10 Simple Habits to Start a Fitness Journey and Stick To It

It’s New Years! That time when you might be considering the option of joining a gym and maybe an exercise class or two. I’ve done my share of exercise classes and you might just call me a little addicted. This morning, after checking at the gym, I clocked in 292 visits in 2015! 

One thing that I’ve learned about group exercise classes is that they are a great way to meet new friends, get motivation and to get a great workout that is done in a fun setting. 

These are some of my friends from class. I heart them! I’ve done group classes like Zumba, several Les Mills classes from Body Pump, CXWorx, Body Step, GRIT and a few others like Butt and Gut and R.I.P.P.E.D. 

The hardest part about joining a new gym, starting a new routine or joining a class, is making a good habit out of it. Creating a habit that will keep you coming back. 

So with New Years here, I wanted to share some of my tips to help keep you motivated, determined and successful in your new fitness routine. Lets hit 2016 with a bang!!!

• Get a Personal Trainer – I signed up with a personal trainer immediately after joining the gym. 1/2 hour sessions or 1 hour session, it doesn’t matter. But the thing is, you will set days and times with a trainer and they are marked down on your calendar just like an appointment. Sure, you can cancel, but you can’t just reschedule those times. If you cancel an appointment last minute, you lose that training session. Great way to keep you accountable, because who wants to just throw money out the door! After several weeks with a trainer, you will have a great habit built up and coming to the gym will feel like a habit you’ve had your whole life.
• Start Your Fitness Journey Out Slow – I visit the gym 5-6 days a week, but it didn’t start that way. My first weeks at the gym consisted of 2-3 visits a week. If you can’t get a personal trainer, just pick two exercise classes and make them part of your week, write them down and commit to them just as you would a doctor’s appointment.
• Be Okay with Soreness – Starting a new workout routine is going to make you sore. Lifting weights is going to make you sore. Using muscles you’ve never used before is going to make you sore. BUT! You will get through those times. Don’t let soreness stop you from coming into the gym, that does go away with time. It takes a really tough workout to make my muscles sore now. Grab some ibuprofen, do lots of stretching, use the sauna if you gym has one and continue your journey. Often times, coming into the next class will actually work out those sore muscles because moving helps.
• Be Consistent – So you have your class routine mapped out. Follow this same routine for several weeks, do the same classes, same time and don’t give yourself any reason to not go. After you’ve built up a habit, choose some other classes that sound fun and rotate or swap them into your schedule.
• Routine – Most days, I try to get my workout done in the morning. I make a routine to roll out of bed, fill my water cup, put on my workout clothes and get ready to go. Once those workout clothes are on, it’s a mood changer! You will instantly feel like there is no choice but to go.
• Give a Class a Chance – Most people tell me that they can’t do Zumba because they aren’t coordinated. I’m telling you right now to get that thought out of your head. Zumba builds coordination, builds balance and endurance. When I started, it was just my feet and I did nothing else but stand behind a “regular” and learned the foot moves. Then it became comfortable and everything fell into place. Every class that I’ve taken has been questionable. My biggest advice is to give a class at least 2-3 weeks before making a decision on whether you hate it or not. Keep coming back! 
• Workout Clothes – Buy yourself a fun workout wardrobe. Super fun headbands are everywhere! My favorite compression pants come from Old Navy and JCPenny/Kohls are great for finding cute tops. I look forward to wearing my workout clothes, they are cute and I feel good in them! If you look forward to wearing them, then you will want to go to the gym. See how that works?
• Make the Decision – Make the decision that you are going to do this, you are going to class and you are going to be successful. There will be failures in your journey, plateaus, but they will help you grow, learn and grow you stronger. I make the decision to be stronger, not the mindset of needing to lose weight. Feel empowered about getting stronger! Make goals to lift more weights, to lift heavier weights, to do real pushups, to do so many squats. When you make fitness goals like that, it takes away the mindset of the scale and helps you get through those times when the scale doesn’t move.
• Results or Excuses – You can’t have both. If you want those results, you need to put away all excuses and tell yourself today that you can do it. Then do it! When I wake up in the morning and don’t feel like going, I roll back to my “routine” and my workout clothes go on. Then, I remind myself that this isn’t a choice, let determination kick in and you won’t need “motivation” to get you into the gym that day. Once you do it, there will never be a time when you walk out of that gym regretting your decision to go in.
• Social Media – Go to Instagram and search hashtags like #fitfluential #fitmoms #fitness #weightloss etc.. you will find a ton them. Follow accounts who post things that motivate you and visit them every single day. Create an Instagram account yourself and post the same things! You will find new food ideas, motivational quotes and inspiration to keep you going. You can follow me here! instagram.com/mommity