Hey there friends! Many of us struggle to keep at it when we try to make a change to our fitness schedule. If you are like most people, you probably find that you tend to work in cycles. You might have a few weeks or even months of working hard at working out, only to find that this period is followed by a lull or downtime, and that during this time your body weight gets away from you and you even start eating badly and so on. In a sense, these cycles are normal and to be respected. But if you want to break through and adopt some better fitness habits which will really stick, there are some steps you can take.
Figure Your Limit
At some point, you are going to have to get really clear on what your personal limit is. That might be that you can work out only three days a week, or only for half an hour at a time, or whatever it might be. It’s important to get as close to understanding your natural limit as possible, as it is going to dictate what you can achieve. If you constantly try to work through it, you’ll only cause yourself damage and burn out, meaning you are less likely to stick with it. So get to grips with your limit, and work within it. For me, that’s about 2-3 gym days a week. I used to aim for more and get disappointed with myself. Instead I aim for a couple long walk days.
Make It Official
If you look back at the times you failed to keep up with a fitness habit, you will probably find that it was usually when you failed to make it official what you were really doing or what you hoped to achieve. By making it official, you can expect to stick with it much more easily. There are a lot of ways to do this. You might want to sign up to an affordable gym or personal trainer at your local Fitness 19. Or you might just want to declare to all your friends what it is that you are hoping to achieve. Even if you fall short, you’ll get a lot further this way compared to doing it half-heartedly.
Allow For Hurdles
No matter who you are or how fit you might already be, you are going to come into hurdles when you try to exercise more and more often. Essentially, you can expect to always fail every now and then. This is really just how the process goes. You need to allow for those hurdles, and make sure that you are not beating yourself up about them, but instead embracing them for the opportunities that they are. It’s usually a case of two steps forward, one step back, and that’s totally okay!
Take It Easy
Finally, remember that if you are not having fun, there is really no point. You need to adopt a mindset where you are taking it easy, not overdoing it, or else you are going to struggle to really make the most of it, and that will mean you are more likely to fail in the long run. Finding a form of movement you enjoy really is key! What do you actually have fun doing? Do that!
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links, from which I may receive income. All opinions are, as always, my own. While I am an ACE Certified Health Coach and Personal Trainer I am not a medical professional and the information provided in this post is not to be considered medical advice.
-Kristen
Leave a Reply