Being consistent with anything can be challenging, and when looking at gym consistency, it can be seen as more of a chore than a treat. This makes going to the gym consistently hard, but when you switch your mindset to think of it as more of a treat, you will find yourself going to the gym more consistently. 

Mindset can dictate how you look at things in your daily life, and going to the gym or working out should be one of those constants. So, how do we build the right mindset? Well, we can try to have a more positive look at what the gym brings to us, like health and a sense of accomplishment, so that creating healthy gym habits can change your mindset. 

This blog will explain what mindset is and its importance in choosing a person’s lifestyle, as well as how mindset can be shifted to a more positive outlook and help you gain the confidence to stay consistent in the gym.

What is a growth mindset?

Mindset comes in two primary forms: a growth mindset and a fixed mindset. A person with a growth mindset believes in challenges and pushing themselves; they believe that any constructive criticism is a chance to learn and grow. 

A growth mindset pushes one to develop and doesn’t give energy to believing in failure. Individuals possessing a growth mindset never believe that they should stop developing, and that there is always something new to learn and try. Those with this mindset seem to achieve more than those with a fixed mindset because they are not afraid of criticism or failure. 

People with a growth mindset work well when trying to learn something new, like going to the gym or wanting to set goals. Learning something new or even failing a couple of times makes them stronger.

What is a fixed mindset?

A fixed mindset is a person telling themselves that what they can do right now is IT, that there are no changes or challenges that will teach them something new. Fixed mindset people believe that when they achieve something, it is not due to hard work, but that they already had the natural ability to achieve whatever it was that they did.

With a fixed mindset, there is no growth. These individuals do not believe that they can change and give up easily when something doesn’t go as planned. 

How to change your mindset?

Changing your mindset isn’t easy; it will take time and practice. External factors may make it challenging to go from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. This could be family or work not allowing you to try new things or criticizing you when you do. 

Even though criticism helps you grow and challenge yourself, if you are still in a fixed mindset, it may set you back. One tip to help change those beliefs is self-talk, allowing yourself to be challenged, and when something is not going as planned, don’t let criticism put you down, instead tell yourself that you are proud of trying something new. 

To help change your mindset, you need to first believe that it is not your circumstances that are holding you back, but rather, your mindset and outlook. You need to accept that your way of thinking needs adjusting. 

This can be especially helpful in the gym. Instead of telling yourself that it’s too hard, or that you have pushed yourself enough, go that extra minute on the cardio machine or do that extra rep at the end of the set. This will help shift your perspective on how much you are capable of doing.

How to stay consistent in the gym

Staying consistent in the gym means there will be good and bad days, and even on the worst days, your mind needs to be stronger than your body. When you think that it’s too cold, or that you just aren’t in the mood, or that you may perform poorly, JUST SHOW UP. 

Showing up is half the battle, and if you can stay consistent for 66 days, study shows that the new behavior will become automatic. I have some tips for you to implement to help you stay accountable and consistent in the gym.

1. Create set times  

Habits will help you stay consistent in the gym so if you have a set time in the morning or the evening you will put yourself accountable at that specific time and make your way to the gym. 

Not only will it help you get to the gym, but you’ll end up seeing the same people there at those times making going to the gym more comfortable and enjoyable. 

2. Have a workout plan in place

Going to the gym without a plan in place can put a lot of pressure on a person, especially when they are first starting. Going in blindsided can make going to the gym unpleasant and make you feel lost.

Going in with a workout in mind will lift the uncomfortable burden of feeling lost, or that feeling of people staring at you while you walk around trying to figure out what to do next. Figure out which body parts you want to work out or even a full body workout and create a specific workout for those days to complete in the gym. 

Not only will this help with the pressure, but it will also help you create goals in the gym. 

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3. Track your progress

Tracking your progress goes hand in hand with creating workout plans. Tracking your progress will keep you accountable for the number of times you have gone to the gym, and help with mini-wins when you see your progress increase. 

This is great for your mindset when you see that all the hard work you have put in is paying off and you begin lifting more weights, or maybe you can run an extra minute on the treadmill.

4. Have an accountability buddy

This also comes with a growth mindset. It’s important to have someone there to keep you accountable and encourage you to keep going, even when you don’t feel like it. Find someone (this doesn’t have to be a gym buddy) with similar goals or someone you trust to have positive talks with. 

When you listen to others that have positive outlooks and talk about the same things you are doing, you will also begin to have positive outlooks and talks.

Final thoughts 

Building gym consistency will take time, 66 days to be exact, but it will never happen if you don’t see it on Day 1. Everyone starts somewhere, but you must believe in yourself for completing what you set out to do, and that starts with the right mindset.

Create a healthy environment for yourself, don’t fear failure, look at it as a stepping stone to learn and grow from. Invite yourself to challenges and build a relationship with yourself where you tell yourself that your abilities in life are endless.