Effective Solo Workout Tips to Help You Up Your Fitness Game, New Year's Resolution or Not

Before you even enter the gym, you should have an idea of what you want to accomplish (Is it leg day? Cardio?) and have a list of moves to help get the job done. Having a plan of attack from the start also helps you avoid wandering aimlessly around while you decide what to do next. This indecisiveness not only adds time to your workout, but it also makes it less efficient, since you're letting your heart rate drop.

We advise knowing which exercises you're going to do, where you're going to do them, and in what order. Jot down everything in your phone for quick reference, and have a plan B just in case a machine or space is occupied.

What you wear sets the tone for your entire workout. A particularly stylish outfit can even help motivate you to head out the door! First and foremost, you want to feel comfortable and be able to move freely. Products made from eco-friendly TENCEL™ branded lyocell and modal fibers offer all of that and then some.

Found in sports bras, leggings, tops, and even sneakers, TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers are especially breathable and strong, making them ideal for even your most intense workouts. They can also be easily stretched and manipulated without losing shape, which is a must when it comes to activewear.

Because lyocell is so absorptive, it helps regulate your body temperature and help you stay cool and dry. Plus, since there is less available moisture on the surface of these fibers, less bacteria can grow.

Meanwhile, TENCEL™ Modal fibers are extremely soft and offer impressive color retention, meaning they'll stay vibrant and fresh no matter how many times you throw them in the wash. Perfect for a workout and environmentally friendly, TENCEL™ branded fibers are even biodegradable — so it's a win for your fitness and a win for our planet!

To purchase clothing with TENCEL™ branded fibers, look no further than the brands you already know and love; brands such as H&M, Ted Baker, J.Crew, Levi's, Mara Hoffman, ASOS, Athleta, Madewell, Reformation, Amour Vert, and more.

Drinking enough water (about two liters a day is recommended) is always important. But staying hydrated is even more important when you're heading into a sweat sesh. While some people may lose six to 10 percent of their body weight in fluids during a workout, even losing as little as two percent — if you're not well hydrated to begin with — can have damaging effects.

Dehydration can make your workout feel harder and reduce your exercise performance. In addition, it can make recovery harder on your body post-workout, according to a review from the University of North Carolina.

If you're working out in the morning, drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up. If you're working out in the evening, the goal is to finish a full water bottle every hour or two throughout the day.

Being thoughtful about what you eat before and after exercising will help you maximize the benefits of your hard work at the gym. In addition, healthy eating habits can help your body recover and build lean muscle, while also helping to prevent fatigue and injury. Think about it — all that energy you're about to exert needs to come from somewhere, and the last thing you want is to experience a sugar crash halfway through your set.

It's best to eat between 30 minutes to three hours before your workout. This ensures you're not still digesting when you hit the gym floor, but you also haven't used up those helpful calories yet. Since carbs equal energy, we recommend a snack loaded with carbs in addition to protein. Think an apple or banana with nut butter, avocado toast, salmon and brown rice, or mixed nuts.

After your workout, you should aim to eat right away. If you can't indulge in a full meal, drink a protein smoothie or eat a granola bar in order to replenish and repair your body.

Making sure you have everything you need before a workout may seem like a no-brainer — until your hair tie snaps in the middle of your HIIT class and you're left feeling flustered with out-of-control hair. In short, diving into your workout with the proper tools will keep you focused on what actually matters!

For most, coming armed with a full water bottle is key. It's also smart to bring along a sweat towel, extra hair ties, earbuds, and any equipment (yoga mat, ankle weights, etc.) you may want to utilize.

Another way to keep distractions at bay is to minimize your phone usage. While putting it on silent can help, we recommend leveling up and putting your phone in airplane mode. This will help you resist the urge to chime in on your group chat or check that social media message.

Remember, your workout is time you're investing in yourself, and you want to be fully present — not to mention not spend all day in the gym.

Not only can a solid playlist lift your mood and help you finish a workout strong, but it can also help pump you up before arriving at the gym — even science agrees! Music has been proven to boost your body's levels of serotonin and dopamine, which, in turn, make you happy. So turn up the volume on songs that make you feel strong, powerful, and capable.

Stretching is important to get your body used to moving and to avoid injury. But rather than performing typical "bend and hold" stretches, try dynamic stretching to improve your range of motion and gradually raise your heart rate.

With dynamic stretching, you move through various stretches rather than holding yourself in one place. This allows you to get deeper into each exercise while priming your body for activity. It's best to perform dynamic stretches that mimic the workout you're about to begin. For example, if you're going for a run, opt to move through about five to 10 minutes of lunges, knee raises, and leg swings before you take off.

If you're motivated by data, keeping track of your fitness progress will help push you further with every workout. It's also a great way to make sure you're challenging yourself.

Using a physical notebook or an app, keep track of how many reps and sets you completed for each move, as well as the weight you used for each. Then the next week, perform the same workout but increase the difficulty by tweaking an element — reps, sets, weights, or something else. Over time, you'll be able to physically see yourself improving.