1. Change Your Fitness Routine & Then Change it Again!!! Like you, your body gets bored of doing the same thing during every gym session & thus becoming less effective. Try rotating new routines & trying a new workout you've seen - not only will you start enjoying being back at the gym, but you'll also feel the benefits!
2. Breathe... Slow. You can do 100 squats a day in 2 minutes, but that won't get you the same results as taking it slow. For example, squat slowly, hold as low as possible, rise slowly & squeeze your bum at the top - if you don't activate you muscles & really push them doing reps, you might as well not do anything at all. Another example, when working your abs, make sure to breath in with the movement & out with exertion, to properly activate the core & once again, take things slow & feel that burn.
3. Keep Hydrated & EAT!!! We all know to drink plenty at the gym, but you should also maintain your energy levels too with a good source of food. Make sure to have eaten something prior to the gym to fuel your body, or instead of burning fat you'll be burning away at your muscle = not healthy. Equally your body needs fuel after the gym too - try a high in protein snack to ease your muscles.
4. Hard Work + Time = Progress. Have you ever heard the saying 'summer bodies are made in the winter'? That is because real progress takes time. If you are new to the gym, give your new cardio routine at least 2 months before demanding results, same with weight training. Don't be too hard on yourself, instead keep working hard & the results will come, promise!
5. Treat yourself!!! Be that either with a new pair of trainers or gym wear or with a cheat day once a week! What is a cheat day you ask? It is where you eat a healthy balanced diet all week & treat yourself to an indulgent meal or take away once a week, a method proven to motivate you to eat more healthily if you know you can reward yourself with something indulgent in the near future. Whatever you choose to treat yourself with, it will sustain your motivation long past when most new years resolutions start to fade!
Hope you all have a fantastic 2016 & good luck with those resolutions!!!
