What’s your goal this summer?
To fit into your favourite bikini on holiday, firm your legs after months in thick tights or tone your arms to feel confident in your summer clothes?
Fitness First expert, personal trainer and world kickboxing champion Natalie Bee explains how setting a goal and having the desire to reach it will keep you motivated.
“It’s all about positive thinking,” says Natalie. “You have to imagine how great you will feel - not only when you have the body you have always dreamed of but when you realise you’ve seen the training programme through. Wouldn’t it be satisfying to know you have kept the promise to yourself to meet that goal?”
Here are Natalie’s top 10 tips for getting motivated:
1. Start slowly
Rule number one! Make sure you don’t over exert yourself too quickly as you may end up abandoning your fitness routine altogether. Take small steps to start with, until you feel you can push yourself.
2. Set goals
Challenge yourself by creating a series of milestones, but don’t be too hard on yourself. Start slowly by setting a short term goal, for example if you only run for 20 minutes once a week, bring that up to 20 minutes twice a week. Or if you currently only go for walks, then aim to start incorporating short bursts of jogging into your walks. Build up slowly, 30 seconds at a time.
Once you have reached that goal, then set the next logical goal. If you’re now running twice a week then aim to increase to three, and perhaps increase the time too. If you’re incorporating jogging into your walking sessions, then up the frequency and also increase the length.
A long term goal could be to compete in a charity 5km or 10km run. Look for a date now and book it!
3. Track your progress
There’s nothing more motivating and rewarding than being aware of your own progress. Use the WW app to track your activity and see how many FitPoints® you’ve racked up!
CHECK OUT: Your step by step guide to the WW app
4. Be flexible
Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you are feeling like you don’t want to do any exercise one day, take a couple of days rest and then get back into it. You should enjoy fitness and not treat it as a chore!
5. Keep it varied
If you have a mundane exercise routine, spice it up by taking a studio class or try some new equipment. Variation keeps things interesting, and you may be more likely to stick to your fitness routine.
6. Have fun
Enjoy yourself! If you’re having a bad week, invite a friend to be your gym buddy. You can challenge each other and motivate each other to carry on. You could also try a class where you will find like minded people.
7. Fit activity into your daily routine
Try and be more active in your lifestyle. Take the stairs instead of the lift, walk instead of driving, get off at a bus stop a few stops before your destination. Every little helps!
8. Put it on paper
Make a note of the milestones you’ve accomplished. Why not keep a fitness diary and write what exercise you have done that day and for how long? This will help you see if you are getting the recommended 30 minutes five days a week.
9. Seek support
If you’re unsure that you’re doing an exercise correctly, speak to an expert. If you’re bored of your current routine and need a new focus, explore our members-only platform Connect. With bespoke groups dedicated to the gym, running, swimming, and even hula hooping, there’s plenty of inspiration.
10. Consider your mood
If you’re having a particularly bad day at work, you may find it helps to put your headphones on and run for 30 minutes to de-stress. Check out Jordanna’s amazing fitness journey, which helped her lose almost 5st and helps her work out any stress and aggression.