If your plans to get into shape this year have suffered a setback, you’re far from alone. The novelty has had enough time to die down, and now it feels like just another obligation.
That’s why you need to bring these three qualities to your workout regimen: manageability, fun, and accessibility. The lack of these three qualities is what kills our endeavors every single time.
Here, you’ll find ways to make yourself want to do the work it takes to achieve your goals and how to seamlessly fit that work into your daily life.
1. Try Shorter Intermittent Exercises
“Run for an hour.” Not only is this not recommended if you’re just getting back into exercising, but it’s such a daunting task that your first instinct will be to avoid it.
Start with small but obtainable goals, such as completing Lean Life exercises every day. Repeat them every couple of hours. Before you know it, all the activity you’ve done for the day will have added up to close to an hour.
2. Incorporate Fun Into Your Workout
It’s a common thought that a good exercise session cannot be mixed with any leisurely activities. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, blending the two together can make the fitness commitment much easier to uphold because it will create a good association with working out in your mind.
This could mean creating a playlist to listen to as you go. Or you might watch TV and turn commercial breaks into exercise routines. Promise yourself a reward afterward.
3. Find a Workout That Works For You
It’s important to enjoy what you’re doing, because when you don’t, you’ll dread it. This makes you vulnerable to avoiding it. Alternatively, your desire to do something you enjoy will be effortless.
The term “workout” can have many definitions. Here are some, just to name a few:
- Running/Walking
- Yoga
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Playing a sport
Also, even within these different types, there are different ways you can go about it to enhance the experience. For example, you could run on a treadmill if you want to. Or you could do it in a scenic park if nice surroundings are important to you.
4. Sign Up For a Class
Community is necessary when adopting a new habit. It creates a source of both encouragement and accountability. If we try to deny our natural social needs, the results will show in our lack of motivation to keep going.
If you aren’t sure how to create your fitness community, find out what’s going on at your local gym. Pick a few classes that look interesting to you, try them out, and hold yourself to attending regularly once you’ve found one you really enjoy.
Develop bonds with others in the class, so you’ll feel more driven to go when it’s time.
5. Create a Fitness Room in Your Home
You won’t always want or be able to drive to the gym. When you skip a day, even out of necessity, it can create a ripple effect that makes it hard to get back on track. But, you never have to miss a day when you can have a gym right there in your own home.
This doesn’t mean you have to go all out. It just means you’ve set the intention for the room. Get some equipment to get you started: weights, yoga mat, videos to follow along with, etc.
Making Your Goal More Reachable
We can create circumstances for ourselves that either set us up for success or failure. If you’re trying to change for the better, you deserve to accommodate yourself.
When you follow these steps, working out will feel like an enriching addition to your life instead of an extra chore.
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