As we’re a few weeks into January, it’s super common to experience a dip in motivation, or to struggle to turn a new desired behaviour into a habit. The secret to sustaining positive change is to create new habits, so here’s a few ideas that might be helpful.
It takes 66 days to establish a new habit.
This is an interesting number, as 66 days is longer than a month, and maybe longer than we expect? But it’s not a lifetime – it’s about 9 weeks. So, if you’ve managed to do a desired behaviour (like working out or eating healthily) for some of the time since January – then great.
This is an ideal start, and also an invitation to keep going, as best you can, until at least the first week of March to embed that new habit. We know once we’ve formed a new habit or routine, our desired behaviours tend to look after themselves.
We just become someone who “does that thing”, rather than needing to pay lots of attention over every choice to do it. So, keep going!
Don’t wait to be “in the mood” to work out.
Motivation can be a slippery thing! We can often think we will decide whether to work out
dependent on whether we are in the mood for it on the day. But actually, motivation doesn’t have to be led by your mood. You can choose to work out, and then see what happens to your mood afterwards.
Chances are that if you commit to working out no matter what your mood, you’re likely
to feel a lot better afterwards. Which is a win! So, don’t wait to follow your motivation. Lead with the behaviour, and watch your motivation follow.
Stronger together
We’re all stronger together, so ask a friend to be your accountability partner or your work out buddy. We all are more likely to do something if we have made an agreement with someone else that we will “show up”.
So whatever it is that you want to do, ask a friend to do it with you, or to be the person you check in with to tell them you got it done. If you buddy up, you’re more likely to get it done, and you’ll also have someone to witness and celebrate your journey along the way.
Are you ready to start developing your boxing skills? Do you want to reach your fitness goals and look after your wellbeing? Join us on Saturdays at Poplar Union, for our new adult boxing class; Sweat&Reset!
Can I use boxing gloves for bag work?
Yes, boxing gloves are suitable for bag work. Bag work involves hitting heavy bags, speed bags, or focus mitts to practice technique, improve punching power, and enhance conditioning. It's important to use gloves with adequate padding (12 oz to 16 oz) to protect your hands during bag work.