How I Stay Motivated to Work Out

I know from experience that it can be hard to stick to a fitness routine and to stay motivated when life gets busy. Somehow, over the last couple of years I have managed to find ways to stay motivated and feel even more determined than ever to work hard. Seeing as those new year resolutions are still hanging around, I thought I would share some of my tips and tricks for staying motivated to work out:

Fitspo on Pinterest
Staying inspired in all aspects of my life is really important to me and it keeps me going whenever I'm in a slump. Combine that with my love of Pinterest and I can be both entertained and inspired for days. I love everything from quotes, recipes, work-out fashion, and even fit Instagram girls who have made it. While you shouldn't focus your energy on other people's progress, it can be great to keep a goal in mind and say to yourself "that's gonna be me." Here's my Fitspo board. 

Seeing progress
This is probably the biggest motivator for me. When I started noticing how small my waist had got and how my clothes began to sit better, I knew all of my hard work had paid off. And that was just 4 days a week at the gym for two months! It almost becomes an addiction after that, and before you know it you're being called a gym-bunny (true story.)Yes, it does take time to lose weight and tone up, but just think of how great you will look in a year? The time is going to fly by anyway, so you might as well be getting sexier at the gym!

Living a healthy lifestyle
Feeling great doesn't just come from working out. They do say that abs are made in the kitchen and it's quite true. No matter how much you go to the gym, you're never going to get them if you're stuffing your face with processed foods all day. There's really only four rules to it:

• Get enough sleep every night
• Drink lots of water
• Eat clean foods
• Exercise regularly 

And that's all you have to do to live a healthy lifestyle that will make you feel great! I found that once I committed to exercise, I couldn't stand treating my body badly. I eat foods that give me energy and stay hydrated to make running easier. It's shown me what my body can do and now I have a new respect for it.

Having a good relationship with my PT 
I honestly owe a lot of my success to my personal trainer. Without him, I would just be stumbling along, having no idea what to in order to get the body I want. Personal trainers are an absolute god-send when you're new to a gym and they'll help boost your confidence quicker than you think. Mine knows that if he sets me a program, I'm going to do it and I'm going to work hard. He sees me committing to my work outs, so he's more likely to take me seriously and help me along. Best investment you can make for your fitness. There's no way I can disappoint him now!

Appreciating my body for what it is right now, not what it will be
As much as I'm aiming to look like the girls on my Fitness Pinterest board, I know that it will take a whole bunch of time and hard work to get there. I've learned to appreciate how far I've come already and how great I feel, rather than punishing myself for not being perfect. It's like that quote "If you spend all your time looking up at the mountain you have climb instead of the steps in front of you, you'll never get there." So choose to be happy and proud right now.

Buying cute work-out clothes 
Who doesn't love showing off a new outfit? I recently found one that shows off the jaguar tattoo I have on my ribs and I was so pumped to go to the gym so I could wear it. I also have a pair of New Balance tights that are super-comfortable and super-flattering. I always feel great wearing them, which is so important when you're working out. Go shout yourself something new when you are feeling a bit low on motivation and you'll be excited to work out again. Ditch the old t-shirts and feel great in something new!

A good playlist to get you moving
The first step for me is just getting to the gym. But once I'm there I have to stay motivated whilst working out. This is why I absolutely have to have my own music with me so I can get the right songs going. I have such a mixed playlist, but they come in handy at different stages in my routine. Salute by Little Mix always gets me into beast mode when I start, then there's various pop/hip-hop/electronic songs to keep my pace going. A good playlist can work wonders!

Changing my program 
I'm someone who will get bored easily and I can't just do the same thing everyday (which is why I run on different days.) I work with my PT to keep my routine new and I get excited to go back to try it out again. Work on something until it becomes easy, then set yourself a new challenge to help your progress. You always want to be happy with how your fitness routine is, if not, change it up!

I hope those tips were helpful! They all work well for me and I'm incredibly happy with my current lifestyle. Always remember that it takes 21 days to make a habit, so just stick it out for 3 weeks and you will be on your way! 

Do you have any fitness goals? How do you stay motivated?

Let me know in the comments!

Steph x.