These steps can help you build a program that not only suits you but that works! Being consistent is the key to results so using these steps can get you on a path you can stick with!
Find Your Why If you haven’t already, take some time to reflect what your driving force for getting active is. I’m not talking about the “I want to lose weight” or I want to “Be a size 2” crap....I’m talking about the real why! So dig deep on this one as this is what will keep you going when the motivation you feel now inevitably fails you miserably (because trust me, it will). Your real why is what keeps you up at night, it’s what emotions you feel when you think about your health or body....you have one – be honest with yourself and find it.
My real why is I do not want to lose mobility and be a broken body as I age (within my control of course). That might seem strange to some, but I became highly aware of what my body could and could not do when I was pregnant and had my daughter. It suddenly became very obvious to me that my health was important if I wanted to be there for her and keep up with her. I also became aware of the failing bodies around me – I watched a number of family members go through serious health issues and loss of mobility. I did not want that for myself. So that is my driving force, my real why. Sure, on the surface I want to lose a few pounds, fit into my clothes better and look good – but those reasons come and go based on my mood. My real why is rooted, deep in my core and is always there – keeping me going.
Pick Your Workout Styles There’s so many ways to be active that it can be overwhelming to decide what you want to do. Here’s where what you do doesn’t matter – it’s that you actually do it! So you want to pick styles that you really enjoy because you will be more likely to do them consistently. Start by picking two to three different styles and build from there. Try different styles – a lot of the times you can do stuff at home or try a class free for the first time.
Commit to a Schedule This is where a lot of us crumble! If your schedule is jam packed, it may be time to start removing the things that really shouldn’t be there over your health – this might be hard, but it’s necessary. A common mistake people make is to force themselves to get up early or stay up late for a workout. If you’re are not a morning person then getting up extra early to fit in activity is going to feel like torture. As would staying up late when you just aren’t a night owl. A lunch hour workout is just as good as any other time, so is a workout done in intervals – such as 15 minutes in the morning and another 15 minutes in the evening. Work fitness into your schedule so that you will commit to it.
Remember Fitness does not have to be running for hours on end. It is anything that gets you moving and that you enjoy doing ...so walk, run, dance, lift weights, hike, play a sport – or do it all!