Everyone knows that exercising has a direct impact on our health. From helping your body to detox naturally to strengthening your bones and preventing many health conditions, the reasons to implement a good exercise routine never ends. But if you are like me, the problem is not really to start a fitness routine. The trouble is more to be able to stick with it; the enthusiasm wanes, we don’t see the results fast enough, and there’s always something more important or more fun to do. However, some people manage to make physical activity part of their daily routine, as you would do with your morning shower or brushing your teeth. But what’s their secret? Here’re a few tips to help you start exercising today.
9 tips to stick to your fitness routine
Find activities that you truly enjoy: Exercising is much more than going to the gym. All you have to do is to find an activity that gets your body moving. Finding a few different activities that you truly enjoy will ensure that you stay active everyday, no matter the weather or the time of day. The grater variety, the less chances you’ll get bored with your routine. There’re so many things you can do; walking, weight lifting, swimming, running, tennis, cycling, dancing, yoga, martial arts, team sports, etc.
Commit to someone else: For many people, sharing an activity with someone makes it much more enjoyable. And it’s also a great way to keep motivated.
Make it non-negociable: This is probably the most important tip of all. You have to commit yourself to make physical activity a priority in your life. Otherwise, it’s simply too easy to start skipping it. And at one point or another, there will always be something that seems more important or more fun to do than exercising. It’s by establishing a work-out schedule and to stick with it no matter what that is the true key to success.
Start your day with it: Exercising first thing in the morning is a great way to ensure that nothing else comes in your way. Plus, you’ll get filled with energy for the rest of the day. Who knows, it might even replace your morning coffee!
Do overtime work: Another trick is to stop to the gym on the way back from work. Once you’re back at home, it’s often too tempting to simply stay at home and relax.
Don’t let the lack of energy get in your way: One of the greatest myth is being too tired to exercise. The fact is, most of the time, it’s not physical exhaustion that you suffers from. And physical activities are an excellent way to relieve stress. Chances are that you’ll feel much less tired after exercising!
Challenge yourself: Write down key elements of your routine, like the how much time you exercised, or how many steps you walked, and make a game of it. As example, you could calculate how many miles it would take to walk, run or cycle to Boston (or any other place), then try to figure how far you “go” in average in your weekly routine, and set a target date for “arriving”.
Log your progress: Note all indicators of your progress. It feels great when you see that your clothes fit better, or that you can lift heavier weights, or exercise longer without getting exhausted. This can greatly affect your motivation.
Reward yourself: Like Pavlov’s dog, humans greatly respond to reward systems. So selecting a goal, and the reward you’ll get when you achieve it, makes it much easier to stay motivated to work for it. It might be to buy yourself something you’ve wanted after you achieve 5000 steps a day, or indulging yourself with a day at the spa for each month that you stick to your fitness plan. Do whatever works for you!
Do you exercise daily? What is your fitness routine? Do you stick to it?