How to Stay Motivated Without the Gym

By SAMI
December 2017

Want to quit the gym but worried about making yourself motivated to workout without it? You are where I was four weeks ago. Don’t get me wrong, gym’s are great but they are also costly. If you added up the $70 month then think about what you could use that money for if you weren’t paying for the rent of the building and equipment. I’m sure you’d start reconsidering your membership.

I was a gym member for three years (Wow, that’s a lot of coin). My main reason for using the gym was, of course to get fit and toned, but to use it’s motivation benefits. The payments coming out each week was a big motivational tool but also the wonderful atmosphere I found from my first step into my local gym. The trainers there are always encouraging which made me feel bad if I missed a day- because I believed they’d notice.

I was a little afraid to quit the gym a month ago. I went in there really nervously and said; “I need to quit”. To my surprise, there was actually no pressure. He got the paper work out and told me that they would be sad for me to leave but he understood and that I can always come back. That made the whole process really easy.

My next struggle was trying to motivate myself without the gym. I had no one who was going to give me a dirty look for missing a couple of days. I had no encouragement and I had no money to make me feel bad for loosing if I didn’t workout. It was hard BUT I started.

Here are the steps I took:

STEP 1:
My first step was clearing out the cupboards of junk food, making lots of healthy meals to freeze and focusing on my diet. I do have my cheat food (Honey, Caramel, Macedonian ice cream) but it really depends on what you’re trying to achieve. I always start every meal with a glass of water. I am also obsessed with teas so each day, I’ll have a different one- whether it’s green tea, herbal tea, flavoured flower teas. They’re all great.
My main issue is the snacking so I searched it and found out that it’s best to have three good meals-lunch being the biggest and a couple of small healthy snacks in between like fruit, a handful of nuts of a boiled egg.

STEP 2: 
Make a goal. My goal is just to stay fit and toned so a little junkiness in moderation is acceptable in my routine- as long as I jog a little longer the next day. Yours may be that you want to stop all sugar cravings. There are some pretty cool websites that explain what your body is lacking when you crave something specific so that may be helpful. http://eatwiseteens.org/food-cravings-what-your-body-is-telling-you/
I also take photos weekly to see my process which is encouraging to myself.

STEP 3: 
A few days into my routine, I started using trusty Google to search for 30 minute workouts to do at home and I did them while I was watching TV. They would still make me sweat and I’d want to give up half way through but the more I did it, the more I’d hold that stance a little longer. I find that I am beginning to become tougher on myself like I was when I was at the gym. Challenges are exciting.

STEP 4. 
Plan your workout. I wake up each morning and walk outside to check the weather. I can’t afford to get sick as I perform each weekend so I ensure the weather is sunny before I plan to do a workout outside. I have two border collies so they need to be walked which is a big motivation advantage. I have a few different tracks I can take them on.
*CHILLED OUT- I live 20 minutes to the beach and the dogs love it so I try to take them there weekly. They play while I get a good arm exercise by throwing the ball to them. We will also go for a jog along the water. I can make this an easy or difficult exercise.
*EASY- 40 minutes- I am a block away from the beautiful Lake Macquarie so if I want to do a short/easy walk then I take them down to the lake and walk around and back.
*MEDIUM- 1- 1 /12 hrs- I like to explore my neighbourhood so I will time myself to make sure I’ve walked minimum an hr around different suburbs.
*DIFFICULT- 2 hrs- If I want to do a big workout, then I’ll mix up a walk and jog from home to Marmong Point and back. This trip takes me on roads, dirt roads, grass and the lake so it’s a really good leg workout. It is also very hilly so we are all buggered afterwards.

Born to perform, living life in my best way, travelling and touring full time.

I've been on the road performing full-time for six years now across Australia and touring to Canada and New Zealand - with more countries in plan.

I created SAMI as a way to not only share my music and life but to inspire and share my knowledge to you all.

Come say hey at a gig somewhere across the world. I would love to meet you.

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