Sticking to an exercise regimen is hard, especially if you haven’t worked out in a while. By following these steps below, you can turn working out into a fun habit that you look forward to every day!
1. Make your workouts fun!
While working out can be fun in its own way, for many newcomers it can seem grueling and repetitive. But if you can find something entertaining to incorporate into your exercise, you’ll be much more likely to stick with it.
If you go to the gym, bring headphones so you can listen to audiobooks or podcasts while you run. If you’d rather be social while working out, invite some friends! Having someone to talk to will make the session go by much faster.
2. Create a routine and stick to it.
If you’ve ever gone to the gym without a plan, you might have a felt bit lost on what exactly you’re supposed to do. This lack of direction might cause you to end your session early.
Avoid this trap. Figure out your fitness goals and look up exercises online that will help you achieve them. Put exercises into a routine. You might be doing the same exercises every day, or you might cycle through them–like doing cardio on Mondays and weights on Tuesdays. Either way, follow this routine, at least for the first month. Sticking to a plan will take much of the thinking–and indecision–out of working out.
3. Exercise at the best time for you.
Some people are morning people, some people are night-owls. Schedule your workouts during a time of the day where you have higher energy and motivation. If you like staying up late, scheduling your runs at 5 AM will lead to missed workouts. Use your own tendencies to your advantage.
4. Don’t skip a planned workout for 21 days.
You’ve likely heard people say that in order to form a habit, you must do it consistently for 21 days. Now, whether or not that is true, there is no doubt that building discipline takes time. So, during your first three weeks of exercise, don’t let yourself miss a day.
Now emergencies happen, so if you are forced to miss a day, subtract 2 days from your count to 21. This way, you can hold yourself accountable for sticking to your regimen.
5. Create small goals that you can accomplish quickly.
Goals fuel your motivation, and if you haven’t already, you should take the time to decide what you want from your exercise. Do you want to lose weight? Have visible abs? It’s likely that whatever your goal is, achieving it could take a while. That’s why it’s important to set smaller goals.
Creating smaller goals that you can achieve quickly give you a better sense of progress and will motivate you on your longer journey. Maybe you want to lose 15 pounds. That could take a while, but if you set yourself a monthly goal of losing 1.5 pounds, you’ll have a closer target to work towards every day.
By following these steps, you can make exercise a part of your life. Instead of dragging yourself to the gym, you’ll be itching to get started! Before long, you’ll be achieving your goals and building a healthier you.
