1) Make time
The most common reason that people give for being unable exercise or for sticking to exercise is lack of time. The problem is that with the way many of us live our lives, we are always short of time, so firstly we need to accept this and make time to exercise. Personally I set my alarm early and do my exercise first thing, before work and before the rest of my day has started. There's no risk that the rest of the day will take over, or you will run out of time, or that you will end up not feeling motivated enough to go at the end of the day. If the afternoon or evening is better for you, keep 15, 30, 45 min free to do it on days that you can. Another recommendation is to book it in your diary and prioritise your exercise, as you would for an appointment.
2) Remember the ‘why’.
Remind yourself ‘why’ you are exercising when you have moments of low motivation or are thinking twice about getting out of bed at 5.30am, or want to collapse on the sofa after work That might be to lose weight, to get fitter, to gain muscle, to improve your performance or to get some fresh air and headspace.
3) Be a morning person
I personally recommend exercising in the morning as I find I am more energetic and have more motivation. Mentally, I also find it a really positive start to the day – not just do to endorphins, but there is a sense of achievement before you have even got showered and dressed for the day.
Practically, I find it’s quicker as I just jump out of bed, put my gym gear straight on and go. There is no risk that the rest of the day will take over and you will run out of time – or you will manage to think of things that you need to do that day and eventually putting it off until tomorrow – then the same thing will happen! Most people find that if you are having with low motivation or will power, you are unlikely to push yourself to go for a run, to the gym or event for a walk at the end of the day. It might seem a little tough to start with, but it does become habitual after a while.
4) Plan ahead and be organised
Plan your day with your exercise included, for example lay out your exercise the night before, or packed ready to take with you to or from work. Plan what you are going to have for breakfast the night before, or have it ready to take with you, and the same for lunch. If you leave ‘fitting it in’ to chance, it’s not going to happen - and it's stressful!
5) Be realistic
Don't start with the intention of exercising for an hour a day 6 days a week when you realistically don't have the capacity to do it. Firstly you will start to feel demoralised when you miss 2 sessions or only have 20 min, and secondly, you don’t need to spend an hour a day, 6 days a week exercising. Start with something that is manageable for your experience, fitness and lifestyle. If you can realistically only fit in 1x 40 min session and 2x twenty minute sessions a week, then plan those and anything extra that you can fit in is a bonus.
6) Habits and discipline
Don’t rely on motivation all the time, sometimes you are not going to feel like getting out to bed early and doing some exercise, but be disciplined and do something – even if its 10 minutes. You won’t regret it and will usually feel brighter, more energised, more positive and motivated afterwards.
7) Test it out – and do something you like If you are new to exercise, try out running, walking, different classes or the gym and see what you enjoy.
8) Give it time - and do things you enjoy!
Depending on what exercise you are going, it can often seem hard, or awkward or tiring to start with. Running might not be for you, but give it at least a couple of weeks as you will be surprised at quite how quickly you improve and it becomes easier and therefore more motivating and enjoyable!
Try different exercise classes and different types of exercise - you might be surprised at what you enjoy!
9) Results
Whatever your goal, don't expect to see big results in 3 weeks, whether that be weight loss or improved fitness, or seeing muscular definition. Sometimes you can see results gradually, but often you may feel like you haven't made progress and suddenly you lose 3 lbs or run an extra KM. It's not always a simple linear process - sadly!
Happy exercising!
x
Ps - If you have any queries, or need any support, guidance or motivation, contact me to see how I can help!