Motivation masterclass

Is your eagerness to get exercising falling by the wayside? We’re here to help with a motivation masterclass

The lead-up to summer can be an exciting time to exercise. You’ve got a bikini body to focus on, and you wanna rock those short shorts on the beach. But what if you haven’t got a summer holiday planned, and no beach body to aspire to? Or perhaps you just can’t seem to get into gear, even if you are counting down the days ‘til you board the plane. If, for whatever reason, you’re lacking in the get-up-and-go department at the moment – that’s okay. Because motivation isn’t for life, it’s something that needs topping up regularly. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up some of the best ways to rev up your motivation so you can get moving.

1. Keep a food diary

Hardly original, but this classic tip works – if you’re honest. Keeping track of what you eat (and that means everything!) really shows just what you can change for the better, whether it’s skipping that post-lunch chocolate bar you habitually hoover up even when you could take or leave it, or making sure you never skip a hearty, healthy breakfast.

2. Focus on strength

Your real reason for hitting the gym might be to get into beach-ready shape, but maybe you’re just sick of talking about it. Shift your focus over to the numbers on the weights, rather than the scales, and before you know it, you’ll be seeing progress that’ll keep you going back for more. Just so happens, you’ll be burning more fat that way, too!

3. Reward yourself

It’s not rocket science, it’s basic psychology: receiving rewards for the things we do right encourages us to repeat the behaviour. So, if you notice in your food diary that you’ve not snacked on junk all day, or if you’ve hit your target of working out four times this week – reward yourself! But stick to treats like a massage, new gym bag or PT sesh, rather than a big slice of cake.

4. Get social

Sometimes we skip the gym because we want to see our friends. Why not make your catch-up fitness based instead? Create some good times in a dance class or go for a leisurely jog together. Hit the juice bar after for a natter, too.

5. Holiday snaps

Role models are great, but we all have different body shapes so it’s sometimes hard to aspire to the same celeb body as everyone else. Have a look at last year’s holiday snaps. Do you want to tone your arms up more? Or maybe you just want to get back into the great shape you were in last year. Use yourself as motivation – it’s way more achievable to use your own body as a measure of how well you’re doing.