Do you often start an exercise routine only to stop for weeks or months at a time? Learn how to stay consistent with routine exercise for good!
John Maxwell, one of my favorite leadership experts, says, “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret to your success is found in your daily routine.” He’s not the only highly successful individual who believes this. This seems to be the consensus among all people who have reached high levels of success in their life.
So what is your health goal? To lose weight? Eat better? Gain strength and flexibility? Reduce stress? Whatever your goal, I guarantee you won’t achieve it showing up one or two days a week to work towards it. You need to show up every. single. day.
But that can seem daunting, especially in the beginning.
I believe the pitfall of many people’s exercise routine is the start. Often filled with high motivation, they start at full capacity. Committing to an intensity level and time commitment that is too difficult to maintain for the long haul. Especially after weeks, months, or even years of no exercise, they are destined to crash and burn, feeling like failures when they once again stop or give up.
Realizing this was my typical mode of operation, I decided it was time to try something new. The following tips were pivotal in helping me stick to an exercise routine once and for all. I hope they will have the same effect on you.
Tips for Starting Routine Exercise:
Form the Habit First
I’m starting with my best tip. I believe this has been the foundational key to my success. For the first 30 days, I didn’t give any thought to the intensity or length of my workout. My only goal was to create the habit of routine. I knew I wanted to work out first thing in the morning, so the routine I set out to establish was to wake up, drink a glass of water, and head down to the basement for a 5 minute walk on the treadmill.
You may think 5 minutes is not accomplishing a whole lot, but again, my goal wasn’t physical transformation, it was habit formation. These 30 days proved to be far more powerful than I ever imagined.
- It was an attainable goal after not working out for years.
- I found success each day, which made me want to show up the next day.
- It built my confidence because I kept my commitment to myself.
- I programmed my brain to begin doing it automatically, without thinking.
It’s been over 2 years since I started those 30 days, and I still exercise regularly. It’s a necessary part of me now.
Evaluate The Season You Are In
When I set out to exercise routinely, I was in a tough season of motherhood. With a 5, 3, and 1 year old, sleep was not a luxury I had. My energy levels were lagging, and I was tired all the time.
As a past strength training and HITT junkie, I realized it would have been unwise for me to think that daily HITT workouts were an attainable goal for me. Even weight training was more than I could give at that stage of life. Walking was what I knew I could commit to. It was gentle, I could adjust my pace based on how I felt that day, and it allowed me the time to destress and process all that was going on in my life.
As you set out to start your own exercise routine, think about what you can give in this season and what would bring you energy. It may be as simple as stretching. There are a variety of ways to move your body. Find what works best for you in the stage of life you are in.
Listen to Your Body
This is so important. Listen to what your body is telling you. Days I was feeling full of energy, I increased the speed of my walk or went for a longer amount of time. The days I was feeling sluggish, I slowed down my speed and went for a shorter amount of time.
Just because you worked your way up to a specific intensity or amount of time, doesn’t mean you have to stay there. That brings you back under the law that Jesus died to free you from. Show up, but give what you feel you can give that day without straining yourself. Exercise is meant to energize and strengthen our bodies, not abuse it and deplete it. Honor your body by listening to it
To highlight, the 3 keys to success in forming a routine exercise plan are:
- seek habit formation first, not physical transformation
- assess the season you are in and choose exercise that will support you in that season
- listen to your body and honor it by adjusting your exercise accordingly.
Our bodies are beautiful gifts from God. Let’s take care of them the best we can through the gift of physical activity.