combine cardio training and muscle strengthening to liven up your sessions. Running speeds up fat burning while allowing you to recuperate, while the muscle strengthening helps you maintain your muscle mass and therefore burn more energy. For a 30 minute (approx.) training, follow this sequence: warm-up for 10 minutes - walk for 4 minutes then jog at a slow pace. Next, for 20 minutes, alternate 3 minutes of running with 30 seconds of muscle strengthening - i.e., side planks, push-ups, crunches (upper and lower abs), lunges, etc. Wrap up with 5 minutes jogging at a slow pace to cool down.
Winning strategy #4: a training plan for home
When you're pressed for time, sometimes your only option is to exercise at home. And like many of us, it's easy to put off until tomorrow the fitness exercises that await. How do you stay motivated even at home? Try to set aside at least 2 time slots in the week dedicated to exercise. For example, start with 20 minute sessions and then, if you can, increase them in length as the weeks progress. Select one or several workout programs from among those recommended in our advice section. You may also want to consider equipping yourself with accessories (that are efficient and not bulky) to help you work out at home, such as a jump rope, some dumbbells, a kettlebell, a resistance band, or a medicine ball.
Now you know some good ways to start exercising again— and how to stick to it! And don't forget that to stay motivated you should choose an activity that you like and will enjoy doing!
