My 5 Hacks to Get Back into an Exercise Routine
What healthy habit do you want to create after the summer holidays?
I seemed to have fallen out of my routine over the summer and oh boy I know from being here many times before how hard it is to get back into that habit of regular exercise.
On reflection, I realised I filled up my cup in so many other ways over the summer so I didn’t fall into an over reliance on food for instance or other stimulants. I am super grateful about that. Over the years, my natural state of balance involves being active so I didn’t completely stop moving either, but then why do I still feel something is missing in this aspect of my life?
When I’m not doing regular exercise where I get my heart pumping and muscles working, I just don’t feel myself physically and mentally. It’s an aspect of my life that has always nourished me on so many levels, bringing me joy, increased productivity and confidence. One of my life goals is to live fully longer and I know regular exercise will keep me strong and free of injuries, aches and pains.
Through the years, I understand I need to honour this feeling, otherwise, I can slip into bad habits and slowly over time feel unwell and unhappy. But oh I know too well how hard it is to maintain a constant routine of exercise. From experience, I also know the importance of keeping all things in balance as there was a time where I was overdoing it on the exercise front which in hindsight lead to an imbalance and lead to exhaustion.
Here are 5 of my hacks to get back into routine :
Book a race or event and use it as a ‘kick up the backside’. It’s been hard to do this during COVID times but even virtual events are good for this. I would say, thought that this is perhaps not an ideal option for all as it is important to beware of your limits so not to injure yourself. If you can take this more as a ‘training session’ and not push your body to a crazy extreme, then this can be a great motivator to get back on track with your training. This weekend, we have a mini-triathlon planned with friends which I know will instantaneously bring back the motivation to get training again as I will want to do better next time!
Review your priorities and set a training plan. If you want to change things you will need to make space for this change to happen otherwise it will NOT happen. The other thing you will need to do to make sure you have a chance of success is get your calendar out and plan when and what you are going to do in say the next 4 weeks. Make it visible (eg. pin it up on the fridge) or put it somewhere you can refer to it daily. I use trainingpeaks.com but I have also used a paper-based log. Remember - BE REALISTIC and build it up even if this means doing one exercise session per week for a few weeks. Getting the help of a coach to create a plan and work with you to hold you accountable is also invaluable to get back into a routine. I had a coach for years to get me to the level that I attained in triathlon.
Find a friend who wants to commit to do the activity with you or join a group. This is a great motivator, helpful to maintain accountability and get back into a routine. When my work schedule was erratic, I also used to book sessions with a personal trainer to work with me for a month just to help me get my routine back quicker than had I done it on my own.
Be kind to yourself along the process. Remember - life is a marathon, not a sprint! Allow yourself some weeks to build up strength and cardio. You will also avoid injuries this way. I would also remind you to stay in your lane - don’t compare yourself to anyone else or where you were one month or 6 months ago… you are here now, it’s a different season in your life and everyone has a different journey with different challenges happening in their lives. Know that with consistency you will grow stronger and stronger.
If you are struggling with motivation, just show up! Get yourself ready for your exercise routine and show up to whatever you planned to do. THIS IS A BIG STEP. If you do none of the activity or 5 mins that’s ok. The idea is you start getting into a routine and you will after you are in the routine of showing up you WILL get to the point where you will step into doing the planned exercise more easily.
I hope these strategies can support you to get back into an exercise routine.
Change is not easy and it can feel like a mountain to climb especially when you have tried so many different things in the past and it has still not become a day-to-day routine to achieve the results that you want. But keep going!
If you need help, please reach out and we can investigate how I can best support you. I am a strong believer that working with a coach/mentor/team can move you forward quicker. This is why I love what I do. I get the chance to work with clients over a solid period of time (not a quick 2-week fix) to support them to explore and make the changes that work for them to get the results they are looking for and find what brings them joy. Once we start on one aspect of our lives it has ripple effects on others.
Sending you happy & healthy regards,
Anne
Email: anne@petersen-costa.com