January is here! We’ve put down the mince pies and prosecco and begun to dread the dreary evenings spent working-out down the gym. It’s hard to stay motivated when it’s dark and cold outside, not to mention you’re feeling tired from being back at work and being skint after splurging in December. Here are some ways that you can stay motivated to go to the gym.
Get a workout buddy
Working out with friends is so much more fun than working out alone! You can keep each other accountable and even go out for a coffee afterwards. The gym does not need to be a lonely experience.
Have a goal
Do you want to lose fat? Gain muscle? Improve your stamina? Whatever you want to gain, make it your mission. If you are aimlessly going to the gym and spending most of your time unsure of what you’re doing, you will probably not want to go back. 
Bring your workout clothes to the office
It’s a lot less tempting to go to after work drinks when you have to carry your gym gear and trainers around. Go to the gym immediately after work, that way you’re not procrastinating in your house for hours before deciding to stay on the sofa all night.
Don’t set overly ambitious goals
You’re not going to lose a stone in a week, so don’t make that a goal! Setting unrealistic goals can be incredibly discouraging if you don’t meet them. Achieving a realistic goal will have a positive impact on your motivation to keep going.
Tell yourself to go to the gym, even if it’s just for 20 minutes
If you’re feeling very unmotivated and can’t face the thought of working out for an hour, tell yourself to go for twenty minutes. Once you’re at the gym you will probably have the motivation to stay a little longer, and if you don’t, at least twenty minutes is better than no minutes at all!
Read our other blogs