Working out. You hate it, you love it, you’re supposed to do it. I am going to give you a few tips on how to start a routine you’ll actually stick with.
Disclaimer: This is intended to be for beginners and people new to the world of working out. I am not a fitness trainer, but I do know that these tips have worked for myself and numerous other people I have talked to.
If you are currently thinking, “There is no way I’ll actually do this,” I strongly encourage you to pick just one of these tips, try it out and let me know how it goes in the comments!!! Regular exercise is proven to have numerous health benefits including decreasing/releasing stress, increasing flexibility, increase self-control, pain management, reduced anxiety, improved mood, balancing hormones, and even reduced cravings! I know, sounds pretty great!
Here they are, my tips and tricks to build your own sustainable workout routine.
1.Throw away the “You can’t” Mentality
It is easy to see your friend who runs 5Ks in their sleep or the one who can bench press a full-sized human and think that there is no possible way you could ever do what they are doing. In the words of Dwight K. Shrute… “False!”. Chances are they did not wake up one morning and become a local champion. It takes time which is often daunting.
Start replacing “I could never…” with “I can…”. You have the potential and you are a “work-out person”. There isn’t some gene you didn’t get. You can do it!
2. Consider YOUR Goals
Guys. Like I mentioned already, it is SO SO SOOO easy to compare yourself to others and immediately shut down, thinking you could never achieve what they are doing. But consider this. Do you want to do what they are doing? Hear me out. For example, I think people who can run marathons are crazy strong. (I still don’t see how it is possible for a person to run 26.2 miles straight but that’s beside the point.) So when I started working out I was be extremely discouraged that I could barely muster a mile on the treadmill. But then it hit me. Completing a marathon was NOT my goal and I did not WANT to run a marathon.
Remember this. Admire other people’s success but work toward your own.
3. Pick a Time (AKA the routine part)
An important part of getting in a habit is picking when you will workout. I know sometimes schedules are difficult to work with, but lasting change requires a little bit of challenge. Make a solid effort at a consistent time and try to build around it. Your workout can be in the morning as the first thing you do or one of the last parts of your day, whatever works best for you.
4. Start Small
DO NOT START OUT WITH A 2 HOUR WORKOUT YOU CAN’T MAKE IT THROUGH!!! This is important. When you are trying to break yourself into working out, you need to find something maintainable. The first step can be small.
I knew I needed to start taking better care of my body and exercising more often. However, I also knew that I was not committed or confident enough to get a gym membership or run! Ahhh! Running!!! Anyway, I saw some video with donkey-kicks in it and decided that was something I could do. Every night I did 50 reps (just 50 individual lifts). It took one minute, and I could do it. Funny thing about exercising is it releases endorphins and I soon found myself adding a 30-second plank or leg lifts to the mix because I felt strong and didn’t want to stop.
The point is, start small and go from there.
5. Have an End Goal
I know I said don’t start with the crazy workout, and I stand by this unless you are already in the habit of exercising regularly. But even if you don’t start with the crazy one, have an end goal. This can be to finish a 30-day challenge, or just to work out every day for one week, or following along with an intense workout video. Having a goal will help keep you motivated.
6. Grab A Friend
This is my favorite tip. In a future post I will talk about how having a group of people helped me take my first steps in the gym, but having a workout buddy can significantly increase your motivation to get you started and keep you accountable.
I remember back in the days of Junior High gym class where we had to run the dreaded mile. Now I will not minimize the extreme anxiety and displeasure it caused me to run a tree line while gym teachers whizzed around on golf-carts shouting times at us, but as much as I couldn’t breathe in the moment, the part I remember was running with my friend. When you are hot, sweaty, and can’t see straight it is nice to have another person next to you who is also in pain, keeping you in a straight line.
Never underestimate the value of commiserating with someone to make it through working out or any other challenge!
7. Have a Playlist
Simple. Give yourself some extra motivation by putting together your favorite upbeat songs to give you that extra boost.
8. Get a New Outfit
This is a fun one! Getting a new work-out outfit can let you rock a workout by having the confidence that comes from looking awesome. Looking the part can help ease some of the imposter syndrome you might be feeling and make it easier to push play on that workout video or walk into the gym. You can also use getting another new outfit or fit-bit/ fitness tracker as a reward for achieving a goal you set for yourself.
9. Find A Workout You Enjoy
This can be a little difficult. It may require doing or watching workouts you don’t particularly enjoy to find one you like. One beauty of YouTube is that there are so many free workouts available in every discipline so you can find what you want. Yoga, Pilates, cross-fit, HIIT, body-weight, even the workouts new army recruits are required to do. It’s all out there for you! Don’t be afraid to try something you have no experience with. It could be your next favorite thing!
I hope you enjoyed these tips on creating a workout plan you can stick with! Let me know what your favorite tip for creating a workout routine is in the comments!
As always, take care of yourself this week!
With care,
Rachel
