How to Stick to an Exercise Routine
It’s that time of the year when many are looking to start a brand new exercise routine to achieve their health and fitness goals. New year new me continues to be the main motivator for people. Normally, it’s easy around this time to be motivated and stick to exercising and eating healthy.
However, as you may know by now, motivation doesn’t last. But you know what does? Habits. Keep reading to find out how you can continue your exercise routine when motivation is nowhere to be found.
Move to Feel Better
Even though nutrition should be your number one priority when it comes to your health goals (no matter what it is-fat loss, muscle gain, health purposes, etc), exercise is still important. Movement is vital for long-term health and to prevent diseases such as Type 2 diabetes. According to several studies, activity levels seem to be more predictive of all-cause mortality rates than either smoking or BMI.
However, in general, people tend to struggle with the exercising portion and over-complicate it, just like with their nutrition.
Any number of obstacles, distractions, and competing demands can make it so easy (and understandable!) to put your fitness, nutrition, and health goals on hold.
Work is really busy.
Or your kid is going through a “phase.”
Or it’s pie season.
Most people get into the habit of telling themselves, “I’ll start that new habit when life calms down a bit.” The thing is, you’re only setting yourself back. By the time you’re “ready” to start, it’s going to be even harder than when you first thought of starting.
The Problem
The problem is that things never really slow down permanently. There are always going to be obstacles so if you’re waiting for the time when you’re clear of any obstacles, you’re never going to start.
Occasionally, life does offer a tiny, ideal window, and we try to do it all and take advantage of this window opportunity— all the meal prep, all the fitness classes, all the meditating.
But it’s just a window.
This is where forming habits comes in handy.
Here’s how to keep moving.
It starts with a paradigm shift:
Don’t think of your health habits as an “on” or “off” switch; imagine there’s a dial.
When life is sweet and smooth, you can turn your exercise, nutrition, and sleep dials way up — if you want. Bust through your PRs at the gym, eat all the vegetables and meditate like a monk.
But if life is bumpy and crunched, you don’t have to switch it off completely.
Just turn the dial down a little.
If you can’t do the whole workout, do some stretching or foam rolling. If you can’t cook healthy, balanced meals at home, add a side salad to your takeout.
Here’s how the dial method might work for exercise, but you can apply this same strategy to your nutrition, sleep, stress management, relationships, and environment.
The lower the number, the more obstacles you’re probably dealing with. Try to do the movements within that dial, according to the level of obstacles you’re currently dealing with.
When it comes to habits, you are not expected to make a change overnight. You’re supposed to make an effort with baby steps (unless you’re able to take bigger steps) and the more consistent you are with them, the closer you’ll be to the change you want to see. In this case, have an exercise routine down.
As always, I hope this helped you and if you can think of someone who can use this advice, share it with them!
Need help with your nutrition? Download my nutrition guide to find out your calorie and macro intake, fiber intake, hydration, and what supplements to take according to your goals! It’s free.
