Staying Accountable: 6 Ways to Maintain Focus in The Gym

As the year draws to a close, it’s common to reflect on the past ten months and perhaps feel a pang of regret that your fitness routine didn’t endure. You’re not alone in this struggle. In fact, up to 80% of people who embark on a New Year’s resolution find it challenging to sustain.

“The failure rate for New Year’s resolutions is said to be an estimated 80% with most people losing their resolve and motivation just weeks later in mid-February, according to U.S News and World Report.”

In this article, we provide six ways to maintain focus in the gym and explain how this can help. We also give some actionable suggestions to help you increase your chances of keeping your focus in the gym.

Actionable Suggestions

Keeping your motivation high really helps you to develop your mental strength. Follow some or all of these six steps to help maintain your focus in the gym.

1. Sleep Early

Sleep deprivation in any form will affect your desire to complete the effort required to maintain gym focus. It is especially jarring to your energy, and if you are over-tired, your desire will soon wane, resulting in you dropping classes or workout sessions. It’s not long before you question the value of your membership altogether!

2. Set Targets

By setting targets, you will be able to work toward them and stay focused on them. The next step is to adjust them to ensure you have another ready to push you forward. The importance of goals should not be underestimated. Targets are known to provide a commitment that you might not get from other sources. In the gym this could be adding another set to your workout or it could be increasing your weight. Perhaps it’s moving onto a more advanced machine.

3. Reward Yourself

If you achieve your goal, reward yourself with something you want. For example, runners often aim for a new set of shoes or a tracking watch. If you use a home gym, buy yourself a new dumbbell set. Gifting yourself the tools to help your journey also keeps you motivated and engaged in your gym journey. If you use a commercial gym, perhaps your target would be a new Hoodie or a set of wrist straps.

4. Share Results

Use an app, share on social, and video yourself for your own records. Sharing results is a great way to hold yourself accountable and to see change. However, it is important to know that the changes will be fairly immediate when you start at the gym. About month three, however, you may find that your progress plateau or is less noticeable. This is common and part of the reason why Sharing your results and remaining accountable is important. Apps like Strava exist for runners, and apps like Fitain exist for gym users and personal trainers.

Remember that social media groups are a great place to share progress without promoting it to your entire friends list. Groups can also be a great place to encourage others and receive encouragement. Most groups will have rules and be managed by an admin, making them safe and positive places to be.

5. Track Results

Smartwatches are a great way to track results, but they’re not always essential. You could use your mobile phone and a spreadsheet. Recording your results naturally encourages you to want to do better; without realising it, you are encouraging yourself to stop. It is quite natural for you to want to improve.

6. Lean on Community

Joining groups, whether local or national, can be a game-changer. These communities can help keep you accountable, making you feel responsible for your actions. More than that, they’re a wellspring of encouragement and tips to help you improve. Other members often share their stories, inspiring you to stay the course and maintain your focus.

Often, gyms have a community of similar people who are all driving to improve themselves, so your gym may already have its own community to lean on. If you are new to a gym, speaking with other members is a great way to learn about particular machines and techniques that can help you on your journey. Seeing regular faces at the gym will also ensure that you have a desire to come back and socialise with those people who unknowingly hold you accountable.

Summary

In this article, we explained the importance of good sleep and its impact on motivation. We outlined the importance of setting targets and then rewarding yourself when you achieve these targets. We clarified the importance of staying accountable and sharing your results with others and with the Community. We discussed the value of community in your journey and a way to keep yourself motivated.  All of this positive reinforcement works towards a positive mindset, which is crucial in sports because it helps to focus one’s energy and determination.

Mindset is important in sports because it focuses your energy and channels positive determination to the task at hand.”According to Custom-Sportswear.com

While this is not an exhaustive list of recommendations, they are food for thought and will positively impact your gym journey. If you’re seeking ways to maintain focus, consider adopting some or all of these suggestions, or devise your own strategy that incorporates some of them. Whatever path you choose, remember that perseverance is a key ingredient in your fitness journey.

Jennifer Dawson

Jennifer Dawson is an experienced freelance writer who specializes in food and nutrition. Working in fitness marketing previously gave her a good feel for the industry and since going freelance she has been able to explore her preferred topic areas such as diet types, nutrition and food. Outside of work, Jen enjoys traveling, swimming and spending time with her young family.

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