7 Ways to stay motivated & driven at the gym

Staying motivated and consistent with your exercise program can be a challenge. Whether it's the long hours at work, social commitments or just having a down day it can be hard. However, it's very important it is made a priority for short and long term health. Trying these seven simple ways will help get back you on track and living a healthier lifestyle.

1 Have a weekly plan and goals

Take some time to draw up a weekly exercise plan and goals sheet. Divide the week into seven days, AM/PM. Place in the times when you want to exercise, minimum 3 times per week. Then set 2-3 clear goals. A couple of good ones are "How many times you will exercise each week" and "Committing to a healthy eating plan". Put your weekly plan and goals sheet some where you are going to see often for example......Kitchen fridge, by your bed or even better, both. This way you will have a constant reminder of why exercising is priority, a great way to stay motivated.

2 Change your workout

If your training progress is slow, then boredom is sure to follow. If you find you're bored with your current workout program, then change it. There are lots of training programs that you can follow, there is no need to stick to doing the same thing day in, day out. Try something new.

3 Take it slow

One thing that can stop you from staying motivated is trying to go in from zero to hero in one hit. You will only end up sore, tired and eventually burnt out. Gradually make exercise a habit and enjoy the benefits, you will find there are many of them.

4 Do exercise you enjoy

Another big way to stay motivated is to stick to the types of exercise you enjoy you are more likely to keep it up. However, be sure to do good workout and raise the intensity every time so you get plenty of “bang for your buck”!

5 Keep a food and exercise diary

This is great tool to track your progress and keep you on track. You can refer to it from time to time to see how far you have come. It also helps to avoid overconsumption of unhealthy foods as you know you must write it in the book.

6 Get a workout buddy

Try to find a good training partner who is very serious about working out. Preferably someone who is fitter and stronger than you are so you will be motivated to do the same. A good training partner will really help you be consistent and increase the enjoyment of your workouts.

7 Schedule your workouts in advance

Make a "workout appointment" with yourself in your diary for a specific time and place. Treat this appointment the same as you would any important meeting. Ideally, it should be the same time each week. This will help build that habit. If you schedule time for your workouts in advance and stay disciplined to the plan, you're more likely to stay consistent.