Episode 55Apr 1, 2026· 4:05

Three Things That Will Make You Less Likely to Skip Your Workout

▸ Show notes from the creator

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About this episode

Short solo episode from Ashley Grant covering three practical strategies to reduce gym-skipping: choosing a gym based on proximity (seven minutes vs. a 30-minute Tampa commute she kept avoiding), eliminating morning friction by prepping workout clothes, shoes, and drinks the night before, and using detailed calendar blocking that includes drive time and a 'start the car' reminder to protect workout slots from being…

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Who this episode is for

This episode may resonate with you if:

You have a gym membership you're barely using because the location makes it feel like a logistical project every time you try to go.

You keep meaning to work out in the morning but spend the first 15 minutes hunting for your shoes or a clean sports bra, and by then you've talked yourself out of it.

You use a calendar heavily for work but your workouts never make it onto it, so they always lose out when something else comes up.

You've started a gym routine several times but it keeps falling apart because small logistical friction keeps giving you an easy out.

You know group fitness classes keep you accountable but you haven't built your gym selection or scheduling around that need.

What you’ll learn

Pick a gym close enough that the commute can't become an excuse

Lay out your gym outfit, shoes, and drinks the night before

Block out not just the class but also 'start the car' and drive-home time in your calendar

Questions this episode helps answer

How do I stop making excuses not to go to the gym?

answered

Ashley's experience is that the excuses come from friction — when her Tampa gym was 30 minutes away, she kept telling herself it wasn't worth the drive. Her approach is to remove every barrier she can identify so there's nothing left to use as an out.

"that, I kept giving myself an out like, oh, it's going to take too long to get there. And it's going to take too long to get home. And what's the point? And so if you are looking for a gym."

What should I look for when choosing a gym?

answered

Ashley says proximity is the first thing — she chose a gym seven minutes from her apartment — but it also has to meet other personal markers, like offering group fitness, which she knew would make her more likely to actually show up.

"a place that not only was close, but also did the group fitness. I knew I needed group fitness because that is going to be the thing that's making me more likely to actually show up and"

What can I do the night before to make working out easier?

answered

Ashley recommends laying out your gym outfit, putting your shoes near the door, and getting your drinks ready the night before — the idea being that anything you can do to remove a decision or a search in the morning makes it harder to bail.

"episodes, is make sure that you put out your gym outfit the night before. You don't want to have to be looking around for your outfit whenever you're trying to get to the gym. Every single"

How do I make going to the gym a habit instead of a struggle?

answered

Ashley blocks her calendar not just for the class itself but also for 'start the car and go to the gym' and the drive home — so the whole block of time is protected and nothing else can accidentally get scheduled over it.

"step further. I added in entries in my calendar that say, start the car and go to the gym. I added those. Oh, and the drive time. I added the drive time to come back home because just that simple step of adding in additional information. makes me less likely to schedule something that's going to prevent me from going to the gym. So"

Setting expectations: This episode is not about workout programming, exercise science, or motivation strategies for pushing through mental resistance. It's Ashley sharing the three personal logistics habits — gym proximity, laying out gear the night before, and calendar blocking down to the drive time — that keep her from skipping her own workouts.

Tone & style

Ashley starts from the recognition that barriers kill her motivation, traces it back to a Tampa gym she kept skipping because of the 30-minute drive, then walks through the three adjustments she made — choosing a gym seven minutes away, laying out gear the night before, and blocking calendar time down to 'start the car' reminders — landing on a resolved note: remove the friction and you'll actually go.

Personal experience and habit-based opinion. Not fitness research or expert advice — Ashley draws entirely from her own behavior and what has worked for her.

toneConversational & practical

focusThree things Ashley does herself to make sure she actually shows up to the gym — proximity, prepped gear, and detailed calendar blocks.

stylesolo_monologue

energymedium

complexitybeginner

pressure Levellow

emotional Textureencouraging, relatable, low-stakes

Notable quotes

"really quickly, I didn't go because I didn't want to drive an hour round trip for an hour long class. And so that it was just one barrier"

— Famous Ashley Grant

"that, I kept giving myself an out like, oh, it's going to take too long to get there. And it's going to take too long to get home. And what's the point? And so if you are looking for a gym."

— Famous Ashley Grant

"step further. I added in entries in my calendar that say, start the car and go to the gym. I added those. Oh, and the drive time. I added"

— Famous Ashley Grant

"the drive time to come back home because just that simple step of adding in additional information. makes me less likely to schedule something that's going to prevent me from going to the gym. So"

— Famous Ashley Grant

Episode transcript

Organized into 3 chapters — open any part to read the full text.

0:001. Choosing a Gym Close to HomeAshley explains why she picked a gym seven minutes away, contrasting it with a Tampa gym that took 30 minutes to reach and that she kept skipping because of the drive.1:292. Laying Out Your Gear the Night BeforeAshley recommends prepping your gym outfit, shoes, and drinks the night before so there are no friction points when it's time to leave.2:313. Scheduling Gym Time in Your CalendarAshley describes how she blocks out not just class time but also 'start the car' reminders and drive time in her calendar so nothing else gets scheduled over her workouts.

Open full transcript

Mentioned in this episode

placeTampa

City where Ashley previously lived and attended a gym that took 30 minutes to reach, which she kept skipping due to the hour-long round-trip drive.

Key themes

removing barriers to working out

Ashley frames the entire episode around her personal need to eliminate every possible obstacle — distance, missing gear, scheduling conflicts — that gives her an excuse not to go.

gym proximity as a personal strategy

Ashley chose her current gym specifically because it is seven minutes away, having learned from a Tampa gym 30 minutes out that she repeatedly skipped due to the hour-long round trip.

giving yourself an out

Ashley describes how the Tampa commute became a mental excuse she kept recycling — 'it's going to take too long to get there' — until she stopped going entirely.

group fitness as a commitment device

Ashley says proximity alone wasn't enough — she also needed a gym that offered group fitness classes because that format makes her more likely to actually show up.

prepping gear the night before

Ashley recommends laying out your outfit, shoes, and drinks the night before so there is no scrambling or friction when it's time to leave for the gym.

calendar blocking for workouts

Ashley blocks every class she plans to take in her calendar and goes further by adding 'start the car' reminders and drive time so other commitments can't crowd out her workouts.

protecting workout time from over-scheduling

By adding drive time and 'start the car' entries around her gym blocks, Ashley makes it harder to accidentally schedule something that would conflict with going.

friction as the enemy of consistency

Across all three strategies Ashley describes, the underlying logic is the same: any small inconvenience becomes a reason to skip, so the goal is to make going easier than not going.

Connected episodes

Shared experience

Calendar blocking to protect workouts

#59Stop Making Excuses and Start Making Appointments With Yourself

Shared experience

Group fitness as accountability mechanism

#5The Days You Don't Want to Work Out Are the Most Important | Fitness Discipline Over Motivation

Shared experience

Calendar blocking to protect workouts

#2The Night-Before Gym Trick That Ended My Morning Excuses | Workout Consistency Hack

Contrast

Does non-gym movement count?