Signing up for a gym membership can be a fruitful experience for some, as they use it frequently and see the results they had hoped for when signing up. For others, it can be an entirely wasteful experience; one where they see the inside of the gym the day they sign up and literally never again.

Even couch potatoes with the best intentions can find it hard to get up and find motivation or inspiration in the gym. So here are a few tips to get you from couch potato to gym rat!

1. Avoid the Crowds—Going to the gym during peak times can be frustrating. There are a ton of people there, all the machines are taken, and finding free weights can be like looking for a needle in a hay stack. Ask the desk attendant which times are generally busy and which aren’t. Change your workout time to a slower time that fits in your schedule and you’ll find that your workout is completely changed.
2. Use Every Piece of Equipment At least Once—You might have a plan that utilizes the machines that focus on what you want to see results in, but it’s easy to fall into a rut and plateau on your results. If you make a point to use the entire variety of machines your gym offers, it makes it easier and less intimidating to try out a new exercise or machine to kick start yourself again.
3. Take Every Class at Least once—If your gym offers them, you should try every class they offer at least once. This not only kick starts your results but it can also teach you something new to try, as well as possibly introduce you to a new type of class or exercise that you didn’t know you liked. It’s also a great way to get a workout in without the intimidation of free weights and machines.
4. Try a new workout every time you go—When you’re first starting, or even if you’re a seasoned gym rat, doing the same workout day in and day out can get boring and make you lose interest in going to the gym. Try a different couple of exercises or even an entirely new circuit every time you go to the gym or even every other time to avoid boredom, and make it so that you look forward to the workout!

Thanks For Reading, and enjoy your workout!

Nicole