When asked for advice from friends and followers on how to stay motivated to keep up with a fitness journey (or any new venture for that matter) my answer is always the same, stop looking at whatever it is as a chore & more like something that simply needs to be part of your day.
Not A Chore - A (small) Part Of Your Day.
You wouldn't think twice about allowing time to brush your teeth or take a shower in the morning as you see these actions as necessary or of high value to your day, so why would you look at your fitness journey in a different way? & not to mention the sense of satisfaction & accomplishment you get from not only seeing but feeling the results of your hard work over time.
Post Gym 'Reward'
I like to go to the gymbox branch of gyms, the atmosphere is energetic, they have resident DJ's in the evenings, the gyms are kept quite dark so you don't feel exposed, there are separate facilities for men and women, fantastic creative classes that are switched up regularly (including things such as boxing, pole dancing, aerial yoga & more)
Get A Fitness Tracker
Purchasing my Fitbit was another big motivator for me, having a visible tracking device for your steps/calories/active minutes was really helpful and addictive to keep up with. You can set your own targets and build them up as you get fitter, so start with figures that are realistic and manageable to you, they also have weekly challenges that you can take part in if you're the competitive type! The Fitbit app is really clearly set out & easy to use. Pictured below is my Fitbit Versa. I love the sleek design and long battery life - this alongside the Fitbit app layout were my main deciding factors for getting this watch over an apple watch.
Another thing that I find motivates me is quite simply having some gorgeous gym clothes, of course, you can workout in whatever you want, but I've always appreciated the value that wearing a flattering outfit brings to any situation. Not all gym wear is created the same, you can find brands that specialise in compressing certain areas of the body for added support (e.g stomach/ thighs)
Simply feeling comfortable working out & not having to worry about any 'problem areas' jiggling about & making you feel self-conscious can affect whether you choose to go through with a workout in the first place for some.
Glutey Wear Leggings
I recently came across a brand called Glutey wear via a friend of mine Amy Quine (check her out, she is an amazing personal trainer and fitness model, her page inspires me every day)
She wears this particular brand of leggings quite a bit and I loved how much it seemed to flatter the shape of a woman's body. I always struggle with sportswear and leggings in general not fitting me properly around the waist.
If it fits my waist it's far too tight elsewhere and flattens my bum ..and a girl's not out here never missing a leg day to have my gains flattened by poorly fitting leggings! haha
These leggings have gorgeous ruching detail which really compliments the shape of your bum and helps it look nice & peachy. They also feature a thick and supportive high waistband which I love, supporting your stomach and at the same time creating a flattering shape for your hips. I personally love the shape high waisted leggings give & if you tend to carry weight around the top of your hips or one of your 'problem areas' are love handles, this is a great option for smoothing this area out.
Another thing I struggle with is the waistband of sports leggings. If it's not the gaping hole at the back its the fact that the waistband loosens as you wear them and I find myself having to hoist my leggings back up, which is both unflattering and impractical. I was so pleased that these not only stayed in place but felt incredibly comfortable and unrestrictive whilst doing so.
I went ahead with getting a high waisted black pair and found myself wearing them even on days when not working out.
I particularly loved them for travelling in recently, I threw on a cosy jumper & as the material is nice and opaque with minimal branding, it simply looked like I was wearing high waisted fashion leggings. I was then able to switch out my jumper for a sports top later on in the evening for my workout, so I loved the versatility of being able to wear these in a few different ways!
You can check out their page here. Their Instagram features images of fit and strong women of all shapes, which is both amazing & inspiring to see. I can't wait to see how they expand their collection!
As always, thanks so much for stopping by,
