All the hype is true! Exercise is as good as they say.
It lowers the risk of heart disease, improves your sleep and your mood, boosts your immune system, lowers stress, and even gives you that energy you are looking for. That is just to name a few of its benefits!
But, I know that sometimes it can still be really hard to muster up the motivation to do it.
I want you to be set up for success! Read on for 6 different ways to keep after it.
#1 Make an appointment.
When you are planning your day, or your week, block out time on the schedule for a workout.
If you know you are going to get sweaty, don’t forget to also plan the time it will take to get a shower afterward. If you workout at home, maybe you can knock it out first thing in the morning before you get ready for your day. If you go to a gym, you need to have all of your supplies packed and ready to get dressed at the gym after your workout.
Plan that time into your day. It may mean you need to wake up an hour earlier. That’s not as difficult as it seems, once it becomes a habit. You may find that the great feeling you have after exercise makes your mood so much better, the benefit of feeling great becomes your main reason to pop out of bed bright and early (or dark and early as the case may be).
2. Work it into your habits.
To create a new habit, it helps to link it to an already established routine. So, since you already take a shower every day, presumably, you can use that habit to trigger an exercise habit. You remember, “oh wait, before I shower, I’m going to do a 20-minute kettlebell workout”. Or, every evening when you get home from work, you might have a routine to change into comfortable clothes. Use this as a trigger, and change into clothes appropriate for your exercise.
3. Put on your workout clothes.
That last point leads perfectly into the third, which is that when you put on the clothes for exercise, they serve as a reminder and subtle motivation to do the workout. Each time you see yourself in the mirror, you are reminded of your intention. Before you take off those clothes, promise yourself you will at least do a shortened or modified version of your workout. It is still a win if your 1-hour high impact cardio workout at the gym turns into a 7 minute set of burpees at home. Stuff happens that changes your plans, but at least you made exercise a priority.
4. Get a friend to join you.
If you have someone to answer to, it is much harder to skip your workout. Do you have a good friend who can join you at the gym, or walk with you? If she is expecting you to show up, you will be there. You can support one another, showing up for her when she is lacking the drive to get going. This may take a bit more planning to make it work, but there are so many benefits, not the least of which being that it makes exercising social and fun!
5. Do something fun!
And speaking of fun, make sure you are doing something you enjoy. There are so many options, with Zumba classes, yoga, and boot camps, kettlebell workouts and cycling. You can play tennis or basketball, or get into swimming. Go for a walk. Even dancing in the living room! For me, I change it up often to keep my motivation up.
6. Reward yourself!
Rewards can be great motivation. Is your love language receiving gifts? What better way to love yourself than to take great care of yourself with exercise, and afterward reward that activity with a wonderful treat?
You may choose to reward yourself after every workout, or once you meet a short term goal. Like, “if I walk 30 minutes 5 days this week, I will rent that chick flick I’ve been wanting to watch…and enjoy it all by myself”. That is definitely not something I would normally do. It would feel decadent and fun.
What would a great reward be for you?
Make exercise the reward.
What? Did I say that right?
Absolutely! Exercise can actually be a reward, and it can make getting in that workout ever so much easier. Let me explain.
Maybe there is another goal you have set for yourself. Like, to journal every day, or to opt for water instead of soda in the afternoon slump. Well, to help you hit that goal, you can choose to reward yourself with a fun workout that you might otherwise put off because you “don’t have time”.
I know you’re busy, and you may even actually enjoy going for a walk (or whatever your favorite way to move your body is). So, you put off this important task for all the other important tasks.
But, by making exercise a reward for getting something else done, it can help you create the space to fit it in, and it feels like a big awesome TREAT!
What’s worked for you? How have you gotten yourself moving regularly?
