3 Steps to Stick with an Exercise Routine

lifestyle movement Mar 06, 2023

It’s the end of February as I’m writing this and the gym is becoming busier and busier. Some people jump right back into routines as soon as the holidays are over, and others take a little more time.

 

I saw a friend for the first time in months make her big return to the gym earlier this week.

 

“Where have you been?!” I asked with excitement.

 

She replied, “I hated myself these past few months when I didn’t come, so I’m back now and I’m going to take all the classes again!” And she proceeded to name about 5 different classes on different days that she was going to take.

 

As excited as I was to hear she was recommitting to her workout routine, I was still hung up on her words “I hated myself.” I know she isn’t the only one out there with that same story.

 

“I fell off the wagon.”

“I’m restarting today.”

“I’m back on track!”

 

I hear this over and over and over again, and I totally get it because I said the same things to myself for years.

 

But what if we didn’t have to “fall off” and “restart” over and over again?

What if we built a routine that is a part of who we are, instead of something we (sometimes) do?

 

Take my friend, for example. She’s back at it this week, committing to 5 days at the gym. Coming in hottttt, and good for her!

 

Yet going from 0 days of exercise per week for the past few months to 5 days per week might be the reason why she “fell off” in the first place.

 

Instead of taking it all on at once, it’d be a much wiser decision to start a bit smaller than that.

 

Confidence breeds motivation. How do you build confidence? Through success. Success comes from taking small actions, and celebrating those accomplishments.

 

Let’s keep in mind that health should be a life-long goal, and it expands beyond your gym routine. Imagine saying “I’m going to go to the gym 5 days / week for the rest of my life.”

 

I don’t know about you, but that is sooooo overwhelming to me! What about hiking, swimming, running outdoors, walking around the neighborhood, or my favorite dance and yoga studios?? That’s all exercise, too, isn’t it?

 

So how do you stick to working out?

 

Instead of overcommitting yourself to something so strict, follow these 3 steps instead so you can create a workout routine that you’ll actually stick to.

1. Pick activities you enjoy. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: make sure your goals are relevant to you as a human being and not something you think you should be doing because someone else labeled it “healthy”. Movement is medicine. From dumbbells to resistance bands to cardio to focusing on weight loss or muscle gain, I truly believe that there is an exercise out there for everyone to enjoy. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it won’t last; it will remain something you sometimes do rather than become integrated into who you are. 

 

 

So if sticking to exercise consistently has been a struggle for you in the past, think outside the box and try out something new that you truly love doing. 

 

Bonus points if you can find a community of people that enjoy the same things as you - the power of bonding over shared interests can really elevate the whole experience and help you fully commit to not just yourself, but the relationships you’re building, too.

 

2. Start small. If you’re currently exercising 0 days / week, start with just one or two days / week. If you’re already moving 3 days / week, give 4 or 5 days a try. Meet yourself where you’re at and set really simple goals that are no-brainers. The point is to not feel overwhelmed - it should be easy to accomplish so that you can start building your confidence and going after bigger goals.

 

 

3. Reflect and celebrate. Check back in with yourself after each week and reflect on how you felt. You may not have enjoyed what you did, and that’s good information to gather so that you don’t keep pushing yourself into things that aren’t satisfying. And if you did enjoy it, awesome! Keep going! 

 

 

No matter how your reflection goes, make sure to celebrate yourself for showing up and giving it a go. The win is not necessarily in the outcome, but in the act of showing up. 

 

Health is a life-long journey. Sometimes it’s really fun and sometimes it can feel like more of an effort. Focus on the process and celebrate yourself along the way to stay motivated and engaged.

 

To recap, exercise is a key player in overall health and wellness. It looks different for everyone and should be something that you enjoy doing. There are many different ways to get in movement throughout the week and your routine doesn’t need to be rigid in order for you to receive the health benefits that exercise provides. Start with where you’re at and slowly build up from there. Make it easy to accomplish so you can start to build confidence. Reflect on the benefits you’re getting and celebrate yourself every step of the way!

 

Healthy & Confident is my 3-month 1:1 coaching program designed to help you create sustainable health routines that you love so you can thrive in all areas of your life. If you really want to level up your fitness routine, I invite you to set up a free Connection Call so we can talk about how to work together.

 

Book Your Connection Call Here

 

Yours in health,

Carissa

Creative WHOLISTICS

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