The fitness secrets you need in your life

When it comes to working out regularly, there are certain things you can do to help it go smoothly – and Team WHL are here to share the fitness secrets you need in your life.

We’ve all been there – we intend to work out but we get waylaid by work and then it never happens, we forget our headphones and making it through the workout feels like torture, or we feel unmotivated to workout… just because! As seasoned gym goers, we have learnt a couple of things along the way that have helped us out when it comes to staying motivated. And here, we share them:

1. Train with your friends – they’re great motivators and will hold you to account so there’s no wimping out of workouts or tough moves! Bethan Taylor
2. Keep a diary (or blog!) so that you can track your progress – you might not see changes day to day, but looking back you’ll get a different picture! – Bethan Taylor
3. Get a great water bottle – I love Bobble bottles – and never leave home without it! Ellie Moss
4. Leave your essentials in your gym bag – shower stuff, iPod, water bottle, padlock, spare pants – so you can grab it and go at any time. There’s nothing worse than turning up for a tough workout to find you’ve got no music or you left your water bottle on the side. Ellie Moss
5. If your motivation fails you, grab a friend and drag them with you on your next workout – or try a class you’ve never done before. The social element, change of pace and exercise variety will help to get you back on track. Ellie Moss
6. Make your workout fit seamlessly into your day – choose a class that slots neatly into your lunch hour or one that’s located on your route to or from work. The less effort required to make it there, the less likely you’ll be to bail! Lisa Morgan
7. Always go hard. Unless you’re doing a recovery session, really make your workout count. One all-out session is more effective than a few half-hearted ones, and it’s quicker, too. Amanda Khouv
8. Stretch, stretch, stretch! Did I say stretch? Always stretch after your workout to avoid tight muscles which can cause injury. Nicola Kerr
9. Cross train. Do different stuff so you workout different areas of your body. You could try running and swimming which is a perfect combo, plus you’ll be inadvertently training for an aquathlon. Nicola Kerr
10. A good playlist can go a long way during a workout. Every track should motivate you: the last thing you want is to spend half the time skipping tracks or pushing along to a low tempo – it’s the ultimate mood killer. Lisa Nguyen
11. Staying inspired will get you that much closer to your goal. If you’re focused on keeping fit, you’ll be motivated to eat clean and vice versa. Keep it consistent and the rest will fall into place. Lisa Nguyen

12. Have a back-up. If you’re going to the gym to use a certain piece of kit that’s likely to be occupied, like the squat rack or tyre, make sure you’ve got a back-up in mind. It might not be plan A, but it beats wandering around killing time until the kit becomes free. Amanda Khouv