You’ve finally had that surge of motivation, and you’re ready to start working out. It can seem daunting at first, where do you even start? If you’ve been out of it for a while, signing up to a gym can seem intimidating, even more so if you’re only starting out now. We’re here with some tips to help you get going and utilize your motivation to keep you going.

The first thing to do is address your specific goals. One of the main reasons that people lose motivation is because they don’t have a specific achievable goal to focus on. Once you’ve broken it down into small manageable goals, it’s time to plan how you want to get there. Is your aim to lose weight, or gain strength, maybe you just want to tone or build up your muscles. Each end-target will have a different path to getting there.

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Visualizing your goals in your head is important, but it also helps to write them down. This will make them more concrete and tangible. Try writing motivational reminders and sticking them on your mirror or around your house. Don’t forget to think about the health benefits from working out. It’s not just about the scales or your body image, try to focus on working to become healthier and fitter. Why not recruit a friend to workout with you? Together you can motivate each other and provide support when the going gets tough.

A great way to stay motivated is to track your progress. This will help you see improvements and nothing feels better than looking back on what you’ve managed to achieve. This might be how fast or far you’ve run, the weights you’re able to lift, or the amount of reps you can do. A key point is stay focused on yourself. It won’t help your progression if you compare yourself to others. Focus on what you have managed to do.