For many people sticking to your new years resolutions or starting on a new exercise plan can be a challenge; but what is the key to crushing it consistently?
How is it that some people manage to maintain a consistent and regular exercise routine, year round, despite also having to deal with all the challenges of day-to-day living?
There is a quote by Jim Ryun we love that says: “Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you you going.“
Whether you’re just starting out, or already crushing it, here are our top 5 tips to help make exercising a regular habit.
- Remember why you started
There will be days when you feel unmotivated to workout, but it helps if you think of all the reasons you started working out in the first place.
Having more energy, losing fat, feeling more confident, or being healthier in general – we all have our own reason for exercising. Consider how great you’ll feel knowing that you are one step closer to achieving a fitter and healthier version of yourself.
We all go through a slump sometimes. Whether its been a hard day, or you just need a day off, remembering why you started can help you find the needed discipline you need to keep going.
2. Be Consistent
When you do something regularly, it becomes a habit. Similarly, exercise cannot be a once off, it needs to become a part of your lifestyle.
When you are consistent with your health efforts, you will feel a difference, even if you don’t see the difference initially.
You will progressively become stronger, and become more confident in doing your exercises. Pretty soon you’ll notice that you can complete your workouts with much less effort or at a much higher intensity!
Consistency is the key to success in any workout plan.
3. Don’t rely ON MOTIVATION ONLY
Being motivated to exercise is great, but it won’t always be there.
It might be easy when you are staring a new program, but sustaining motivation over time is not that easy. Whether it be injury, seasonal change, or simple laziness; there will come a point in time where you will lose your motivation to workout.
That’s why it is very important to have healthy habits in place to make working out part of who you are.
4. Measure your progress
Whether you take progress photos, keep a journal, do regular body composition assessments, or have a challenge you want to improve on; take some time to reflect on how far you’ve come!
Try to find a way to measure your progress that is meaningful to you. Whatever method you choose, make sure it relates to your reasons for starting in the first place.
5. Don’t compare yourself to others
Everyone’s fitness journey is unique to them and everyone progresses at a different rate. Remember to go at your own pace, stay consistent and be patient with yourself.
Try to focus on every effort you put in, and not looking at what others are doing! Take the time to celebrate small wins and focus on developing a sense of ownership.
Feel good about taking care of yourself and your body!
Adjusting to a healthy lifestyle can be a challenging endeavor, and you will find yourself going through ups and downs. If you do for some reason miss a workout, don’t get discouraged. The trick is to aim for balance, not perfection!
Start slow, and aim to establish a lifestyle that you are happy with and that is sustainable in the long-term. Don’t stop and make sure to enjoy the journey!
Leave us a comment and let us know how you find the discipline to stick with your program.