Finding the motivation to work out isn't always easy, and if you find yourself constantly swerving gym sessions, you're not alone. In fact, 50% of January gym joiners cancel their membership within the first six months of starting. What's more, according to the Global Health and Fitness Association, 4% of the new year gym members quit by the end of January and 14% quit by the end of February.

As well as that, according to NatWest research, Brits are wasting £25 billion each year due to unused monthly payments, ‘The typical adult pays out £496 in recurring payments each month, yet £39 of that goes on things they don’t use or want. Gym memberships (12%) top the list of unused outgoings.’

So how do we make use of our memberships without them burning an unnecessary hole in our pockets? The answer lies within how to get motivated to work out on a consistent basis. We have collected 10 top tips from experts in behaviour change and exercise to ensure you don't skip another session.

1. Don't Rely On Motivation

The problem with motivation, is that it's fickle. It will never be there when you need it to get motivated to work out. Therefore, it's best not to rely on it. Even athletes and coaches deal with low motivation days.

According to bestselling author James Clear, 'If you think that you need more motivation or more willpower to stick to your goals, then I have good news. You don’t. Motivation is a fickle beast. Some days you feel inspired. Some days you don’t. If you want consistent change, the last thing you want to rely on is something inconsistent.' The need for more discipline is perhaps displaced and our efforts should be elsewhere.

• Remember motivation is fleeting, it's great when it's here, but when it isn't, relying on your habits and processes will be far more likely to help you get training.

2. Design Your Environment for Success

One of the key parts of successful behaviour change is setting ourselves up for success. Whether that is making sure you have a gym you enjoy going to train in, or setting time aside on your schedule to do so.

'When I wanted to start flossing consistently' says Clear 'one of the most useful changes I made was taking the floss out of the drawer and keeping it next to my toothbrush on the counter. It sounds like a silly thing to focus on, but the visual cue of seeing the floss every time I brushed my teeth meant that I didn’t have to remember to pull it out of the drawer.' Don't worry, you won't have to start leaving dumbbells around your house, but setting your gym clothes out to get dressed into isn't such a bad idea.

'With this simple environment change, I made it easy to do the new habit and I didn’t need more motivation or willpower or a reminder on my phone or a post-it note on the mirror.'

• Try laying out your gym clothes the night before your workout or wearing them when you are working from home. This will make it far more likely that your quick session will get completed as you'll already be ready to go.

3. Use The 10-Minute Rule

Another motivation hack you can use is the 10-minute rule. This includes telling yourself you will only do 10 minutes of your workout. This could include the warm up and one exercise or perhaps a quick circuit.

'One of my readers used this strategy to lose over 100lbs,' says Clear. 'In the beginning, he went to the gym each day, but he told himself he wasn’t allowed to stay for more than five minutes. He would go to the gym, exercise for five minutes, and leave as soon as his time was up. After a few weeks, he looked around and thought, “Well, I’m always coming here anyway. I might as well start staying a little longer.” A few years later, the weight was gone.'

Clear says, 'We rarely think about change this way because everyone is consumed by the end goal. But one push-up is better than not exercising. One minute of guitar practice is better than none at all. One minute of reading is better than never picking up a book. It’s far better to do less than you hoped than to do nothing at all.'

• If you're really struggling to get started, tell yourself you only have to do five or 10 minutes. Even a little bit of movement is better than none.

4. Have Fun

Exercise can feel uncomfortable. This is a normal part of pushing our bodies to adapt to new movements and intensities. However, that doesn't mean we have to detest it. According to the study, Self-Efficacy versus Perceived Enjoyment as Predictors of Physical Activity Behaviour, 'Interventions should perhaps initially focus on increasing enjoyment of physical activity. Greater physical activity enjoyment appears to influence individuals’ self-reported ability to engage in regular physical activity'. Put simply, if you have fun training, you're far more likely to repeat the new behaviour.

• Exercise isn't just confined to the gym, perhaps you would prefer a tennis knock up with friends in comparison to the squat rack. However you decide to move, enjoyment is key. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and have fun to get motivated to work out.

5. Get Value Aligned

Becoming more aware of your core values can ensure that you set goals in line with them, and in turn achieve long term behaviour change. According to the University of Massachusetts 'Motivation for change occurs when people perceive a mismatch between “where they are and where they want to be”. When clients recognise that their current behaviours place them in conflict with their values or interfere with accomplishment of self-identified goals, they are more likely to experience increased motivation to make important life changes.'

For example, if you really value friendship, but you embark upon an exercise programme that is so gruelling that you can't spend time with your friends, you'll be less likely to stick it out long term when you're skipping get togethers. Conversely, if you value health above everything else, but sometimes skip your gym sessions, then being aware of these important values can improve the likelihood of you packing your gym bag and getting going.

• If you have a strong 'why' for your new health behaviours that is in line with your values it will help on the days you don't feel like turning up. Complete the value cards exercise, choose your high-priority core values and write them down in a place you can see when it's tough to get out the door.

7. Plan Ahead

When wondering how to get motivated to work out, it's no surprise that having a clear gym programme will help you stick to your training sessions. Whether you programme your training yourself or enlist in a coach to support you, it can help you stay accountable when motivation is waining. A plan will also take into account your individual needs, whether that's time availability or financial resources, and ensure it's realistic for you.

According to MH's fitness editor Andrew Tracey, 'Having a plan removes anxiety around what you should or shouldn't be doing, meaning you don't have to worry, and can focus on executing the movements'. Therefore, less time spent wandering around the gym, wasting time, deciding what you should do next.

• Organise a training plan to ensure you save time and stay focussed.

8. Be Your Own DJ

While the gym's playlist may not be your cup of tea, creating your own set list can greatly benefit your training results and motivation. In a recent study it was found that 'Due to their characteristics of rhythm, musicality, cultural impact and associated factors, music can influence psychological aspects such as motivation, so that this may alter perceptual responses during exercise, decrease rate of perceived exertion and increase exercise adherence.' More reasons to charge your headphones before your gym trip.

• Whatever your preferred genre of music, create an hour-long playlist of your favourite tunes to ensure you can switch off in your session and get it done.

9. Perk Up Your Training

Including coffee (or another beverage containing caffeine) can also benefit your training. According to research 'Caffeine can improve exercise performance when it is ingested at moderate doses (3-6 mg/kg body mass).' It continues that 'Other aspects that are localised in the CNS are a reduction in skeletal muscle pain and force sensation, leading to a reduction in perception of effort during exercise and therefore influencing the motivational factors to sustain effort during exercise.' Meaning you may run the extra mile when you would usually run out of steam.

• In moderation perhaps include caffeine into your pre-workout routine. However be careful as large amounts can be dangerous and affect sleep negatively.

10. Strength in Numbers

Having someone to meet at the gym at a certain time can keep you accountable to show up. Plus there's nothing worse than being stood up. According to the CDC 'When you and your buddy encourage each other, you’ll work harder (and get better results!). And there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition.'

You can also join classes to help encourage you along in your fitness endeavours. In a study where it was investigated whether a virtually present partner would influence participants’ motivation (duration) during aerobic exercise by the Society of Behavioural Medicine, it was found that 'Exercising with a virtually present partner can improve performance on an aerobic exercise task across multiple sessions.' More reasons to get social at the squat rack.

• If you're still searching for how to get motivated to work out, check if there is someone at the gym you could train with or if there's any classes you might like to attend. After all, you might make some friends along the way!