How to Stick to an Exercise Routine
You have resolved to keep a healthy lifestyle at the beginning of the year. Perhaps, apart from eating healthy, included in that resolve is an exercise regime. However, a month in and your newfound resolve is beginning to falter. You are not alone if you find it difficult to keep up with your workouts.
Even if you were full of motivations initially, excuses may derail your workout routine. Most of the time, people fail to keep to their fitness plans because they find themselves ‘too busy’ or ‘tired’. “There is always another day”, “it’s raining”, you say to yourself. If you don’t want to let excuses from keeping away from a healthy lifestyle, how can you stick to an exercise routine?
The single-most powerful motivator to keep exercising is having a specific goal in mind. Ask yourself, why do you want to exercise? To lose weight, to keep fit, to tone your muscles or because you want to avert a health crisis? The clearer your goals are, the more likely you are going to make fitness a priority in your life. Therefore it is important to mark every milestone in your fitness journey as a cause for celebration. Because little milestones will aid in you achieving your fitness goals.
How do you define a milestone? Perhaps you can begin by marking a milestone in terms of blocks of time designated for exercise. Instead of going all out from the beginning, gradually increase the time and intensity of your exercises. For some people, an hour-long workout session may seem unattainable. If that is your challenge, you may want to consider breaking up your exercise in a series of 10 to 15 minute sessions spread throughout the day. A 15 minute walk to train station on the way to work is a great start. A 15 minute after-lunch walk is another great routine. Finally, the 15 minute walk home from the train station is an awesome way to add physical activities to your daily schedule. Without too much effort, you have just added 45 minutes of moderate exercises into your day.
On the weekends, with more time on your hands, you may go for other forms of exercises. In this instance, your milestones may be defined as including varied forms of exercises in your fitness routine. Would you consider going for longer walks? Or picking up some dumbbells and start on simple weights training? Initially, you may start with less strenuous exercises. Over time, as your stamina improves, you may consider introducing more challenging workouts into your exercise routine.
Given our hectic schedules, it's understandable that we may not have enough time in the day to make it to the gym for a solid workout. Many individuals find it difficult to exercise regularly, despite the fact that they know it is beneficial for their health. If this year is the year you finally get back into a regular exercise routine, start exercising in your living room instead of at a gym. There is no lack of exercise videos online to accompany you. You’re certain to find one that you enjoy working out with.
Many people are put off by the idea of exercising because they fear that they do not have the stamina or fitness level to do it. Or they may find the boredom of it all and give up all too quickly. Yet, cycling, walking, and swimming are all great ways to get some exercise. Make exercise enjoyable, engage in physical activities that you enjoy doing, and ‘exercising’ no longer appears so formidable. Or you may consider participating in group exercise classes, like a Zumba class. If you need further motivation, consider getting an exercise buddy. With the support of an exercise buddy, you may develop the mental endurance that will help in keeping to an healthy lifestyle. Granted, exercising may not come naturally to some people. But keeping your health goals clearly in mind and mark every milestone as a success, in no time you will discover a healthier and more energetic you.
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