Over the past year and a half I have spent roughly 585 hours in the gym, working hard to build a happy, healthy, and strong body. I know how much I struggled with trying to figure out how to be the most successful in the gym. I am very thankful to have found what works for me, and I wanted to take some time to share my tips and tricks with you.
First let me start by telling you what my goals were in the gym. When I first started working out I weighed roughly 105 pounds, I was happy but I wasn’t strong. My goal was to get stronger and to be perfectly honest I wanted a nice ass.
I have since put on roughly 50 pounds, and I know not all of it is muscle, but a lot of it is, and I have the progress pictures to prove it. I worked hard for every single pound of weight that I gained, and for that, I am beyond proud of myself.
So let me jump right in and tell you my first tip. You will not always feel motivated, or want to go to the gym, but the key is to be consistent. Going to the gym when you don’t feel like it is what makes you stronger, both mentally and physically. When I feel unmotivated I try to ask myself, is laying in bed and watching Netflix more important that my end goal of being the strongest version of myself? Let me tell you another little secret, I have found that it is the getting up and getting myself to the gym that is the hardest part, and once I’m actually there I have a great workout.
Going to the gym when you feel unmotivated is so important because it builds self discipline and that is a huge part of living a healthy lifestyle.
My second tip is to go in with a plan. Create a workout split and then stick to it for about a month, know what days you are going to work what muscle group and then actually work that muscle group. Going in with a plan has helped me not to mess around, I go into the gym do my workout and then leave. When I have a solid plan I know what the expectations are and it also makes it easier to track your progress.
Speaking of tracking progress, if you are lifting weights and trying to build muscle mass, you should be doing something that is called progressive overload. What that means is simply lifting heavier weight each week. There is a common misconception that you need to be lifting a lot heavier each week, but that is not the case, it can be as little as five pounds. Trust me, you are stronger than what you think, and you can probably lift a lot heavier that what your brain is telling you.
One of my favorite ways to track progress is actually due to progressive overload. I absolutely love going to the gym and being able to lift heavier than the week before. It’s how I know I am getting stronger. When I first started lifting, I was doing roughly 40 pounds on the leg press and my legs were shaking and so sore from it, but now my leg press max is 400 pounds. Progress doesn’t always mean seeing the number on the scale change, or seeing crazy different results right away, I have found tracking how much weight I can lift each week is the most encouraging form of progress for me.
My fourth piece of advice is to stop caring what other people think. Everyone at the gym is there to work on bettering themselves, they most likely are not even paying attention to you or what you are doing. Remember that everyone starts somewhere, and that everyone’s fitness journey looks different.
My fifth piece of advice is to never sacrifice form in the name of lifting heavier. Using proper form is what ensures that you are being safe. Once you have the correct form down, being able to lift heavier will come. Remember, you have to walk before you can run. Without proper form you won’t see the results you desire and could end up seriously hurt.
My last piece of advice to love yourself where you’re at and enjoy the process. Fall in love with the process of bettering yourself and the rest will come. Remember that you are trying to build and maintain a healthy lifestyle, in order to do that it helps to truly love the process and not just the results.
I hope this helps, and as always for my tips, tricks and content sign up for my email list and follow me on Instagram where I am very active.
Love you lots,
Joce
Jocelyn Taylor 