How to Form a Gym Habit Based on Your Goals
People who go to the gym every day tend to be happy with their habit, so they come back. But many people strive for this and do not quite understand how to do it. Since I’m one of those people (I even train on vacation , sorry), I would love to help you learn to love the gym – but that depends on what kind of person you are. Go ahead and read the relevant sections:
I have a really ambitious long-term goal.
Are you looking to lose 50 pounds? Qualify for a race, competition or tournament in a few months or years? If you want it badly enough, you can use it as your motivation.
But here’s the thing: Big goals aren’t enough. You will make progress if you are committed, but change will occur so excruciatingly slowly that the goal loses its attractiveness as a motivator.
What you really need is a plan that you can focus on. Of course, hang your goal on a visualization board, but then place a workout plan right below it and mark each day as you progress. (Don’t have a workout plan? Find a trainer, or upload a plan, or come up with one other way.) You need to tie what you do every day to a goal that motivates you. You have to trust the process.
Not you? Read on.
I want to be better at something
This is probably the best way to get closer to your long-term goals, but it also works even if you don’t have the patience to reach your long-term goals. Here’s what you do: Set small goals for yourself. I do not mean breaking your big goal into chunks (this is still a long-term plan), but rather choosing smaller, self-contained goals, each of which will be their own little victory when you achieve them.
Let’s say you want to run a marathon, but you are so far from a runner that you are not even ready to start a marathon training plan. You may not even be ready to start running. So your little goals might be something like this:
- Work through the first half of the couch to 5K program, then reevaluate
- Run / walk a mile next month in less time than did a run / walk a mile last month
Or maybe you are a more experienced athlete, but you still get bored with the thought of just getting better. So, set goals for yourself:
- Run 5 km this fall
- Do squats every week at the gym and see if I can get up to X pounds by December.
- Run 5 km in the spring and try to beat the time I ran in the fall
One to two months is a good time to reach these shorter goals. This is enough time to see improvements, but not long enough that you lose sight of how today’s workout relates to the goal.
I do not know what I want
Good news: it’s okay! In fact, you are now in an enviable position. You don’t have to stick to a specific plan or do one thing. Your job right now is to research.
Find yourself a framework to research. (Remember that “working out every day” is already a structure of sorts, so you just need an easy way to fill those gaps.) If you enjoy fitness, join a gym, which comes in many different types. Or, set yourself a goal to try out all the gyms and studios in your area that offer a free trial. Do you love nature? Make a list of outdoor activities you would like to try and find out where you can get the equipment you need or the assistance you may need.
Don’t push yourself; feel free to follow your research wherever it leads. If kayaking and then hiking and then climbing every week is too much work, choose your default activity, like walking around the neighborhood, and switch to a more fun activity when you have the opportunity.
When trying different things, don’t plan too far ahead. Maybe this week you try cycling and it turns out that you love cycling. Or at least you think you like it. Don’t feel like you need to move on; sign up for a monthly membership and see how it goes. You kind of want this exploratory phase to end, right? Try something until one of them sucks you in and you keep coming back because you love it.
I don’t want to think about it, I just want to be healthy
It’s okay if you don’t want your workouts to worry you. Think about all the other things you do every day because you are on autopilot and they are just part of your life. You brush your teeth, feed the cat, go to work. You don’t advertise yourself to do these things, or post triumphant selfies when you’re done – you just take them. They are allright.
Training can be like that too. But it all depends on what kind of workout.
I recommend doing something that keeps your body and mind busy without feeling like a killer – but-you-died training. Don’t worry if this description impresses your friends; just ask yourself if I can do this every morning and then move on to feeding the cat?
If you enjoy running, there is no need to compete or try to run faster or further every day. Just turn on a good podcast and go for an easy half hour run. If you like lifting, you can choose the one that you like the most. If you hate lifting really heavy things , do a dumbbell workout that requires a million reps with light weight. Or, if you’re the opposite, do a workout in which you lift a heavy barbell and then reduce the weight for a few minutes before trying again.
Everything is boring
If everything I’ve suggested so far seems boring to you, maybe you need friends.
Honestly, it’s rare to find a gym buddy who likes what you do and who doesn’t annoy you. If you have one such person in your life, take care of him. Others need a different approach.
Here’s what you do: Try new sports or gyms, much like the exploratory approach I mentioned earlier, but aim for camaraderie. Look for team sports, running groups, or small gyms that are appropriate for a specific sport or workout type (Crossfit boxing, powerlifting gym, yoga studio). Social media can help you find these groups: they’ll have a Facebook group where everyone seems to get along with each other, or they’ll all tag each other on Insta. In many cases, they will be actively looking for new friends, so look for hiring evenings or new member discounts. Take advantage and meet new people.