When it comes to fitness, all of us have different stories. Some can’t even get themselves in the mood to work out, while some of us work out every day and yet they fail to see the results. Regardless of whether you want to slim down, tone your body, or simply lead a healthier life, figuring out how to achieve your goals sometimes feels like rocket science, only more complicated. There’s a bit more to it than the simple “Well, just hit the treadmill!” that people keep pushing as the only solution. Luckily, once you learn how to approach your workouts, it’ll become as easy as pie. For the beginners and fitness enthusiasts both, here are a few tips to motivate you and help you get the kind of body you’ve always dreamed of having.

Don't skip strength training

Women are almost always guilty of this, and it’s such a shame because they’re the ones who can benefit from it the most. They tend to do it because they don’t want to end up looking bulky, but it takes a lot of time to actually build that much muscle and look beefy. Besides, muscles are sexy on anyone, not just on men. Being strong not only feels great, but it can help you lose weight as well. We all know that cardio is the golden standard for slimming down, but it won’t actually help you look toned. Weight lifting, however, makes your body trim and sexy, but it also has the added benefit of helping you lose weight even when you’re not working out. Muscles are immensely helpful with fat burning when we’re exercising, but even when we’re just resting they can help us lose more calories during the day.

Think outside the box

Hate the gym? That’s actually fine. Look, the gym is pretty great and can definitely help a lot of people, but for some it’s just too much stress. If going there makes you sick to your stomach, then you’ll just give up and ruin your progress pretty quickly. Instead, consider some other options. And we don’t mean just working out at home. Are you outdoorsy? Why not go running or hiking? Do you like to dance? Hip hop, belly dancing and jazz ballet are all great options. Or maybe you want to learn self-defence, in which case martial arts can be your go to. Yoga, swimming, cycling, fencing – there are so many options, and you know what the best one is? The one that you enjoy and that you’ll love coming back to every day.

Combine exercise with other things

Exercising helps everyone, but if we gorge ourselves with fast food every day then we’re bound to slow down our progress significantly. Cutting down processed foods and sugary things can easily help you shed the pounds, so try to eat home-cooked meals as often as you can. If you want to have a sexy body, just look at Aussie girls. They spend their whole lives at the beach, and to look good they have to work hard. Australia, more than most countries, has a high rate physically active people, and the beautiful Gabby Westbrook herself seems to enjoy outdoor workouts a lot.

Since there is so much pressure to look good, most Australian ladies aren’t shy about going to the plastic surgeon either. For example, CoolSculpting in Perth is becoming increasingly popular and if you want a non-invasive procedure to target fat, this is a pretty great option. It freezes the fat cells and removes them from your body, and it’s a great option for those who keep working out but can’t get rid of chubbiness in certain parts of their body. If you ever wanted to change something about your body, plastic surgery and other aesthetic procedures are something to consider. Combine these with exercise and the right diet and you can shape up and look just the way you want to.

Change it up

Having a routine is excellent, but sometimes you do need to introduce new things into it. If your workouts are becoming too easy for you to do, then it means you’ve reached a plateau and that you need more challenge to keep them effective. Switch it up a bit, or simply add more sets and repetitions to keep it all intense.

Make a calendar

It’s good to have a visual representation of your progress. Your body will change over time, but you won’t be able to tell right away, so keeping a calendar will help you track your workouts and keep you more motivated. Imagine looking at it and realising you’ve been working out for three months solid. This way you can take pride in what you do, and keep your goal in mind more easily.

The best and final tip that you need to know is to simply find any way you can to become in love with exercising. Stop seeing it as a chore that you just have to get out of your way. It’s the time for you to have fun, to enjoy yourself. Play your favourite music and don’t let anyone interrupt you. You’re working to become fit, healthy and beautiful, and there’s no greater feeling in the world than that.

This was a collaborative post, featuring blogger Amy Mia Goldsmith (x), who is a contributor to High Style Life.

I know for sure, I'll definitely be using some of Amy's tips here in my workout regime to really make the most of what I'm doing.

 What do you think of the tips included in this post? Are they something you'd add into your regime too? Do you do some of these already? Let me know in the comments!