Are you keeping up with your exercise program and it feels great? Of course, it felt great last year, too, when you exercised regularly. If it feels so great, why do
you keep quitting? This is the time of year that people quit for the holidays, almost 2 months. Not only does it make it harder to start all over again, but you are also putting on additional pounds, possibly drinking and attending parties more and getting less sleep. Here are a few tips that may help you be more
consistent with your physical activity.
1. Start
Looking at Exercise Differently. This is the big one, all movement is exercise. People need
to give themselves more options. Take the dog for a walk, bike to the store,
take five-minute stretch breaks. Go out for an hour hike. If you don’t count something as exercise unless
it happens in the gym, goes on for 40 minutes or requires a shower afterward,
you're missing some of your best opportunities to stay active.
2. Think Small. This advice can be hardest for people
who expect the most from themselves. Why bother walking around the block when
you should be running your usual four miles? Because when you don’t have time to
do all four miles, a brisk hike can keep you from feeling that you’ve
failed. You can do a couple 5-10 minute jaunts and it is always better than not doing it at all, because it doesn't have to be the all or nothing mentality.
3. Set smaller more challenging goals. It helps to
challenge yourself in new and exciting ways. Set a
goal, such as increasing the speed, frequency or duration of your activity.
Maybe it's time to train for a marathon--or take a walk up the hill in the neighborhood without getting winded. I just hiked a trail that was challenging but not as challenging as it was at the beginning of the season. (It’s perfectly fine to think small goals that may in time lead you to a bigger one). Your trainer can help you determine appropriate
goals if you need new ideas.
4. Choose New Paths. Have
you ever tried snowboarding? Bowling? Circuit training? Swing dancing? Body surfing? Chi kung? How
about reversing your power walk route? Exercising at a different time of day actually feels much different. Physical activity isn't boring, but how you participate in it can
be.
5. Workout Your Brain. The active mind
needs to be engaged and you can even challenge your brain during a workout or walking up the stairs. Next time you get ready to walk up the stairs, start up with the opposite foot, it really throws you off a little, but interesting how habit forming we really are. If you're new to exercise, dissociate tactics,
such as listening to music, watching TV or playing computer games may help you
stick with it--but stay aware of sensations that could signal injury or
overdoing it. As you become more experienced, associative strategies, such as
focusing on your breath or concentrating on the movement of your body, can help
you enjoy exercise more.
6. Accountability is key. Finding a
friend, mentor or coach to keep you honest will make a huge difference in your positive experience. You can either exercise with your
partner, or simply check in with him or her to report your
progress. Do not choose a partner that can easily be swayed to go have lunch instead.
7. Plan to Stay Active and most importantly TAKE action. Planning your active moments throughout the day is much better and more efficient than winging it, because life gets in the way and at the end of the day, you may find you didn't do any of what you wanted. Parking farther from the office and put your walking shoes in the car the night
before. In fact, pack a separate workout bag so you have no excuse. I have had clients show up in their gym clothes but no shoes. I may have had to tweak the workout but it was better than cancelling the session which I have had clients do also. Plan to take that new yoga class next week, and call the babysitter
now, then put it into your calendar.
8. Plan for those roadblocks. Does
vacation throw your exercising schedule out of whack? Do projects at work
overtake your activity time? Do injuries sideline you? Boredom? Fear of success?
Fitness foes can be beaten once they've been identified. You can change your
vacation style, set work limits, get guidance for injury-free activity, find new
challenges, or face your fears with counseling and support. You can hire a professional like me to help you figure out what the best path toward it becoming a part of your lifestyle.
9. Exercising with others is FUN. Even if you are introverted, the presence
of others in your exercise environment can be motivating. I run Get Fit classes that offer the camaraderie of others who may not like exercise and need the extra boost of others. YOU pick up on other
people's energy, become fully
alive. Choose places and times to exercise where there will be other people who
are actively involved in exercise. Exercising outdoors adds another dimension to increasing your natural energy level.
10. Plan for that time you just don't feel like it. Have a backup activity so when bad weather or timing doesn't let you do what you had planned, change it, but be prepared at all times. We tell ourselves things like, Skipping this one little walk
won't matter all that much. Next time, be prepared with an
answer for this excuse. Use images of past successful experiences to remind
yourself of how good exercise makes you feel. Or repeat a simple phrase to
yourself, such as, Every little bit makes a big difference or Yes it will matter, I am worth that little walk. . If you use planning,
flexibility and imagination, you won't ever need to feel like you've failed yourself again.
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