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8 Simple Ways To Make Your Workouts More Effective & To See Quicker Results

8 Simple Ways To Make Your Workouts More Effective & To See Quicker Results

Fitness Wellness
By Wei Yin on 17 Jul 2020
Digital Editor

It's frustrating when you put in effort to exercise but don't see any results which makes you want to give up. This is something many people experience so don't feel too discouraged.

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In fact, making small changes to your workout routine might help! Here are eight simple ways to make your workouts more effective so you can see results quicker.

Read on to find out more!

#1 Come up with an exercise routine/plan 

Exercise planPhoto from Pinterest

Instead of heading into the gym aimlessly every day, make your time spent there worthwhile by coming up with an exercise routine or plan. Being indecisive takes up precious time you put aside for exercising and won't get you anywhere.

There are many workout routines and exercise challenges you can take inspiration from available online. If you prefer coming up with your own plan, remember to make it manageable so you feel motivated to achieve your goals! You could also choose a body part to focus on for that week so that you will be able to see results faster.

#2 Curate your own workout playlist

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Girl exercising on treadmill Photo from Pinterest

The right music can be a powerful tool to distract you from how tired or miserable you feel when exercising. Songs with encouraging lyrics or a fast beat will hype you up, making you feel like you can do anything! Use music to motivate yourself to keep going and to not give up.

Check out these 10 tracks we recommend listening to while working out to distract yourself from the pain.

#3 Turn on airplane mode on your phone

Girl exercising outdoorsPhoto from Pinterest

If you are always distracted by your surroundings such as the TV or your phone when exercising, your next best bet is to turn on airplane mode. You need to resist the urge of wanting to reply to that message or to scroll through social media halfway through your exercise routine. Doing this could make you feel less motivated to go back to that tiring task and you will end up not being able to complete your workout goals for the day!

#4 Minimise the amount of rest you take between exercises

Girl lifting weights in the gymPhoto from Pinterest

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Keeping your heart rate appropriately elevated can train your body to deliver fresh oxygen to your muscles so that you get better at pushing through your workouts even when you are tired. Rest just enough so that you are able to go hard at your next set!

#5 Keep track of your progress

Runkeeper workout appPhoto from Runkeeper

Use a workout app to keep track of your progress so you know if you have managed to achieve your goals for the day. Some apps come with exercise routines you can follow while others help you track your improvement. Downloading such an app is a great way to understand your body and workout routines so you can make tweaks to them to achieve better results.

If you need a guide and motivation to work out, check out these five best free workout apps.

#6 Do workouts you enjoy

Pilates exercisePhoto from Pinterest

If heading to the gym to exercise alone doesn't sound like your cup of tea, there are many alternatives such as working out with a friend at home or joining classes. It's important that you find something you like so you won't find it a chore when you need to exercise.

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Pilates or yoga are some of the more relaxing workout alternatives you can consider trying!

#7 Drink enough water before and after exercising

Water bottle filled with water and limePhoto from Pinterest

When you sweat, your body loses a great deal of water so you need to replace this water loss after exercising. Adequately hydrate your body before and after exercising as water helps to regulate your body temperature and lubricate your joints. It transports nutrients to give you energy so your body can perform at its highest level.

#8 Make sure you stretch after exercising

Stretching after exercisePhoto from Pinterest

Many tend to remember to warm up before exercising, but forget to stretch after an intense workout session. Stretching those tired muscles reduces tension so they won't feel sore the next day.

Sore muscles can make you feel unmotivated and might result in you not wanting to execute your workout plans. Make sure you give yourself a good stretch after every workout so that your muscles can heal more quickly.

While you are here, check out our other fitness articles here.

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Text by: GirlStyle SG