Maintaining Motivation: Top Tips from Health Coach Hannah Mills

With 2017 in full swing, motivation to exercise may already be dwindling. We talk to online health coach and fitness expert Hannah Mills from Wedges & Weights about her top five tips on maintaining motivation to help you stick to the gym this February.

Re-commit to your goals

If your fitness intentions have begun to flag this February, it's time to re-commit to your goals. In my personal experience and when working with my online clients (AKA #wedgettes), one of the most important things you can do when setting out to achieve any goal is to figure out your why - the underlying reason as to why you're wanting to make a change. Why is it important to you to transform your body? Get fitter for your children? Ask yourself what you will gain by achieving your goal. More confidence? A sense of achievement? Your why will be unique... but once you figure it out, write it down, stick it up somewhere you'll see daily - like by your kettle, as this will act as a mini motivator and a helpful reminder as to why your workouts are worth it on those days when the sofa may be calling your name.

Up the ante

Whether you want to gain strength, lose fat or feel more fabulous, as much as consistency is key, challenging your body and mind is essential. If in January you nailed two workouts per week, it's time to up the ante - go for three workouts or tag on a few extra intervals to your session to ensure you’re constantly moving forwards. With that said, it's important to be realistic here and look at the quality of your sessions too. As tempting as it can be to go full throttle, don't bite off more than you can chew and instead focus on building up with baby steps. This way you're more likely to nail those training sessions scheduled and feel on top of your game.

Track your training

Just like when you’re looking to eat healthier you track your food, if you're serious about making progress, you need to be tracking your workouts too. Grab a notepad, jot down your training plan and every session track the weights you lift or distance ran. To stimulate change, aim to gradually increase the amount of weight you lift, as this type of progressive overload is what will physically challenge your body. Plus, seeing your strength increase will no doubt leave you feeling like a total bad ass, spurring you on for more!

Throw in a weekly wild card

As important as a structured routine is if you want to see real results, remember that fitness is all about having fun, which is why I strongly suggest throwing in weekly wild cards to keep things fresh. Think of it as play time. Try a new class, walk with a friend, do a little of what you fancy to keep your fitness flame alive, because at the end of the day, as much as we all love to see progress, it’s about exploring and embracing new ways of challenging both our bodies and minds.

Reach out to others for support

Maybe you've got in to a good exercise groove, so to take things to the next level you need a structured training plan you can follow in order to give you a clearer sense of direction - helping you take another step closer to your goal. Now is a great time to seek out support, be it from having an online coach like myself and investing in your very own Wedges & Weights training plan or teaming up with a friend to train together. Accountability is king, and it's amazing what having a coach can do to your motivation – knowing that somebody is checking up on you certainly can give you that extra push you need to power through!

INSTAGRAM: @wedgesandweights

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For more information on Hannah Mills head to her Wedges & Weights Website and become a wedgette!