REVEALED: The secret to staying motivated at the gym

Going to the gym can be such a struggle; from getting out of bed to making your way there, it can take a lot of willpower to actually make it inside the building.

The secret to sticking to an exercise regime has finally been revealed and a study found that the answer is... if you go to the gym to cheer yourself up, you'll stay motivated for much longer.

Yup! You heard that right!

A poll of 2,000 people found that those who started exercising as a way of boosting their mood stick with their plan the longest.

Check out: Top 20 excuses of not going to the gym

Gym-goers who want to keep fit and take care of their health are also more likely to regularly attend. However those people who go to the gym with the intention of staying slim are more likely to quit after five weeks.

The study, by Vitabiotics, found 62 per cent of adults reckon they are more likely to stick with a diet or fitness regime if they have some sort of goal in mind.

It also found those who turn to exercise to improve their mood keep going for seven weeks and six days on average.

Whereas people who want to keep their slim build or loss weight begin to skip sessions after five weeks and four days.

If you're one of those people who go to the gym for no other reason than because everyone else does, you'll apparently last just five weeks and five days.

And, if you exercise with the sole purpose of trying to lose excess weight, you'll generally last six weeks and four days.

The survey also found that reaching a particular weight is the most common aim, followed by getting into a lower clothes size and being able to do a certain amount of exercise easily.

Losing weight is the most popular reason for embarking on a diet or exercise plan, along with getting fit, looking your best for a holiday and taking care of health issues.

Length of time people stick with different fitness plan motivations:

To improve my mood – Seven weeks and six days

To keep fit generally – Seven weeks and three days

To take care of my health – Seven weeks and one day

To give myself some me-time – Six weeks and six days

To challenge myself – Six weeks and six days

To lose weight – Six weeks and four days

For fun – Six weeks and one day

Because I feel like I should – Five weeks and five days

To get fit for a holiday – Five weeks and four days

To stay slim – Five weeks and four days

SHOP: The best work out equipment to get you motivated at home

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