We spoke to student fitness Instagrammers about the best ways to get into the gym after Christmas
We all need a little help sometimes
At Christmas, it’s acceptable to start the day with a nice mug of Baileys, eat a cold roast dinner in a sandwich using stilton for butter, and consume double the calorific intake of Michael Phelps, every day for a week.
Come January, all those Quality Streets we crammed in are showing, and the only solution is the gym. It’s the worst – boring, hard and reminds you how unfit you are.
So, we asked students who’s love for the gym has amassed them thousands of followers how we can do the impossible and make ourselves love it too:
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Flora, Bristol, @foodfitnessflora
Find a balance – exercising three times a week for half an hour is better than not being able to work out because you’ve injured yourself taking it too far.
I do between four and five hours of exercise a week, most of which are classes. Having variety stops you getting bored, as well as working different muscle groups. People don’t hate exercise, they just hate the type of exercise they’ve been doing.
Try walking to the gym and doing something gentle once you’re there. If you don’t enjoy it, leave – at least you’ve gone for a walk. 90 per cent of the time you’ll have a good workout – the effort of getting there is the hard bit.
It’s also important to temper your expectations – establishing unrealistic goals sets you up for failure. Consistent, easier workouts are better than one really hard session.
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Dell and Friddy, Leeds, @unifitnessleeds
Dell: I never used to love the gym because I had no idea what I was doing. You’ll start understanding your body better once you educate yourself.
Friddy: Tell yourself that you’ll see progress if you put the work in – don’t be impatient. Seeing changes in my own body was a turning point for me – it showed me that hard work definitely pays off.
Dell: I have bad days and even weeks – I’m only human. Just wait until you feel better – you’ll come back back better than ever and loving it again.
Friddy: I don’t beat myself up about not exercising – we all need a break sometimes, but don’t confuse tiredness with laziness. I always try and make myself go to the gym – I’d much rather have a rubbish session than no session if I can.
Dell: I always have my kit on me, so there’s no excuse not to go. We also train together so we hold each other accountable.
Georgia, Oxford Brookes, @gljfitness
It’s so important to start slow and find what you love doing in the gym – if you’re not inspired by what you’re doing you’ll never stick with it. I only started loving exercise when I began using weights – the progress was incredible.
I started my Instagram account April and it’s grown to over 16K followers which is mental. The support really helps.
When I feel rubbish and can’t face going, buying a new gym outfit or training my favourite body part gets me out of that slump. Don’t pressurise yourself to go, but going to the gym can put you in a better mindset if you’re stressed.
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Maddie, Birmingham, @fit.maddieuk
Branching out and experimenting with exercise other than cardio stopped the gym feeling like a chore. Try a range of workouts – cardio, classes or weights – see which elements you enjoy and combine them.
We all have times where we plan to work out, but end up staying in our PJs all day – that’s totally normal! Forcing yourself to go if you can’t face it will only build negative associations with the gym.
Building exercising into your routine makes going easier – I can go on weekdays with no problem because I go straight from uni – just tell yourself you’re going and don’t think twice about it.
Don’t be afraid to ask an instructor for help – you’ll feel more confident using the equipment, and be more likely to enjoy it.
Steph, Glasgow, @stephbeirnefit
I started to love the gym when I stopped trying to burn hundreds of calories doing cardio and began lifting instead. Valuing improvements in your strength and state of mind over physical appearance is a really positive way to engage with exercise. It’s so rewarding.
It helps to try and go early in the day – there are fewer distractions and less time to talk yourself out of it. Also, it gets it over and done with. But listen to your body – no one can give 100 per cent 24/7, not even elite athletes.
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You can earn up to £12 an hour just by exercising on your bike