Beat Those Post-Summer Blues by Getting Back into Your Fitness Routine
As summer fades and those post-summer blues start, it can be hard to feel happy about much of anything. The air is cooling and the long nights are fading. Summer gets busy and a lot of people see their fitness routine go by the wayside. There’s nothing wrong with this. If you’re fighting an internal battle about your fitness getting off track, stop right now. You enjoyed your summer, and now you can get back to work on your goals.
To get started, here are a few helpful hints:
Set your own timetable and schedule.
Don’t set yourself up for instant failure by demanding daily workouts at full power. Start small. Look at the upcoming week and see if you can fit in a couple of workouts. As long as you’re doing something, you are making a positive step.
Redefine your goals.
Motivation is the key to success with any fitness routine. If you’ve been leaving it on the bench to enjoy your summer, it can be even harder to get back on track. Instead of starting where you left off, sit down and redefine your original goals to meet your current needs and situation.
Stop beating yourself up.
If you want, you can even give yourself small rewards for finishing your workout. Whatever you do, don’t discourage yourself. It’s hard enough to re-start a workout after some time off. You don’t need any extra hurdles, let alone yourself.
Make a commitment.
Don’t just promise yourself that you’ll get back to the gym. Make a plan. Set a realistic goal. Then, tell people. It doesn’t matter who you tell. As long as you tell someone “this is my plan”, you are far more likely to follow through, thanks to the behaviour of your brain.
Try something new and FUN.
The best way to remember why you love working out is to try something new and exciting. There are so many different classes and opportunities out there, so why not take advantage of it? Maybe you’ll stick with it, or maybe you’ll go back to your old routine. Either way, it’s a good way to jump-start your motivation.
It’s always difficult to see summer come to an end, but you don’t have to let those post-summer blues get you down. Instead of looking at it as being over, consider it a chance to renew your fitness goals and get your routine back on track.
