So you’ve started a new – autumnal – fitness regime. You’ve been working out consistently, eating a balanced diet and going to bed at a reasonable time. It’s all going well but you feel exactly the same as you did when you were mainlining merlot on your sofa a month ago. Running is still painful; the gym remains boring. Where are all the gains you were promised? When will you actually notice that your fitness has hiked or you’ve become stronger?

Nothing is more demotivating than feeling like a routine isn’t producing results – especially when you’re bombarded by fitness transformation posts online and influencers who report quick gains. You might feel like giving up or ditching your regime in favour of something that’s more likely to ‘work’. The truth is, fitness takes time – something that social media doesn’t tend to make clear. 

“If you started a plan a month or so ago and have managed to stick to it religiously, it can be very disappointing to not see immediate results,” acknowledges Victoria Anderson, clinical exercise physiologist and founder of Longevity Health & Fitness. Whatever you’re hoping your new exercise routine will achieve, she explains, it can take up to 12 weeks for physiological changes such as getting stronger or fitter to be apparent. But that doesn’t mean improvements aren’t already under way.

“You may have started to already feel more energised or as though things are easier than when you started out, and that’s a great first step,” says Anderson. “Imagine each day and week as a vital building block to that 8-12 week period. Without the work you’re doing now, you won’t get to experience these longer-term results.” 

Kirstie Lucas, trainer at F45 High Street Kensington, tells Strong Women that it’s not uncommon for people to feel impatient towards the start of a new fitness programme, but that the timeline for noticeable changes tends to vary from person to person. “Some people may experience increased energy and improved mood within a few weeks, but physical changes typically take longer and depend on factors like consistency, intensity and individual body responses,” she explains. 

Both experts say that consistency is key to success when it comes to exercise, calling the process ‘stacking the blocks’. Create a good foundation, and you’ll be able to build something that lasts.

Sometimes, your new regime will go pear-shaped for a reason. Anderson says she often sees workout newbies setting a goal to work out way more frequently than ever before – a key mistake. “If you’re someone who’s historically gone to the gym once a week and has suddenly resolved to start going five times a week, that makes things so much harder,” she says. “I always suggest people increase their workouts by one session a week, and once that’s established, add on.”  

That counts for anyone who’s never really exercised before, too. You might have signed up for your first gym membership earlier this month, or bought a new pair of trainers with the idea of becoming a runner or getting into strength training… only to find that you haven’t used either investment more than a couple of times. It’s not your resolve that’s the issue, it’s probably the lack of a concrete, achievable goal. 

The good thing is, that’s easily sorted; it’s never too late to make a fresh plan of action. 

“The winter months really leave people lacking in motivation,” Anderson stresses. As a result, she adds, it’s “important to have a backup plan” of ways you can achieve “smaller, realistic” fitness goals, for “when you’ve had a stressful day at work and are running behind schedule, it’s raining when you’re meant to go for a run outside, or other parts of life get in your way – which will happen. 

“Could you do a shorter home workout? How about running on a treadmill at the gym instead? Or plan a walk for those days when you’re simply lacking motivation or energy. Moving your body consistently will lead to better health and fitness outcomes.”

Lucas agrees that lack of consistency is “a significant factor when striving towards your goal. Success in fitness comes from regular commitment, so it’s crucial to create a realistic schedule that aligns with your lifestyle and stick to it.” She adds that another common pitfall when starting a new fitness regime is failing to add variety into workouts. “Mixing up the type of exercises you do not only keeps things interesting but also challenges different muscle groups.”

The moral of this story is that goal-setting is vital for making any change. Whether you’re aiming for a promotion at work and planning how you’re going to prove you deserve it, or wanting to someday buy a house and working out how you’ll stump up a deposit, positive change requires one big concrete goal and a path littered with smaller steps.

When it comes to fitness, PTs use something called the SMART method to help clients work out what it is they want to achieve. That stands for:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

Let’s imagine that my goal is to be able to run faster without feeling like I’m going to have a cardiac arrest. That’s a noble goal but it’s too wishy-washy. Using the SMART method, I can actually set about achieving it:

• Specific – I want to run a 5K PB at Parkrun
• Measurable – I know my current personal best time and want to beat it
• Attainable – I can run 5K and have the time to run slightly more often
• Relevant – I like running and want to be able to run a faster 10K in the future, so this goal is something I’ll enjoy working towards and will help me in the future
• Time-bound – I want to run my Parkrun PB on the first Saturday in April

You can do the same with any goal. “I want to eat healthier” isn’t really something you can achieve, but resolving to improve your gut health by eating 30 plants a week is. You might decide to aim for 15 plants a week initially, then increase that number by two plants a week for 10 weeks. 

These winter-proof motivation boosters are guaranteed to have you up and back on your feet.

Set small, mid-term and realistic goals

“That’ll help you reach harder long-term goals,” says Anderson. “Give yourself an incentive and reward for reaching these smaller micro goals.”

Celebrate the little victories

“Recognise and appreciate the progress you’ve made, whether it’s lifting a heavier set of weights, running faster, or simply feeling more energised,” Lucas says.

Use social environments for accountability

That might mean joining a run club, working out with a friend or using an app or YouTube video that offers a sense of community.

Track the duration, volume and intensity of your workouts

“These will be some of the first things that you notice improve before you start to feel or see physical results,” says Anderson.

Think about varying your activity

Doing the same running route or weights routine every day isn’t going to elicit change beyond maintaining your current fitness or strength. Use your diary to plot different exercises for different days. If running’s your thing, make sure you’re doing some kind of strength training two days a week, and think about running shorter and faster one day.  

Images: Getty