Tell me if this sounds familiar, you start a new type of exercise. You are super excited and love the program. A few weeks in, it starts getting hard to complete because of your schedule, I mean you’re busy right? A few weeks after that, you stop showing up completely. You end up frustrated because you want to make a change but you just don’t have the motivation. Be honest, how often has this cycle happened to you? I can say at least a handful of times, if not more for myself so trust me, you are not alone! But what if I told you, it doesn’t have to be this way? In this post I will share 5 ideas for helping you be more consistent with your workouts. Sounds good right? Let’s dive in!
Motivation is Garbage
“Motivation is garbage.” Mel Robbins
Now before you panic I’m going to explain. I absolutely love this quote because it’s completely honest, motivation is garbage. I say this because motivation is a feeling, it can come and go like the wind. The problem is we have started to rely on this feeling to get ourselves to accomplish goals, and many days we just might not feel like it. You need to stop waiting for motivation and make yourself show up.
My honest opinion here is that motivation is now becoming an excuse. “I know I need to workout, I just don’t have motivation.” Drives me insane, and trust me I’ve said that exact phrase myself SO MANY times! The truth is, you don’t need motivation, you need action. We need to stop waiting for motivation to strike and just get started.
I know this isn’t really what you were expecting to hear, especially at first but I thought it was super important to say because if you really want to make a change and start being more consistent you have to understand it is going to take more than motivation to get you there!
How to Set A Mini Fitness Focus
How are you being intentional about your goals each day? If this thought never crossed your mind then get ready because this is going to be a big help! Each day when you get up, set a mini fitness focus for yourself. This is just something small that will help keep you going and showing up each day.
If you’re wondering what this looks like, no worries I’ve totally got you covered. A mini fitness focus can be writing out your workout, showing up for a workout even if you aren’t at your best, getting in a certain amount of steps, committing to going for a walk, really anything that gets you moving. Sometimes just setting the goal helps you get started!
When you just say, I’m going to workout today, without a focus you are more likely to skip it than if you actually set up what you are going to do!
Start Small to Prevent Burn Out
You know that feeling you get when you start something new? It’s complete excitement and you just want to take in as much as you can? That is a fantastic feeling and usually happens when you start a new workout plan or diet. It is pure motivation, but don’t forget motivation is a feeling and will come and go which is why starting small can help a great deal.
If you aren’t working out at all and then set a goal to workout 6 days a week, you will most likely burn out quickly. Remember, this journey is not all or nothing, it’s about showing up consistently over time. Setting smaller goals can help you do that. So many if you aren’t working out at all instead of committing to those 6 days a week, start with 3! When it becomes easy, make it 4!
You don’t have to do it all at once!
Why You Need a Daily Routine!
If you’re struggling to fit in workouts, make it part of your routine! Habits are seriously the answer and they are undervalued! Yes, they take time but once you create a routine with exercise in it, it will get a whole lot easier!
The first step of making it part of your routine is to plan your workouts and put them in your calendar. Write them right in those little boxes of your planner, just like you would a doctor’s appointment. Next, set up a trigger. For me I get my kids from school after work, get dressed into my workout clothes right when I walk in the door, go through their folders, and do my workout. It’s the same routine every afternoon. It helps keep me on track because I have a plan. Maybe your trigger is getting up in the morning and putting your workout clothes on right away, maybe it’s going for a walk after you’ve eaten lunch. This is totally specific to you, you just need to set it up!
Finally, and the hardest part, you need to make yourself do it. You have to parent yourself here. Just like when you’re kids don’t want to do their homework, they need you to step in and get them to do it, well you need to be your own parent here. No one is going to come and make you show up so you have to do it yourself!
Set Reminders Could Be Your Key to Success
Listen, I totally understand wanting to skip your workout after a long day at work. I’ve totally been there. Relaxing on the couch seems so much more enticing some days but that won’t get you the results you are after. When I first started on my own journey I set reminders to help keep me on track!
A reminder can be laying out your workout clothes so you see them first thing in the morning, it can be packing them with you to change at work before you leave. Maybe you put post its around the house telling you to show up or setting an alarm on your phone to help get you going. Quick side note here, and now funny story, I often hear people say write messages on your bathroom mirror with dry erase markers. Yes this is a great idea also BUT make sure your mirror doesn’t have this new antifog feature. It’s like a thin film they put over the mirror so it doesn’t fog up. If it has this feature and you write on it with dry erase markers, it won’t come off. And yes I’ve learned this from experience, with our brand new bathroom medicine cabinet my husband installed! So check that out before you start writing haha
Setting reminders are just great visual prompts to get going and sometimes that is what we need to help us show up! It doesn’t have to be something big, just enough to remind us of our goals and plans!
The most important part of being consistent that you need to remember here is you are in control of your actions. You also need to let go of the thought that in order for a workout to count you have to go 100%. Sometimes we just don’t have 100% to give and that is ok. You still just need to get into the habit of showing up to put in the work!
This all sounds great, but first coffee right?? If you’re like most people, you probably have a few bad habits that you’d like to break. Whatever your goal, I’ve got a free resource that can help you achieve it!
Check out this quick guide with an adorable tracker to help you to keep going strong! So what are you waiting for? Grab the free guide and start building those healthy habits today!
