We’re all susceptible to the January curse. You start off full of vim, bouncing to the gym with good intentions… only for that motivation to drain away two weeks later.

We get it: it’s cold, dark and gloomy, and your sofa is so much more inviting than sweating it out in the gym on a Tuesday evening in winter. Deep down we still want to do it – we know regular exercise is so good for us, but how can we make ourselves go when we really don’t fancy it?

The answer lies in creating good habits. Instead of overthinking all the pros and cons of trotting along to your local gym, it needs to become part of your subconscious. Unlike a routine, a habit is an automatic action; in fact, studies have shown that around 40% of our daily activities are not conscious actions but ingrained habits. It may take up to two months for those habits to fully form, but once established they could push you to keep exercising.

To find out which habits might help in the pursuit of easy fitness wins, Strong Women asked five PTs and fitness instructors to recommend easy and effective habits that will motivate you to go to the gym, even when you don’t want to leave the house. Here’s what they said… 

Make your ‘why’ your screensaver

“My first tip is to write down your ‘why’. It’s really important to understand why you’re going to the gym in the first place,” suggests PT and mindset coach Chloe Thomas. “Write one or two ‘whys’ on a note on your phone, save it as a screensaver or jot down on a PostIt note and stick it to the side of your laptop screen to remind you. When you don’t want to go to the gym, you can then read this to motivate yourself. Before you go, visualise how proud you’ll be afterwards”

Put your workout in the diary

Planning may seem obvious but it’s an effective tip that is often overlooked, according to Thomas: “Put workouts in your diary for the week ahead, including the time and what workout you’re doing. This makes them like appointments so you don’t overbook yourself and run out of time to go. It needs to be a non-negotiable.”

Set a fitness goal for spring

Eryn Barber, PT at The Fitness Group, suggests that looking ahead to spring will help you power through the colder months. “It might be a personal training goal, such as being able to do a specific exercise such as pull-ups, or it could be based on an event such as Hyrox. The key thing is to make it a big goal that will feel rewarding as you train for it. If it’s too easy to achieve, you’ll be tempted to skip training in the belief that you can hit your goal with little effort,” she says.

PT Nicole Chapman, creator of The Power of Mum, recommends sharing this goal with friends: “Studies have shown that this positive accountability means you accomplish significantly more than those who don’t.” 

Be strategic with your gym kit

How many intended gym sessions have been scuppered because you couldn’t be faffed to get changed or haven’t got your kit with you at the right time? Chapman says kit habits are easy to build: “If you like to exercise in the morning, lay out your workout clothes the night before and set your intention to exercise first thing. If your window is after work, join a gym that’s on your way home or near your work and have your workout gear with you. Having to go home first often results in sitting down on your cosy sofa, which then makes finding the motivation to head back out again horribly difficult.” 

Wrap up warm

Barber adds: “You might think that you don’t need to wrap up to go to the gym because you’ll be training indoors, but it can be extremely beneficial to prepare for the cold weather outside [as you travel there]. 

“If you arrive cold, you’re already on the back foot when it comes to training. Not only is it harder to motivate yourself, but you’ll have to spend longer warming up to prepare your joints for movement. And that can put you at a higher risk of injury.” Keep thermal gloves, a hat and any other extra warm layers in your gym bag so you can wrap up anytime. 

Follow the ‘5-minute rule’

Sometimes it’s the idea of a lengthy session that puts us off – so start small and build from there. Thomas recommends the ‘five-minute rule’: “Commit to just five minutes in the gym and then allow yourself to leave if you want to. Chances are, 99% of the time you will finish your workout.”

Chapman frames it as not thinking beyond the present: “Say to yourself, ‘I am just going to put my workout clothes on,’ then once ready tell yourself you’re going to warm up. After that aim for a five-minute run and see if you can increase it as you find your stride. Telling yourself you have to exercise for an hour can be a roadblock before starting.”

Book something new

Plodding along with the same old routine isn’t inspiring, so switch things up. 1Rebel Ride trainer Ellie Watson says: “Try a new workout class. Letting someone else take charge of the programming and push you when your motivation is lacking is a total game-changer.”

Chapman agrees and suggests either a new class or booking a session with a PT if you can afford it: “Trying something new helps break the monotony of your workout and boosts motivation. At the same time, the financial commitment increases your chances of showing up.” 

Take a friend along

There is a wealth of research proving that working out with friends can not only boost motivation, but also help improve performance and enhance social bonds. Chapman is a fan of teaming up with a fitness pal, saying: “It’s much easier to let yourself down than friends, so buddy up and exercise with friends or colleagues. Not only will you potentially push yourself more, but I bet there will be more laughter and more enjoyment.”

Nickol Flood, trainer at JAB boxing club, agrees: “A good friend stays accountable and is reliable, so you won’t let them down. In return, you’re not letting yourself down either. [Joining a class with friends is great] because you tick off so many boxes in one – it’s good for physical movement and your mental health, plus you’re socialising while learning new techniques and skills.”

Treat yourself to new gym accessories

“Making a fresh playlist of bangers or treating yourself to a new workout set is a great trick – you always want to take them for a test run,” says Watson. It’s not just motivating, working out to music can also boost mood, increase our overall effort and make exercise feel easier, according to science.

Schedule fun ‘after-workout’ plans

This mini habit stack will get you out of the house, says Chapman: “Make your gym session the pre-meet and arrange a coffee, lunch or dinner catch-up near your gym for afterwards. Including your gym workout in your social plans will make it easier on the darker days when your body wants to hibernate.” 

Images: Getty