Lazy Genius Mom

Working Hard So You Don't Have To

When you're just getting back into the gym you need a plan to keep from burning out. These 3 steps will help you keep your motivation. Don't let all your hard work go to waste.
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Getting back into the gym. How to avoid returning beginner burnout.

Most of us go through this at some point. We lose motivation and stop working out for a few weeks, months, possibly years.

So what now? How do you take that first step back into the gym. What do you need to do to get back into the right mindset?

I’ll tell you what. Go grab a sheet of paper and write this stuff down.

Getting back into the workout groove is hard enough. Make it a little easier to keep the faith and build a new healthier lifestyle. These 3 tips will make that transition easier and avoid hitting that "wall" in the gym.

Step One: Get Organized for Fitness

Make a list. Gotta love lists, can’t have enough lists. But don’t waste your time with a super long list, keep it short and sweet. Put on there the top 3 things you want to accomplish. Want a rocking mom bod? Sweet triceps? Quads that won’t quit? Or even something less aggressive like, lose 10 pounds, fit into old jeans, have more energy or run a mile?

It doesn’t matter what the goals are, but it does matter that you have them. It’s hard to start a plan with no end goal in mind.

Step Two: Look at Your Schedule

Finding time to work out is one of the most important things you can do when starting a new workout plan. It kind of all depends on it. You may have a packed schedule that only allows gym access before work or just on weekends.

Once you know what the restrictions are, you can plan your workouts according to the equipment you’ll have available to you. Why start a plan that has a heavy lifting day scheduled on Tuesdays when you can only fit in a body weight home workout on those days? Knowing what your schedule is will cut out wasted time and effort and keeps you on track.

All your hard work goes down the drain when scheduling conflicts with your workout time.

Step Three: Start Small. Do One Thing This Week

Unless you are the personality type that needs to go all in and just cold turkey the hell out of bad food and hard style some workouts, then you need to give yourself a few small victories. This is how a burnout happens. Too much too fast can be overwhelming.

Some easy starting points

  • Add cardio: nightly walking, jogging, biking, elliptical…
  • Cut dessert intake by half
  • Stretch daily
  • Track/increase water intake
  • Track calories
  • Start a food journal
  • Start meal prepping

Pick one or two of these to do for a week then add on as you feel comfortable.  In the past I started by working out and didn’t touch my diet until a few weeks later. This helped me mentally keep up the motivation to workout since it felt less like a diet and more like a lifestyle change. You may work the opposite way and like to start with eating healthier, but you have try it to find out.

You finally got your motivation back to head to the gym. Don't fall prey to workout burnout! Take these 3 easy steps to get fit and feel great about your new healthy lifestyle.

That is it!

Sometimes it’s enough to start, but it’s better to start smart. Don’t go in with your eyes closed and you won’t be shocked by the change. Getting back into a workout routine will be a smooth transition and less overwhelming if you make a plan.

But don’t go crazy with the planning. It’s a plan written in chalk, not stone. Like learning anything in life, it’s a process. You’ll get better at it with time and consistency.

Now go out there and have fun getting fit!

 

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