Are you having a difficult time motivating yourself to exercise? Well if you are, you are not alone. There are a lot of frustrated want-to-be exercisers out there that just don’t know how to take those first steps and get started.
Here are some time tested practical tips to help you get off the couch and into the exercise mode.
First, make sure your exercise goals are realistic and sustainable. Aiming to complete an exercise program that is too demanding is counter productive – intense, unrealistic goals are difficult to achieve, not to mention sustain. Plus, you’re more likely to injure yourself. And failing to reach your goals only leads to more frustration and lack of motivation. Instead, aim to move 30 minutes a day, think of it as “drops in a bucket.” The drops may not seem like it will make much of a difference, but they add up over time.
Second, find something you enjoy doing and start with that. If you enjoy gardening, check out other people’s gardens as you walk to and from work and then do your own gardening on the weekend. If you like playing a particular sport, join a team. If you want to be social, find a walking buddy.
Third, workouts will be more enjoyable and tolerable if you can find activities that allow you to be outside, to spend time with friends and family, to have fun and get active all at the same time.
Fourth, use an “exercise calendar” on which you put gold stars on the days that you complete your workouts. The stars are a great visual reminder of how many times you have exercised in a week or a month. Once you get to your predetermined goal, reward yourself. Take yourself to the movies, get a pedicure or buy a new workout outfit.
Finally, remember that doing something is always better than doing nothing. On days you don’t want to exercise, make myself run, walk or be active for 10 minutes. Tell yourself that, if after 10 minutes you are still miserable, you can stop. Nine times out of 10, once you have started to move and exercise, you end up finishing the workout. On the days you stop at the 10-minute mark, don’t worry about it, doing something is always better than doing nothing.
Exercising and getting fit and healthy is fun and rewarding. All you have to do is find your individual keys that will help you get started and stay active.
If you’d like more info please contact Mike.