Stay Motivated – and Happy – at the Gym

The busiest month at the gym is over.

Or is it?

If you’re one of the many who recently joined a gym to lose weight but are finding it hard to keep going, I have some simple advice for staying motivated: find something you like to do.

Going to the gym shouldn’t feel like a hassle. Unless someone is paying you to work out, it’s probably not going to be one of your top priorities if exercise feels like nothing but a chore.

That said, as a fitness instructor, I think the people who get the most out of exercise are the ones who love going to the gym so much that they schedule their day around their workout.

Yes, people actually do that.

So, ask yourself, what kind of exercise do you like to do?

If you used to enjoy running years ago in high school, go ahead and step on that treadmill.

If you enjoy being around other people, take a group exercise class. You don’t have to be a trained dancer to take Zumba. And you don’t have to be a champion swimmer to burn a lot of calories in a water aerobics class. Sometimes just being around other people can turn exercise into a pleasant social experience.

Of course, there are days when a good list of songs on your iPod is all you need to push yourself through that workout plan in the weight room.

If you’re bored at the gym or stuck in a rut – hire a personal trainer to teach you some new strength-training exercises. Don’t be afraid to try something different. It can also help prevent hitting a weight-loss plateau.

Just remember that working out is like anything else – you’ll keep doing it if it’s enjoyable.

Alice Warchol is a freelance health blog writer and fitness instructor.

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