Everyone goes through phases where they lose motivation to go to the gym, which is completely normal. But, there are a few things that you can do to reignite your motivation and really enjoy exercise again! Don’t be hard on yourself if you’re going through an unmotivated stage, just try to refocus your goals and your motivation should come back naturally! 

 

Set Realistic Goals

The first thing you should do to feel motivated again is to set realistic goals. Often if you set goals that are unattainable, you are far less likely to achieve them and you will then feel unmotivated as a result. Instead, make your goals achievable and then gradually build them up as they become a natural part of your life. 

For example, instead of saying you want to go to the gym for an hour a day 5 days a week, try to start with 45 minutes a day for 3 days a week. In terms of your diet, rather than aiming to eat completely clean 7 days a week, focus on the 80:20 ratio so you aren’t restricted. Instead of trying to get 8 hours of sleep a night if that isn’t realistic for you, try to aim for 7 instead so you still have time for an energising morning routine. 

Once you are consistently hitting these realistic goal, it will be much easier to build up from here rather than starting from scratch. 

 

Invest in New Gymwear

This doesn’t work for everyone, but something as simple as a new gym wear outfit can be enough to boost your confidence and get motivated again. If you have gym clothes that you don’t feel good in, that don’t fit properly or don’t feel comfortable, then it will make you far less likely to get up and head to the gym. 

So, get yourself some new womens gym leggings, mens running tops or trainers and you will be raring to go to the gym! This is only a temporary solution, but if you just need something to give you a kickstart, this is a great choice! 

 

Make Workout Plans with Friends

If you train on your own, it’s so much more difficult to get and stay motivated. So, why not ask your friends if they’ll get involved? 

This could be going to the gym together before or after work, going for a lunchtime walk with your work friends, taking your dogs for a nice long walk at the weekend or doing something fun like paddle boarding. If you’re all trying to get healthier, you could book something together that you are going to work towards, like a mud run, 5K or half marathon! Having a goal to work towards is great for your motivation and it’ll be even better when working towards it with your friends. 

Doing active things with your friends is really fun, so make the effort and you will really enjoy it! 

 

Try Something New

If you are feeling unmotivated, bored and uninspired with the gym, then it’s probably time that you mix things up. 

Instead of doing cardio everyday you go to the gym, why not do one day cardio, try some weight training (start light and build up) and maybe one fitness class a week. If your gym has a pool, why not give that a go? Try some HIIT training for something to get the heart racing. Trying new things in the gym is a great thing to do, but if you are ever unsure about an exercise, don’t be afraid to ask for some help on how to do it. 

 

Final Thoughts

We all go through stages of feeling unmotivated, but it’s about how we change that that really matters. Take small steps to set realistic goals and you are so much more likely to get back into a good routine!