January and New Year’s Resolutions seem like a long time ago now. Before you think about shelving your plans to get a six pack or build killer biceps, see if our gym goals can provide you with some motivation to stay on track.

Join a gym that you go past as part of your daily commute

...and take your gym bag to work with you. This has worked well for me; I used to be a member of a fantastic gym that had everything I could want however it was a good few miles away from home and whenever I was short on time the commute was an easy excuse. I have joined a gym which isn’t great but I drive past it on my way home from the office meaning I can squeeze in a quick workout a few times a week.

Get some great music on Spotify

Listening to your favourite music can really help to keep you motivated. I personally use Spotify and download the workout mixes, these are updated all the time and keep me listening to really good music that helps to keep me motivated during workouts.

Buy some new gym clothes

Whether you treat yourself to a new pair of running shoes or some clothes this can really spur you on to get back into the gym.

Take weekly progress pictures

Whether you’re looking to lose fat around your waistline or increase the size of your biceps, taking a weekly progress selfie can be a great motivator when you look back at how your body has changed over recent weeks.

Invest in a FitBit

Similar to progress pictures, using a tool such as a FitBit can keep you motivated by showing you how many steps/calories you have been burning each day and can help to keep you on track.

Find a friend to train with

When you’re going the gym on your own it’s very easy to talk yourself out of it. Starting to train with a friend makes you more accountable to actually show up and it’s also a great way of keeping in touch with some friends that you may not get to see much otherwise.

Sign up to a 5k, 10k or Tough Mudder

So you have a clear goal/something to work towards. Just going the gym without a purpose will almost certainly have a lifespan; give yourself a goal to work towards and you will find that you start pushing yourself harder and start making time for the gym.

Start a class to mix things up

Again, just going to the gym on your own can get a bit dull. By mixing things up with a new class such as spinning, boxing or circuit training helps to keep things fresh. Having a trainer push you as well as friendly competition amongst the rest of the class can also be a great motivator.

Reward yourself for keeping up with your training regime

Whether this is a cheat day or treating yourself to something. Eating a balanced diet and training hard week in week out usually won’t last. If there’s a day when you feel like going out for a burger, then do it.

Buy yourself an item of clothing that you would like to wear and put it somewhere visible.

This might be a pair of jeans with a smaller waist size or a larger size t shirt which will show off your future fuller biceps.

Remember that training hard isn’t all about how you look

You will be giving your body and mind a whole host of benefits from reducing stress levels through to reducing your heart rate and blood pressure to name a few. Getting a blood pressure and heart rate monitor at home which you check every few weeks can help you monitor the progress of your health.

Don't compare yourself with others and really don’t compare yourself with Instagram fitness models!

Lastly, don’t be so hard on yourself, set realistic goals and enjoy exercise.  If you have any great motivational tips for the gym we would love to hear them!