Stay consistent in the gym and score the rewards

From long-term health benefits to boosts for your brain, here’s why it pays to stay consistent at the gym. (And, how to do it.)  

Finding the motivation to stay consistent in the gym 

There are lots of ways to stay consistent in the gym and with your fitness routine. You just need to find the reasons that work for you.  

Rather than looking at what you’re doing in the gym, it’s a good idea to first work out why you’re doing it. This will be the main motivating factor when things get tough. 

Some reasons that people stick with the gym include:  

• Keeping healthy  
• Developing a new skill
• Preventing injury
• Staying social 
• Enjoying things that make them happy  

Take some time to figure out what motivates you to move. Big or small, your reason needs to be strong enough that when you’re struggling to get out of bed, you always find time to get to the gym.  

Tips to help you stay consistent in the gym 

1. Find something you enjoy 

   The simplest way to stay consistent in the gym is to find something that you enjoy. It’s like anything in life, if you don’t look forward to it, it’s going to be a lot harder to get motivated to do it.  

   Thankfully, working out is something that you get to choose. There is no right or wrong way to do it. There is only the way that you want to move which makes your body feel best.   

2. Set some goals 

   Next, you’ll want to set yourself some goals. They could be as simple as planning to work out a certain number of days a week. Or it could be trying to develop a new skill.  

   Whatever it is, set goals that are specific. Having a goal of ‘getting fitter/stronger is great but you need to know how you’re going to get there. A better goal might be:  

• Be able to complete a 5k run without walking  
• Be able to lift 5kg more than I currently can  

You’ll also want to put a final deadline on that goal. Or chunk your goal up into smaller goals which you can hit on a monthly or weekly basis.  

3. Choose a routine that works for you 

   Just like choosing the exercise that works for you, you’ll also want to choose a time of day that works for you. And also how many times you want to work out.  

   As a general rule, for optimum health you’ll need about 75 minutes of intense exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.* You’ll want to spread these workouts across the week and also take a few rest or active recovery days too.  

   (P.S. our classes are 45 minutes long, so a few of those a week will have you sorted.)   

4. Track your progress 

   And, if you’re doing all of that work, you want to see the results, right? Tracking your progress is important and can be as simple as keeping a daily journal, logging your stats in an app or using your smart device to track it for you.  

   At the end of our Lift Club and Strength and Conditioning classes, you’ll also be able to take part in fitness testing weeks. And, for your solo activities, use our Boditrax machines in club to measure your vital stats.   

Scoring the rewards  

Once you’ve got a workout routine that you love, you’ll already feel like you’re winning. But to sweeten the deal, you’ll also score plenty of benefits for your body and mind. It’s like your body is thanking you. 

Think: better sleep, more energy, stronger muscles, improved heart and lung health, endorphins, healthy bones, less stress, reduced risk of disease and more.  

And, when you workout with Virgin Active, there’s a little extra somethin’ somethin’ too. We log every visit and every class in our app to let our members know when they’ve scored a reward. We’ve got free treats waiting for them in club when they stay consistent with their gym workouts and fitness classes. After all, it’s all about real gains and real rewards. Give it a go.  

Ready for your next workout? Check out all the group exercise classes available at Virgin Active.

Not yet a member? Find your nearest club and start your membership today.