Keeping up with a fitness routine is easier said than done. Sometimes you’re too busy to attend your 30-minute virtual fitness class, and sometimes you simply don’t have the motivation or energy for it. That’s why it’s important to have some tricks up your sleeve to help you overcome those obstacles.
Jenny Jaucian, one of Intuition’s California-based trainers, shared obstacles are inevitable. “There’s going to be obstacles—something that blocks one’s way or prevents or hinders progress—in every area of our lives,” she says. Because of that, it’s how you approach those obstacles that determines whether you’re going to get to the place you want to be or not.
You can prevent obstacles from getting between you and your fitness goals by using Jenny’s simple tips. Because with the right tools, nothing will be able to stop you.
3 Ways to Overcome Obstacles With Your Fitness Goals
1. Anticipate Setbacks
When you set a goal, you expect yourself to be able to achieve it flawlessly. The problem with that is if anything goes wrong, you see yourself as a failure, says Jenny. Because success isn’t generally a straight shot and often has detours, she says you have to anticipate obstacles right away so you’re ready for them. That might be as simple as scheduling out your workouts in advance during especially busy weeks.
2. Eat the Frog
Listen up, procrastinators. If you tend to put things off—like your workouts, for example!—Jenny says to “eat the frog.” Aka, do the thing you always push to the side first thing in the morning. “If we wait until the end of the day, we probably don’t have the mental energy to get the big thing done. It’s best to do it right in the morning when you have the mental energy,” she says. By doing so, you’ll be able to go through the rest of the day knowing you already checked your workout off your to-list list.
3. Get Accountability
Sometimes sharing your fitness goals with someone you trust can help you stay on track. “When someone is counting on you to show up for yourself—like a friend, family member, or colleague—your integrity is on the line,” she says. “If you don’t do it, you have to tell them you didn’t do it, and that’s a crummy feeling.” Have someone check in on you to make sure you got your workout in. It might just be the extra push you need.
