Get over the embarrassment!

The truth is, working out is not always pretty. Some of the exercises I teach my clients look, well, awkward. If you want that perfectly round bottom, then you’ll have to get over the fact that glute bridges and kettle bell swings look a bit silly. Bottom line is: Most of your fellow gym goers are too worried about how silly they look to even notice you.

Mix it up

We all know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. When your workout consists of you coming to the gym, running strait to the treadmill and hopping on day after day, your body comes to expect it, and you begin to hit a plateau.

You are putting in the time…MAKE IT COUNT!

There are so many ways to mix it up…free weights, body weight, intervals, partner training, high intensity, low intensity…and the list goes on.

Find a partner or support system

If you know you are not the best self-motivator, this is super important. Most people worry more about letting others down than disappointing themselves. Your support system can be a spouse, friend, social media outlet, personal trainer or workout buddy. This will help on those days when you are just too tired to get to the gym after a long day at work, or feel the need to shove an extra piece of pizza in your mouth at a lunch meeting. Get your family onboard with your diet or get your kids to take a walk with you. Call your workout buddy and challenge them to a race on the row machine

Make it fun

Who doesn’t like to have fun?! Think of an activity you like and incorporate it into your workout. I love music, so I get really excited to work out to a new playlist I put on my iPod. If you like playing basketball, use it as your warm-up. If you like to dance, try a Zumba class. If you love the outdoors, grab a mat and do a core session under the sun.

Be realistic

This is probably the most important, so I saved it for last: Most people that fail to meet their fitness goals set unrealistic goals from the beginning. If you set goals that are so far into the future you can barely see them, or they are totally unrealistic (i.e., I want to look like a Victoria’s Secret model for an upcoming wedding) it is easy to become discouraged, and you will eventually give up all together. Choose a realistic goal that can be attained in the near future, and then create new goals once your original goal is met. You will feel good knowing your hard work is paying off without constantly beating yourself up.