Did you just now realize that summer and pride season are right around the corner? Well, you still have time to get into shape or at least lose a little bit of quarantine weight to improve your health, comfort and aesthetic appeal. But if you hate to workout (you’re not the only one) sticking to your schedule might be easier said than done. Luckily, there are ways you can stay motivated and on the right track with your workouts. 

Start with good goals

If your goal is to “lose weight” that won’t keep you motivated because this process can last for years. What you need is SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely goals such as “I want to lose X pounds in X weeks”. With a goal like this, you can tick off days on a calendar, have weekly weigh-ins, perform better corrections and stay on track easier. 

Go slow in the beginning

If you haven’t worked out in a long time, it’s not smart to book five sessions at the gym a week for six months straight. This won’t work and you’ll probably give up quickly. Too much training might lead to burnout, injury, bad moods, emotional rollercoasters, and depressive thoughts. But if you start slow with two or three visits to the gym per week, you will stay fresh and motivated to kill your workouts. If you manage to stay consistent for three months, you can add another session, but in the meantime, if you crave more activity, just go for a walk, have a dance-off, or do a short routine at home.  

Reach for supplements

No, we don’t mean steroids and other aggressive chemicals, but supplements that can give you just a little push on your fitness journey and make you look tip-top for pride season. If you’re just starting out and want to lose some weight, you can introduce an estrodrine supplement into your routine. This supplement restores balance to your estrogen levels allowing you to see better results, especially while managing your weight. 

It increases natural drive and reduces sluggishness in both men and women. You can also opt for some pre- and post-workout shakes, especially after a super hard session at the gym—you don’t need to go overboard with supplements. 

Reward yourself

Exercising will naturally make you feel happy and relaxed, but you can enhance that feeling by rewarding yourself for all the hard work you do. Start small by taking a few minutes to enjoy a rush of dopamine after every session. When you reach any bigger goal muscle- or weight-wise, treat yourself to something that will further keep you in check with your workouts.

Good rewards for your dedication are new workout clothes, new runners, a pair of sunglasses, a new water bottle, workout headphones, a spa day, massage, dinner at a healthy-food restaurant and such. Don’t reward yourself with days off or junk food—these are not rewards, but punishments. 

Employ friends/family

People usually stay more motivated when there’s someone else who can keep them accountable, so if you have a partner, friend or family member willing to go through the process of losing weight with you, accept their help. You can push each other, keep each other in check with diet and offer help at the gym or in the kitchen. When you both reach your goals, you can celebrate together as well and that’s the fun part! 

Make it fun

If you push running and you hate running, you won’t stay consistent and reach your goals. Instead, find an activity that you really enjoy. If you love the simplicity of the gym, go ahead, but if you love the fresh air and company, join a volleyball or baseball league. If you love something dynamic, take a dance class or join a martial arts club. People who get bored easily (looking at you, Geminis) need to vary their routine to keep things fresh and interesting. 

Luckily, the weather is getting nicer, so you can try your hand at many different activities that will keep you moving. If you’re having fun, you’re more likely to stick to your plan and reach your fitness goals. 

Are you motivated to work out right now? Use this momentum to destroy your first workout and you can make a detailed plan tomorrow. Set goals, schedule workout sessions, stick to your diet and supplementation and you will persevere until it’s time to show off your hard-earned results during pride season!