3 Simple Hacks For After Summer Fitness Success
It can be difficult to stay fit during summer. Kids home for summer. Vacations. Kids (this is a theme). Warm weather. Friends - pools - margaritas (maybe all 3 at once)... The large list of reasons why “I can’t make it to the gym today” seem to pile up. Here are 3 Simple “Hacks” to get back in shape now that fall is here and school is back in session!
1.) Process Goals
Studies show that people are more likely to make successful changes when they focus on the steps or process it takes rather than the end result. With that in mind, we want to break down your goals into smaller steps that will be less overwhelming and easier to focus on reaching. We don’t want to talk about the 20lbs you want to lose. We want to talk about the things you need to do in order to lose those 20lbs. Process goals might include:
Waking up 20 minutes early to exercise.
Going to the gym 3x a week.
Laying out your workout clothes the night before.
Blocking off 30 minutes during your day to go for a walk.
Preparing your meals ahead of time; Taking your lunch to work rather than eating out.
2.) Same Day - Same Time
If we look back over the thousands of people we’ve trained, we’d find a common habit among those who consistently worked out. One of the most common traits is what we will call “Same Day - Same Time”. When people start at Pride Fitness, I encourage them to pick 2-4 days and times that they KNOW they can show up NO MATTER WHAT. Let’s run through an example:
We have two ladies who started over four years ago. We decided on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 5:30pm, as well as Saturday at 11:30am. Why? They worked. When they left work, it wasn’t a question where they were going on a Tuesday at 5:30pm - they were going to the gym. This habit has stuck with them to this day. See, life is going to happen...
It’s not enough to say “I’ll go to the gym tomorrow”. When? Plan it! Your brain wants the easiest route, and if you have a plan and stick with it while it’s building this new pathway, you’ll be more likely to stick with the new plan! Plus, when you have a plan when you will show up, you can set process goals (Hack #1). For example:
If you know you are going to the gym right after work, you can lay your workout clothes out the night before with your work stuff, so when you go to leave in the morning, you can grab your workout clothes. You’ll be less likely to forget your clothes!
3.) Join a Challenge
Challenges help us leave our comfort zone. Challenges help us stay accountable. Challenges help us build habits and routines that last. It’s one of the reasons why we constantly run challenges in our facility. Life happens, and sometimes something to reach for is what we need to get going again or push us past a plateau.
That’s why on September 7th, we are going to run the “Pride 50” challenge. The goal? 50 workouts by December 31st. That’s about 3.25 workouts a week. How different could your life be if you did 50 workouts this Fall? That’s the plan - to push people to new levels and reach new goals!
If you are interested in learning more about joining our “Pride 50”, click the link below and schedule a call with our team!
Yours in Health and Strength,
Pride Fitness