Feel like giving up?

Everyone at some point will go through stages in our life when we just feel like we want to give up and call the quits. When you are trying to change something in your life, like your health and fitness habits, it can be easy to give up when it all gets too hard.
Sticking to a regular exercise routine or new change in your diet is difficult when it’s something you may have never done before. It is hard work and can be painful at times, but it will be worth it in the long run. Find your motivation because when you have a bad day it can be a lot easier to find a reason to skip your workout or not follow your eating plan.

Don’t let your goals get pushed aside! These tips will help you get past the common bumps in the road and get back on track to reaching those goals.

Don’t have the time
This is probably the most common reasons that I hear for not being able to exercise. But the truth is, just like work and other commitments, exercise is just another one of those things you have to make time for.
Yes, I know, sometimes things do get in the way of even the best-made plans. When you really don’t have time, the best thing to do is just exercise for a shorter amount of time, doing something is always better than doing nothing!
If you find that you are always running out of time in the day, try getting up even just 20-30 minutes earlier in the mornings. This will give you time to get that quick workout in before your day even starts, and trust me, it will be worth it.

You don’t have gym access
You may think you need to workout at a gym to have an effective workout. This will depend on the style of training you do. I am not going to lie, if you do heavy weight training and are not someone with a full home gym set up, then yes you will most likely need access to a gym.
But, for cardio based workouts, body weight workouts and even light weighted workouts, you do not need that gym access. If you can get outdoors, you can walk, ride a bike, or run to stay active. If you can find a hill or some stairs, these will be your best friend for an outdoor workout.
Otherwise you can also exercise at home and still have an effective workout. All our workout programs in our store are designed to be able to do them at home using only a mat and chair, and you can add dumbbells if you have them.

Stuck inside
This is very much what I have just mentioned above. Get creative and do an at home workout. Use your own body as resistance and find a space at home to do a quick body weight workout. The well-known, push ups, squats, lunges, dips are all great resistance exercises.
You can also easily get a cardio based workout done, trying Tabata or some kind of HIIT workouts can do this, or if you have the space you can try skipping as it is a great way to get that heart rate up. If you are after lower impact like walking but cannot get outside to do it, try walking on the spot even just while watching your favourite TV show, plus it can help with muscle recovery.

Feeling overwhelmed
If you feel overwhelmed about starting your fitness journey, remember we had to start somewhere. You can start your training at home if you feel intimidated by the gym or find a workout buddy who can help and offer support.
I have written another blog about how to start a healthy lifestyle and also about gym intimidation, check them out for more tips on those topics.

Bored with the same workout
Doing the same thing every workout can get repetitive. If you are feeling like you are in a bit of a rut, try some new ways of working out. You need to find a training style that you enjoy, otherwise you will not stick to it. When you love something, you will be more likely to want to go and do it, instead of it feeling like a chore.
Being consistent is important for progress though, so once you find a style you enjoy do not do the exact same exercises every session, mix the exercises up to keep it interesting. It is much easier to play around with the style of cardio workouts, but when it comes to weight training, you do have to repeat things to get progress from it whether it is a 8 or 12 week program, sometimes they can get repetitive, this is where a trainer or personalized program can be helpful.

Tired and no energy
After a busy day or even week at work or school can definitely drain you of your energy. We have all been there. Finding the energy to workout is especially hard if you are a shift worker, or study and work. It makes it harder to keep a consistent schedule.
Try things that are going to help you sleep better, this could include turning off electronic before bed, or making some healthy swaps in your diet.
Even if you do not feel up to training, still show up and do your workout. You may just need to reduce the intensity for the day (there is nothing wrong with this) as I’ve said already, doing something is better than nothing! – and you may even surprise yourself and get an energy boost once you do start, sometimes getting to training is the hard part and once you start you feel much better.
If you are someone who exercises after work, go straight after work, try not to stop in between (if possible) because if you stop, it is so much harder to get yourself going again.

I hope these tips help you to feel motivated and not feel like you want to give up on your healthy lifestyle. Just remember, life is hard, if something is worth it, life makes you work for it.
If you do find yourself in a slump, reach out to a friend or even your trainer, they will understand and push you back in the right direction.

If you have any tips of your own that have helped you overcome the feeling of giving up, please share in the comments below.