7 Effective Motivators That Keep My Gym Routine Fun and Joyful 💪
We all know fitness is important. It’s something we hear all the time.
So we start our fitness journey, go to the gym 5 times, don't get any visible results, and give up.
And we go back to our normal lazy routine and just think that we'll give it a shot again some day.
But how do we become consistent in our fitness journey once we start it?
The biggest motivation is to optimize for joy. To make going to the gym and working out fun & joyful.
Here are the steps I use to optimize for joy, which have been working for me:
1. Find a Gym That's Nearby
Avoid long commutes. In the beginning, you need a little push every day before going to the gym. A short walk makes it easy to show up and saves time.
2. Choose a Nice Gym
Don’t settle for the cheapest gym in town. Avoid gyms that are old, have unpleasant smell, broken or sweaty equipment, rude staff, no trainers, or just have a bad vibe. You'll lose your motivation real quick. Remember: You're investing in your health, so invest in a good gym.
3. Make It Easy to Go to the Gym
When starting out, don’t worry about changing clothes, buying a gym bag, fitness clothes, new shoes, or fancy gear. If preparing to go to the gym is too complicated, you might skip it altogether.
Avoid all friction and make it easy for yourself to show up at the gym.
4. Invest in Good Wireless Earphones
Music is generally a great motivator for mundane tasks, and the gym is no exception.
Invest in good wireless earphones or headphones. The gym should be a time to enjoy your favorite music. It doesn’t have to be loud and upbeat—I even listen to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, Enya, and James Blunt while working out. It’s all about what brings you joy.
5. Invest in a Good Fitness Tracker
There are many options, but my personal favorite is the Apple Watch.
It has completely changed how I view fitness goals.
Closing those rings is addictive and provides a fun challenge.
It also helps track calories burned, heart rate, and progress over time, even if you don’t see immediate results in your body.
6. Invest in Good Fitness Clothes
While point #3 advises against obsessing over fancy gear, good fitness clothes can be motivating. A breathable t-shirt, sweatpants with pockets, and stylish shoes make you look and feel like the fit and smart person you want to become. This is based on identity-based habits by James Clear:
“In my experience, when you want to become better at something, proving your identity to yourself is far more important than getting amazing results. This is especially true at first.”
7. Use EGYM for a Seamless Experience
If possible invest in a gym that has EGYM equipments.
EGYM enhances your gym experience by automating equipment adjustments, gradually increasing weights and reps, and tracking your progress over time.
The equipment sets itself up based on your age, body, and your overall physical health, adjusts as you improve, and syncs with the EGYM app and other connected fitness apps.
This integration provides a comprehensive view of your workout data, helping you stay on track and motivated.
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With these strategies, you can overcome excuses and make your fitness routine something to look forward to rather than something to rush through.
Hopefully, it becomes a lasting habit.
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Link Lowdown
A collection of links to stuff I think are worth sharing.
📱 App - Gentler Sreak: Workout Tracker. An award-winning app that played a part in my decision to buy an Apple Watch. I’ve been enjoying the delightful experience it offers for tracking my workouts and wellness. The micro-animations and the way the app evolves over time to understand my behavior and fitness journey are truly impressive.
I recently reached out to them for a collaboration, and they generously shared a code for the yearly plan with you all: TER7PWFTMLLPNLY48Y. 😉
— Apple
🎥 Video - TED Talk by Tony Fadell. He's the pioneer of iPod, iPhone and Nest thermostats, who talks about the power of noticing things and doing something about it to make the world a better place.
🎥 Video - TED Talk by Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan. He's the genius behind Coke Studio Pakistan. The talk is in Urdu. But it's a much watch to learn about the value of imperfections, sensitivity, collaboration, and conversation.
