Move to The Beet, Week 3: Use These Tips to Get More From Your Workouts

Congratulations, you've made it to week three of Move to The Beet, and hopefully have enjoyed your daily workout exercises and tips (plus a healthy smoothie to fuel back up). This program sends you quick workout videos every morning for 25 days and provides everything you need to tone up fast.

First of all, just for being here and reading this, you deserve a pat on the back. And if you found this story and you haven't signed up yet, no worries! There's still time to do so since the program starts when you do. (You get Day 1 the morning after you sign up!) You'll get 25 days of free, fun, effective workout videos, an expert tip and a smoothie idea of the day in your inbox every morning at 9 am ET. Just click here and get started, and you'll be one step closer to your fitness goals.

We compiled these 11 more motivational tips to encourage you to finish off your week stronger than you started. If you've missed the first and or second round of tips, go back to check out Week 1 (tips 1 through 7) and Week 2 (tips 8 through 14). Otherwise, what are you waiting for? Let's get going, and get the results you deserve!

15. Avoid checking the scale too often and find other ways to monitor progress

Weight comes off at different speeds, and the scale isn't always your most accurate barometer. Water weight plays a big role in the confusion and many feel discouraged from stepping on the scale, an excuse to reach for junk food. In fact, nutritionists recommend measuring progress by how you feel in your clothes.

If the scale is not your friend, then you can simply choose to never weigh yourself. Counting your steps, and how you feel in your clothes are also effective ways to monitor your progress. The point is to focus on the positive moves you're making to be healthy, like doing these workouts of the day!

16. Use ankle weights or resistance bands to build stronger muscle

If you want to build strength even faster, add stretchy bands or weights, the heavier the weight, the more muscle fibers involved, and the harder you have to work to perform each movement. Not only are your arms and legs muscles working harder, but so will your heart and lungs to send oxygen to your muscles, helping you burn more calories.

When you incorporate weights and work to exhaustion, your muscle fibers break down and build back stronger, which adds definition as well as strength. Try adding ankle weights to leg moves, wrist weights to arm moves, or use resistance bands to make workouts harder and achieve results faster

17. Practice good form for better results

The most important part of strength training is proper form, which leads to a more effective workout and will prevent injuries. Improper form causes you to use muscles to compensate for those that need to get engaged, so when you watch the moves from your fitness instructor be sure to mimic the movements and postures as perfectly as possible. While you may think that lifting more weight or speeding up to get in more reps will help you get stronger faster, "on the contrary, according to the Mayo Clinic, which cautions: "Learn to do each exercise correctly. When lifting weights, move through the full range of motion in your joints. The better your form, the better your results, and the less likely you are to hurt yourself. If you're unable to maintain good form, decrease the weight or the number of repetitions. Remember that proper form matters even when you pick up and replace your weights on the weight racks.

18. Set SMART goals for your fitness journey

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely and work for long-term success. The method will push you further, help you organize, and guide you in the right direction. In a study published by the National Library of Medicine, researchers measured the effects of SMART goals on 80 medicine residents at three different hospitals. The results concluded that residents who used the SMART goals executed "more educational actions," and noted, "that is consistent with the overarching intent of any educational intervention." Therefore, if you write down your SMART goals, you're more likely to execute on your fitness goals.

19. Find your inspiration from athletes or fitness influencers

Influencers and people who inspire us to do the right thing often reflect how we feel about ourselves, and what we're willing to do to be more like them. In a study conducted by Marina Milyavskaya published by ScienceDirect, Milyavskaya and her group of researchers asked college students to report three goals they wanted to accomplish throughout the course of the semester. The students reported their progress three times a month. The results showed that the students who scored higher on the Inspiration Scale had increased goal progress, therefore, explaining that people who feel more inspired in their everyday lives are more likely to be successful at reaching their goals. Milyavskaya noted, “this suggests that goal progress and goal inspiration build on each other to form a cycle of greater goal inspiration and greater goal pursuit.”

20. Eat a healthy diet, no amount of exercise will out burn a calorie-dense diet

If you're doing everything right: Your workout routine is steady, you're drinking more than enough water, you're practicing positive self-talk, etc. and you're still not reaching your fitness goals, you may be eating unhealthy foods or too many calories. You can't lose weight if you have a poor diet. The amount of exercise will never exceed a cheeseburger with fries, a pizza pie, or a couple of donuts. You would have to be a pro athlete or ultra-marathon runner to burn these kinds of calories. The best way to make sure you're not overeating is to eat foods high in fiber, like starchy vegetables and grains like oatmeal.

21. Have patience with your progress

Fitness results don't happen overnight. The key to setting yourself up for success is to be patient with your progress and don't set unrealistic goals that get in the way of your healthy workout routine. Oftentimes, we may feel discouraged when we don't see results at a flip of a switch and completely abandon the hard work, setting us back to square one. No matter how hard you work, the results won't happen overnight. Build lasting healthy habits for long-term success and don't be a victim of the yo-yo lifestyle.

22. Don't compare yourself to others

Never give up on yourself just because another person seems to be doing better at the gym or in your workout class.  Harvard Health wrote a review explaining that your genes can influence your ability to lose weight at different rates.

"Research suggests that for some people, genes account for just 25% of the predisposition to be overweight, while for others the genetic influence is as high as 70% to 80%." The most important thing is lifestyle, not genetics when it comes to your fitness and maintaining a healthy weight. Focus on your own personal growth and determine your progress based on where you started and where are on your personal journey.

23. Prioritize sleep for better overall health

Exercise improves your sleep, so take advantage of a good night's rest for better immunity, mood, and cognitive function. “We have solid evidence that exercise does, in fact, help you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality,” said Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital.

In the review published by Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep, Dr. Gamaldo noted that moderate aerobic exercise increases the amount of slow-wave sleep we get, meaning your brain and body have more time to replenish and relax. He added, "Exercise can also help to stabilize your mood and decompress the mind, a cognitive process that is important for naturally transitioning to sleep."

24. Think quality over quantity

Just because you hit the gym for over an hour doesn't mean you made the most out of your time. In fact, one study suggests that just 11 minutes of walking daily is enough to undo the long hours of sitting at your desk, great for anyone who doesn't enjoy exercising or has limited time in their day. The quality of your workout matters the most, so focus on form and don't work around the edges.

25. Have fun with your workouts

Fun exercises keep you fit, simply, because you'll want to work out more. In this 25-day fitness plan, your instructors designed these workouts to be more enjoyable while still being efficient. You have probably noticed by now, but a majority of the workouts are 5 minutes, or under 15 minutes so there's no need to stress about time management, you can exercise and still get all your work done for the day. Bottom line: Make sure your exercises are engaging and entertaining otherwise you'll choose a different activity to occupy your time, and that could result in eating or drinking.