11 Reasons Why People Stop Going to the Gym and How to Overcome Them

“I know I need to exercise and I’ve joined a gym before and I didn’t go.” Does this sound like you? What happened, why did you stop going? Can you find the real reason you stopped exercising?

1. Depending on your current level of fitness, it maybe months to see any change, results or create good habits. It can disheartening if it’s hard and you didn’t reach your goals quick enough. It takes 21 days to form a habit and 3 months to create a lifestyle change. Commit for the long haul otherwise you may end up giving up too early.

2. You need to find your “Why” - the motivation that keeps you going above all else. You’ll need to remind yourself of this when you are thinking of driving straight past the gym.

3. Did you set goals that you can measure or see change? Set goals that are small and achievable along your journey. You need to be able to monitor your progress so you see results. Set your goals up for success not failure.

4. When you reach your little milestones, give yourself a reward that you really want. If you love massage, get one when you complete X workouts in a month.

5. Did you make a plan? When are you going to exercise? Use a chart and keep it visible or track your workouts using a tracking app. A plan will help you mentally prepare.

6. Be prepared. Pack your gym bag every night before bed. That way even if tomorrow is not your usual gym day you might be in the mood to exercise and you’ll be ready to go.

7. Did you like what you were doing? You may find exercise easy or not, but it helps to do something you enjoy. You might not have found what you love yet. Put yourself outside of your comfort zone, you never know.

8. It can be really helpful to share your journey with others who will help you stay on track and make you accountable. Make sure they are tough on you if you have a weak excuse. They may even end up doing it with you.

9. Exercise with someone else. They will keep you accountable because you are more likely to turn up and exercise with them so you don’t let them down.

10. Get into group fitness or team training. Training in a group/team environment spurs us on to turn up and work harder. The instructor will guide you through the routine and adds motivation to keep you going and it’s different every time so you won’t get bored of doing the same thing, plus it’s also a great place to meet like-minded people. 11. Was it the gym? Did you join a gym that was miles away or really inconvenient? Did you hate the atmosphere? Or was it was dirty? This could be why you were coming up with excuses not to go. Find a gym that works for you and ticks all of your boxes. You may not see an immediate results but regular exercise will make you feel great. And, over time, get you to where you want to be. Nobody said it was going to be easy, but you can’t give up.