If you’re a gym goer, you can surely relate when others say you can’t solely rely on motivation to achieve your fitness goal or any success in life. That’s because it disappoints. It comes and goes without warning. So, if you want to maintain the drive to continue throughout your fitness journey, switch up your workout routine. Here are eight ways to do it.

1. Choose a Workout You Love

Find a workout that brings you joy. It doesn’t have to be conventional gym sessions. You can try yoga, running, walking in the park, bicycling, climbing, sports, or whatever inspires you to do it every day.

Physical activities are supposed to improve your health — not make you stressed because it’s a chore you must do. The trick is to find something fun and active and do it more often. For example, if you love gardening, do it daily or add more planters in your backyard to increase your activity. 

2. Get adequate sleep

A sufficient shuteye the night before is a simple tactic to keep your workout motivation consistently intact. 

One study of 123 people randomized to sleep deprivation or normal sleep revealed that increased sleepiness reduced their motivation to engage in social and physical activities, like exercise or being with friends. It also impaired alertness and contributed to poor quality of life. 

If you don’t feel like showing up to your training, it may be because you lack shuteye. Fix your nighttime routine to get 7-9 hours of quality snooze and wake up refreshed.

3. Try New Forms of Physical Activity

Eventually, the activity that once brought you joy would lose its spark and turn mundane. In this case, switch up your workout routine by trying something else. Have you always wanted to try climbing or hiking? Take your exercise out of the four walls and incorporate variety in your movement. The fresh air of the outdoors can increase serotonin levels and lower your anxiety and stress. A new challenge done in any green space will surely reignite your motivation and make you addicted to moving once again. 

4. Make It Social

Group exercise can do wonders for your motivation. How? Other people can affect your emotional response and attitude to fitness. If you start the day feeling sluggish but see your gym buddies happy, their positive emotions will rub off on you. 

Additionally, as the engaging movement becomes a shared hobby, you perceive it in a more optimistic and desirable fashion. The next time your workout motivation leaves you, try joining a group class and making friends while at it. 

5. Get a Workout Buddy

If a group activity sounds too much for your introverted self, get an accountability partner instead. It can be your trainer, your spouse, friend or anyone who will hold you accountable for achieving your goals and keeping your motivation going. 

One study found that exercising with a romantic partner increased positive affect during training and participants felt more satisfied with their relationship than when they hit the gym alone. A fitness partner can elevate your consistency with your workout routine.

6. Systemize Your Workout

Adding exercise to your regular schedule makes it easy to convert it into a habit and then a lifestyle. When it’s become an automatic activity, the resistance to doing it every day shrinks. As a result, you crush your fitness goals faster and better improve your well-being. 

Add it to your calendar. Create a varied workout plan daily so you don’t do the same routines over again. It helps beat boredom and ensures you don’t miss training a muscle in your weekly activity. Here’s an example:

• Monday: Shoulders, chest and triceps
• Tuesday: Back and biceps
• Wednesday: Compound lift for the upper and lower body
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: Abs and cardio
• Saturday: Forearms and legs
• Sunday: Rest

Work with a trainer who can create a personalized exercise plan tailored to your ability level. 

7. Have Caffeine

Drinking coffee before a grunting session has numerous benefits. Caffeine is an effective ergogenic acid that enhances training performance and increases endurance, power, focus and alertness. 

The trick to reaping the benefits of a boost is to drink coffee 30-60 minutes before you hit the gym. Doing this allows enough time for the body to absorb caffeine and activate the peak benefits. Take a cup to fire up your body and mind.

8. Reward Yourself

You reinforce positive behaviors by treating yourself to a nice meal after completing a workout week. That’s why creating a reward system is crucial to encourage continued efforts regardless of your mood. When you achieve a favorable outcome, rewarding creates a stimulus pattern in your unconscious mind that makes you more likely to do the same behavior. 

So, no matter how little they are, celebrate your wins. Treat yourself to your favorite restaurant or massage spa or get new gym outfits. 

Hack Your Workout Motivation To Achieve Your Goals

If your motivation is like the tide that ebbs and flows, try these eight strategies to keep it. Pick an activity you love, make it social or get a buddy, systemize it and reward yourself for jobs well done.