Don't try to fit yourself into an unattainable fitness plan. Make your fitness plan work for you.
You've probably heard that getting in shape is two-fold. You have to maintain your diet and exercise. Maybe you've read my previous article on the top 3 reasons why people stop eating right. But there is more to it. Below are the top 3 reasons why you might stop working out and how to help you get back on track—or the treadmill.
You might notice that two of the three reasons are the same for both posts. Busyness and expenses can hold a lot of us back in different ways and I wanted to combat the reasoning from both the diet and exercise perspective.
Working out does take time out of your schedule. When you look at your upcoming week, sometimes it feels impossible to fit in some sweat time. But, when you make it a priority and implement these tips, you might be able to finagle in a little extra time for you.
When you have a scheduled work meeting at 7am, would you miss it? Of course not! Think of your workout like a meeting with yourself. Physically write it on your calendar (in pen) and you will be far less likely to break that oath. Don't stand yourself up. Get out there and make that meeting!
You don't need to workout 2 hours a day, 7 days a week. Create a workout schedule that you can manage. Maybe it's a half-hour HIIT workout 3 days a week. That's great! If you can fit it in and stay consistent, then you are winning. A quick workout it better than no workout.
Chances are, if you really looked at your daily routine, you will find something you can nudge down the priority list and replace with a workout. When you get home from work, you may want to kick off your heels, sit on the couch, and turn on the TV. What if you kicked off your heels and slid on your running shoes instead? You can melt away the mental stress with a physical outlet—it will be more refreshing and cathartic than any Netflix show, I promise!
The boutique gym and yoga studio membership can end up costing you a lot. But, if you are running low on funds, don't feel like you have to give up on exercise all together. Postpone the private club membership and try something that you can financially manage. Here are a few ideas.
Swimming, biking, and running doesn't cost you anything. Okay, so you'll need some running shoes, a bike, or maybe a cute new suit. But, after the upfront cost, you can hit the ground running without a monthly expense!
Pick a gym that has enough equipment or classes to partake in and then budget for it. Say it costs you $40/month. Look into your monthly budget and see where you can cut down to make your gym membership fit. Maybe that means doing your nails at home. Or nixing a couple of meals out. You can find some wiggle room if you wanted to.
You can download a fitness app instead of signing up for a gym membership to help you stay in shape. There are a bunch of apps out there with hundreds of workouts, fitness tutorials, challenges to compete in with your friends, etc. These apps can cost anywhere from $0/month to $10/month. Not too bad, when you compare it to a gym membership, right?
It's intimidating to think about walking into the gym after it's been a few days, weeks, months, or years. The thought of fit people everywhere, pumping out reps and literally running circles around you can paralyze you from even going inside. But here's a little secret: You do not need to be fit in order to enter the gym. That's what the gym is for! Here are a few ideas to help you get back into the rhythm.
Attend a class and you won't have to come up with a workout on your own. You can stay in the back of the class if you'd like, tune out the people around you, and tune in to the instructor.
If class schedules don't fit your schedule or you want to learn the weight room, then create your own workout and write it down before heading for the gym. It alleviates the stress of creating a workout on the spot, saves you time, and gives the impression that you know what you are doing—all because you have a plan!
Maybe you want to give yourself a kick in the pants before entering your gym again. Start at home! Pick an app or a YouTube channel that you like and get used to at-home workouts first. Once you feel comfortable sweating, then you can push the boundaries of your comfort zone and brave the gym again.