How To Stick To A Workout Routine When Life Gets In The Way

If you’re serious about living a healthier lifestyle you’ll know that there are no shortcuts when it comes to achieving your fitness goals.

The Sweat programs are designed to help you establish a regular routine so you can feel stronger, more energised and confident — and become the best version of yourself! 

Here’s how to stick to a workout routine and keep going, even when life gets in your way.

13 ways to stick to your workouts 

With any workout plan, new or existing, there will be times when your motivation levels will ebb and flow. 

Next time you feel like giving up, remind yourself why you started and use these tips to find the discipline to keep going.

Don’t rely on motivation alone

It’s great when you’re feelingmotivated to exercise, but motivation alone won’t be enough to help you achieve your goals. 

If you want to make exercise a habit, you need to stick to your workout plan even on the days you find yourself making excuses. Having the right mindset means finding the discipline to follow through with your intentions. 

If you lead a busy lifestyle, Sweat has quick workouts you can try, or you can follow a program like High Intensity with Kayla — the short and effective workouts will take you 30 minutes or less!

Commit to your first workout for the week, month, year or program you’ve chosen, and you’ll feel so much better for it — and want to keep experiencing the amazing benefits of exercise.

Be consistent

When you do something consistently, it becomes a habit and once you make working out a regular part of your routine, it will become much easier to stick to. 

When you work out consistently, you’ll begin to notice positive changes in your fitness and strength, and as you progress, you’ll become more confident with the exercises. 

Before you know it, you’ll be able to complete more reps of each exercise, push yourself to go faster during a circuit or increase the weights you’ve been using.

Consistency is the key to success, so keep up the hard work — it will pay off!

Make your workouts work for you

You’ve probably heard the saying “failing to plan is planning to fail”. This applies to so many areas of life, including your approach to working out. 

The Sweat trainers recommend planning your workouts at the start of each week so you can make time for exercise before the week gets on top of you. 

If you have work, study or other commitments, find a schedule that works for you and your lifestyle. The great thing about the Sweat programs is they’ve been designed with flexibility in mind, so you can log them at a time of the day that works for you.

As long as you keep to your weekly goals, you can plan your workouts anytime or anywhere — in the morning, at night or even on your lunch break!

Have a backup plan

If you’re often hit with unexpected work meetings, or the dentist appointment you booked six months ago gets sprung on you, it might help to have a backup plan. 

One way you might do this is by blocking out time in your calendar for an extra workout each week — this can be an optional workout on the days you want to challenge yourself, or you can use it to replace a workout you might have skipped on a different day. Having a backup plan in place can help you avoid feeling discouraged due to a setback, and will make it easier for you to stay on track.

Remember, life happens, so when you learn to take whatever is in your stride, there’s a better chance you will be able to overcome any obstacles that get in your way.

Fuel your workouts with a healthy eating plan

When you start working out regularly, you need to fuel your body with the energy it needs.

Healthier eating will help you get through a tough Sweat session and provide you with the nutrients to help your muscles recover faster from your workouts. 

Eating the right types of foods can also help you reach your goals faster, like incorporating protein-rich foods if you want to build more muscle.

Remind yourself why you started

On the days when you don’t feel motivated to work out, think about why you started or remind yourself of the goals you’re working towards and how they might add more value to your life. 

Consider how you feel when you exercise — do you have more energy? Does your mood improve? Or maybe you’re starting to feel stronger. 

Remembering why you started can help you implement discipline to keep going with the program, knowing you’re on your way to becoming a fitter, more confident version of yourself! 

Don’t compare yourself to others

With the prevalence of comparison culture, it can be easy to measure your progress against your friend’s, or the influencer you follow on Instagram. But remember, your fitness journey is unique to you. 

Give it your best effort — do what feels right for you rather than what you think you should be doing. .Everyone progresses at a different rate, so go at your own pace, stay consistent and most of all — be patient with yourself!

No matter how fast or slow you go, if you are consistent, know you are making progress! 

Keep track of all of your progress 

Find a meaningful way to measure your progress that relates to your reasons for working out.

Whether you take progress photos, keep a journal to document how you’re feeling or set SMART goals, take the time to reflect on where you started and how far you’ve come. 

All progress counts, whether it’s big changes or small steps you should be proud of what you have achieved. Use this as inspiration to stay on track — and remember, what might not be visible on the scales might appear in strength gains or how you are feeling on the inside.

Celebrate your wins — big and small

Always acknowledge your achievements! Rewarding your wins can be a great motivator and keep you on track to reaching your goals.

Some ways you can do this include treating yourself to new workout shoes or activewear when you’ve hit small milestones, or the latest wearable device or even a trip away to celebrate larger highlights throughout your fitness journey. 

The key here is to match your reward with the size of your win — depending on how much you value the goal you’ve achieved. Honouring your big goals with something more extravagant can help give you the extra nudge you need when you might be coasting.

Investing in something that makes you feel special can make a difference to your workout and mindset, even when you feel like giving up.

Join a supportive community

Starting something new, or sticking to a workout plan when you’re just not feeling it, is much easier when you aren’t doing it alone! 

The Sweat Community is made up of women from all around the world who are probably sharing a similar journey — finding a workout buddy or accountability partner can help provide you with the support and inspiration you need to help you keep pushing forward.  

Mix up your training

Changing up training styles can help motivate you to keep going if you’ve hit a plateau. Whether it’s because you’re getting bored with the same workouts or you just love variety, when you enjoy your workouts you’ll want to keep doing them!

If you’re doing one of the Sweat programs, you can try workouts from other programs from the On Demand dashboard.

Rest

When you’re on a SweatStreak, taking a rest day might feel like you’re undoing your progress — but it actually does the opposite!

Working out too much can lead to fatigue and overtraining, which could set you back even more. Taking rest days when you need them will give your body a chance to recover after consecutive days of training so you can continue your fitness journey feeling strong.

Couple your workouts with something you enjoy

If you find yourself skipping workouts, think about how you can make them more enjoyable. For example, if you dread low-intensity cardio, try listening to a podcast or watching your favourite TV show on Netflix while you walk on the treadmill.

A workout playlist with your favourite tunes can also help motivate you to take your workouts to another level.

Use these tips to stick to your workout plan!

No matter when you start your fitness journey, if you stick with it you’ll begin to notice progress from your effort —  but it will take time.

If you miss a workout, don’t be discouraged! You can shift your mindset when you feel like giving up. Just start where you left off and keep going.

How do you find the discipline to stick with a program? Share your tips in the comments below!