There have been so many points in my life where I have started a new workout plan or program and have given up halfway through. Can you relate? I start out with the best intentions but I struggle to make it stick. This is a common topic of conversation I have with so many people who I talk to about health and wellness. We want to make this change but really struggle to keep it going. What I’ve found though is this happens because we don’t make exercising a habit in our life. Many of us view it as a resource to accomplish a goal when really it is something that will need to continue on even when we achieve the goals.
Turning exercise into a habit was the game changer for me, which is why I wanted to share what I’ve learned with you. In this post I will show you how I was able to build this happen with a few easy steps. Now that doesn’t mean it was easy to accomplish the final goal, but the steps are easy enough for you to be able to start right after reading this!
#01 Be Intentional About Exercise
The most important step of all of this is being intentional. And what I mean by this is, I sit down and think about the week ahead and where I am going to be able to find time to fit in a workout. If you leave this task to the day of, you are more likely to blow it off because you all of a sudden become overwhelmed trying to make it work in your schedule. I’ve totally been there and saying the phrase, “I’ll do it tomorrow” became easier and easier to throw out there.
Each week now I look at our family schedule and I decide which 5 days work best for me to exercise. Now, I workout 5 days a week, but I didn’t start there. If 5 is too much for you then start with 2, or even 1! Just start! I make my “off” days, days where my kids have a lot going on and I have a meeting after work. Those nights are going to be stressful enough that trying to fit a workout in on top of them is just going to be too much. Remember we want to be intentional and that means being realistic on whether or not it makes sense to put the workout in that day.
Being intentional also means deciding how you are going to exercise. I want you to get that specific. Don’t just wing it and say I’ll do something when I get home because most likely, you won’t! Make that plan. Will you go for a walk with a friend? Will you go to that new class at your gym? It doesn’t matter what your choice is, you just have to make one. I know what workouts I am doing and on what days each week. It helps hold me accountable and keep me on track.
#02 Find Something You Love
I know I’ve said this before but finding an activity you truly enjoy doing is going to be a big game changer for you. Forget your friends or your colleagues. Just because they have had success with hot yoga doesn’t mean it is the right option for you! You have to enjoy the process, I think of it as a love hate relationship!
On top of really loving it, whatever you choose has to fit into your schedule and be convenient. If you want to do spin classes but the only option is 40 minutes away then you really need to think about whether or not you will actually have the time to be consistent. If you’re not then what’s the point? We don’t want to join something and quit a few weeks later. Maybe you can drop into classes sometimes and find something more realistic you can do closer to home or even at home!
#03 Monitor Progress
If you really want to make this a habit, find a small goal you can work towards and monitor your progress. You can make a goal of exercising 10 days during the month and have a calendar hanging up that you check off the days you’ve completed it. Having visual reminders around you will help you show up and continue the habit. Part of building a habit is consistency and to have that you actually have to show up and do the task!
Your goal can be anything that will help keep you showing back up. Maybe setting a goal for the amount of days works for you. Maybe you want to set a goal of being able to run 3 miles straight? So every day you run you write down how far you got. Whatever you choose to do just make it a visual. Track your data somewhere you are going to see it daily. You could hang it on your bedroom mirror or put it in your planner.
And there we have it, easy to implement steps to help us build a fitness habit. These are the exact things I did to create my habit, and things I still do now. That doesn’t mean it was easy though. There were plenty of times I slipped up and you will have those same setbacks. They are common and when it happens be kind to yourself. You are not a failure because you went off track and had to start over again! Being willing to start over each time to slip up is what is going to get you to the finish line!
Want even more help with building healthy habits? I’ve got you covered! Come check out my free guide to you get started today!
