The first couple of weeks in January, who isn’t motivated to go the gym just about daily? Memories of our holiday food orgies are fresh in our minds, as are our New Year’s resolutions. Gyms are notoriously busy the first few weeks in January, and then sadly, many people stop going. 

Let’s say that you don’t want to be one of those people who break yet another resolution. You’re committed to your health, and still you’re having a hard time maintaining your motivation. Changing the way you think about going to the gym and working out can help you keep your motivation fresh, and help you achieve your goals.

Take a few moments and consider all the reasons why you should continue going to your gym. You know going will help you stay active and healthy. If you’re a parent, do you want to have enough energy to play with your kids? Will working out help you relieve stress and allow you to be more effective in your job? Would you like to run in a 5K or improve your fitness for other sports? The more reasons why you should go work out, and the more important they are to you, the easier it becomes. 

Start thinking of yourself as an athlete. Most of us unconsciously think of athletes as dedicated to training hard. If you are an athlete, almost by definition you are motivated to working out, rather than wasting a night watching TV. 

Take some time to talk with other gym goers and develop friendships. When you have friends at your gym, you’ll look forward to getting together with them. If you aren’t taking scheduled classes, you may want to schedule workout time with a friend or two. It will be harder to skip a training session if you know your friends are expecting you.