3 Tips on keeping you motivated and inspired to work out.

1. Set goals

Set realistic goals that include clear milestones. Personally, I like to set short term (1 month), medium term (3 month) and long term (6 month) goals and I encourage my clients to do the same. Not only do I set goals, but I also ensure that they are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound).

SPECIFIC: For example, if you want to lose weight, your goal might be to lose 20 pounds in 3 months. If you want to improve your athletic performance, your goal might be to improve your 5km personal best time by 60 seconds, in 3 months.

MEASURABLE: A goal is measurable when it is easy to determine whether it has been achieved. Using the above examples, you will be able to measure whether you achieved your goal in the timeframe set.

ACHIEVABLE: Often, people set unattainable goals, which only leads to disappointment. Goals needs to be set high so that you work hard to reach them but they also ned to be achievable and realistic.

RELEVANT: Your goals should be important to you. Don't just set a goal because your friend set the same one.

TIME-BOUND: Make sure that each goal has a specific time frame for completion. When a goal has a time frame, it is much more of a motivator. As opposed to "I want to lose 20 pounds at some point this year."

2. Track your workouts

There are various Phone Apps on the market that enable you to track your workouts. My personal preference is using the "Notes" App on my iPhone to plan my workouts ahead of time and also to track my workouts as I am doing them. When I am in the gym, at home or working out outside, this involves tracking the exercises I did, the weights I used, the number of sets and the number of reps. Not only does this ensure that you stick to the workout that you set yourself (or your Personal Trainer sets for you) but it is a great way to check your progression over time and is a huge motivator!

Many gym users use a Log Book to track their sessions. The way I do it is exactly the same but in electronic form and it currently works for me.

You can also write down how you feel after each workout. So the next time you are contemplating skipping your workout, pull out your notes and check how good you felt last time. I can promise you, once you have put in the effort and completed your workout and your body releases endorphins, you will be glad you didn't skip that session!

3. Schedule a regular workout time

Everybody is different. When it comes to working out, some people prefer to get their sessions in at the crack of dawn before they go to work, whilst others prefer to save them until the evening.

I would recommend planning your workouts in advance, around your busy lifestyle. Try to stick to a workout schedule as much as you can as opposed to telling yourself "I will fit the sessions in at some point this week." We all know how easy it is for life to get in the way and various distractions stop us from keeping on top of our workouts. At the end of the day, health is wealth, and it is extremely important to give yourself time to exercise. Being healthy increases our ability to carry out day-to-day tasks more efficiently. You will thank yourself for it!

Why not invest in a Personal Trainer? This is a great way to enhance your motivation. A Personal Trainer is also beneficial if:

* you don't know where to start

* you require a personalised plan and nutrition advice

* you are bored of your current workouts

* you want accountability for your workouts

* you are training for a sport or an event

* you are struggling to get results on your own

* you want to increase variety and efficiency

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