5 tools for exercise consistency
Excuses NOT to workout come easy. Which is exactly why most people don't workout.
I get it. Life is busy, you're tired, and there is no time left when you've got a moment to yourself.
However, you KNOW you should be working out on a regular basis. It's most likely the excuses that have you in the rut you're in; feeling weak, without energy, and feeling like you get no time to yourself. Interestingly enough, consistent exercise can be the remedy to all of those ailments!
Still finding that little voice in your head trying to keep you on your butt? Here are 5 tools to use to help you keep consistent, even if you're really busy:
1. Shorter Workouts
I don't know why people think they need to spend hours upon hours in the gym. They don't.
At a minimum, you need 15 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training to get the calorie burn you need to get the results you've dreamed of.
HIIT takes away all of your excuses that you may try to craft in regards to not having any time to workout. HIIT gives you a quality workout without a lot of quantity.
2. Start Small
When attempting to eat an elephant, it's impossible to eat it in one bite, you have to take a lot of small bites. Trying to make big changes in working out all at once will leave you too sore, too energy-deprived, and too deflated to keep motivated to keep going.
Instead, build one healthy habit at a time.
Commit to two days a week at first. Then, when your body is craving more, bump it up. Then move on to cooking at home 5 days a week. Finally, make moves to give up bad habits like drinking soda and/or eating candy. You may even find that by focusing on the first two steps of introducing positive habits, you have forgotten all about your soda/candy habit.
3. Try it for a Month
One month will be short enough to reasonably commit to, but instill the habit effectively. Make a deal with yourself and decide to workout at least twice a week at first. Anything additional is simply a bonus!
With consistent effort, you'll be noticeably stronger and more energized. It will REALLY hit home when your clothes start fitting better.
4. Make it a Part of Your Ritual
Things like brushing your teeth and washing your face before bed are a type of ritual you already do (I hope, ew). Once you start to incorporate these short workouts into your life, they will become a part of your ritual too and you will get to a point where you will feel "ew" about not doing it.
When you've already made the decision that working out will be a part of your life, you don't have to convince yourself every time you seek to do it. Your body will soon expect it and your mind will want to give your body what it now wants.
5. Schedule It
I workout at the same time every day, whether I'm on duty or not; 3pm. When I know that it's coming down to it, my mind will start preparing my body for it. It's not a matter of "maybe I'll workout today", it becomes a matter of "when I workout today..."
Block out that time for yourself on your phone calendar. Set it to remind you first thing in the morning, then 4 hours before, then an hour before, then 15 minutes before. Hound yourself, you'll be glad you did!
When you block out the time, you will be much more reluctant to schedule anything else during that time. Because ultimately, you'll just be taking time away from yourself and you won't feel good about that at all.
Remember, small steps mean long-term success. Please share this article and contact me if you'd like to learn more about how to adjust your workouts and mentality to make sure you make time for YOU! I hope you gained some knowledge and insight from this article and as always, be hard to kill out there!
- Ryan