Scientifically Proven Ways to Stick to Your Workout Plan

Rebecca Lewis May 10, 2016

While some people still associate sexiness with having a ‘thin’ figure, more and more people are leaning towards a lean and sporty figure as the new sexy. And this isn’t something you get just by cutting your calorie intake or downing on juices or soups. For that lean and toned body, you have to work out… hard.

But working out isn’t that easy. It can be at first but as days and weeks pass by, it may feel like a tiring routine. When you begin to feel the muscle sores, the inconvenience of traveling to and from the gym, and the ‘traumatic’ movements and exercises that make you swear by ‘one more minute!’ you realise the reason why many people don’t exercise or quit exercising after some time.

Yet no matter how hard and challenging it can be, working out should always be part of our fitness plan. Following a balanced diet is not enough. You’ve got to sweat too.

So how do you stick to your workout plan? How do you keep on track and make it ultimately a part of your daily life? Here are some research-backed tips you may want to consider:

Ask someone to help you.

He or she can be your partner, best friend, parent, sibling, or child. Working out with someone makes a lot of difference than working out alone. Research has shown that having someone supporting your fitness goals make your fitness journey more likely to succeed. If you can’t find someone in your family or friends to be your workout buddy, consider joining a fitness class or hiring a personal trainer. Every challenge gets easier to deal with when you have someone to do it with you. You don’t just earn a gym buddy, you may also win some friends!

Realise that you can succeed.

Many people think that they are fat because they genes say so. While genetics may have some role to play on your weight and body figure, you still take control of how you’d look and feel like. You may be big ever since you were a child. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be leaner now. When you take the weight loss challenge by heart, you begin to unleash your potential. You harness your willpower. And most of all, you keep yourself motivated. By doing this, you may actually change how your DNA affects your weight! In a 2015 study for instance, exercise has been found to change genes involved in metabolism, insulin response and inflammation within muscles, which in turn help us engage in healthy behaviours.

NEVER hate your body.

If you ever want your fitness journey to be successful, you should stop hating your body. Yes you want change. Your probably are tired of seeing those belly flabs and bumps on the mirror. But did you know that one of the biggest hurdles towards fitness is lack of self-compassion? In 2014, a team of US researchers found a direct link between positive body image and exercise frequency. That is, people who have positive feelings about their body are more likely to exercise more often than those who think ‘hate’ their figures. You should work out not because you hate your body and want to change it. You should exercise because you love your body, it improves your body, and it makes you feel good!

You have limited willpower. Use it wisely.

There’s a reason why most people choose to exercise in the morning and not in the afternoon. And it could be that in the morning, we are usually less stressed and have more willpower to engage in a tough workout than in the afternoon when we have most probably dealt with a lot of stressful matters at work. If you still prefer working out in the afternoon or evening, it’s totally fine. You may just try to avoid getting too stressed during the day so you won’t feel too groggy to work out.

Focus more on the process, not on the external outcomes.

Some people work out to fit in a gown or a dress. But the sad reality is that motivation coming from external outcomes easily wears off. If you want to maximise the effects of exercising, focus more on the routines and how you can do better. For instance, next time, maybe you can work on increasing the time you spent on planking or the number of squats and sit-ups you’re doing. Focus on how you can better your workout experience. This way, you would enjoy your exercise routine more than ever! Keep on challenging yourself!