A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of exercise and how it impacts our mental health. While I am not a physical trainer, I do believe in the power of exercise and how it makes us feel better both mentally and physically.
I believe in the power of exercise to strengthen us physically as well as to build our confidence. We all know that exercise is good for your heart, bones and muscles, weight, and sleep. And staying fit can strengthen your odds at living a longer, healthier life.
Let’s be honest, you will get more benefits from exercise if you make it a regular habit rather than a once-in-a-while burst of heavy activity. Making a habit stick takes some work. Ideally you want to be as consistent as possible and while you may feel tempted to go all out, you don’t want to take on more that you can handle. Slow and steady crosses the finish line. You want to build both physical and mental stamina and endurance. You do not want to risk injury so be patient with yourself and your body.
Here are a few thoughts as to how to motivate yourself to turn exercise into your daily routine.
Find something fun! Choose exercises you like that are comfortable for you. You’re more likely to carve time out of your day for a workout, activity, or class if you enjoy it. Pick exercises that you look forward to, not something you have to force yourself to do just because it’s good for you. Enjoyable activities are more likely to become habits. Where do you like to exercise? In a gym or outside in the fresh air? And do you like to workout with a group of friends or solo? And, you don't have to do the latest fitness fad that you read about on social media if it isn’t right for you. If it suits you to just walk on a treadmill while you listen to a podcast, that’s great!
Make exercise convenient. It will become a habit when it fits into your “normal” schedule. You can also combine exercise with your daily chores (for example, if you walk your dog daily, make it a brisk walk). Climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. Walk to the store instead of taking your car or a cab.
Put it on your calendar. If you schedule it into your day, you are more likely to make it happen.
Set goals. You can’t form habits overnight. It’s a journey. Set realistic goals for exercises and you’re more likely to keep it up and make it a habit.
Be flexible. Sometimes, life throws us a curve ball and we aren’t able to exercise at the time we had intended. Don’t let your workout routine be thrown off. Take a breath and make it work for you. Don’t give up. You can get back on track. Create new exercise habits if your old ones don’t work for you anymore.
Believe in yourself and the strength and power you have. You’ve got this! For more information, feel free to reach out to me at rachel@ivehealthynyc.com