SECRETS TO MAKING EXERCISE A PART OF YOUR LIFE
Then there are people who see exercise as a necessity. Something that needs to be a part of their life on some level. Maybe for physical health and wellness or maybe just for their own sanity. Like the saying goes, we only get one body. What could be more important?
If you are looking to truly change your life, to get results you've never had before and to make your own health and fitness a priority, here are the rules I've seen play out time and time again. Those who abide by them can make meaningful changes. Otherwise the changes will be short-term at best. It really is that simple BUT that doesn't mean it's easy.
#1) You must enjoy what you do for physical activity - Sure, it's obvious and of course, why wouldn't you want to like what you do? But many people don't! They like what exercise can do for them and feel good about themselves for doing it but the actual process itself isn't particularly enjoyable. Besides it just being generally nice to enjoy what you're doing, the problem with not feeling that way is that it makes your exercise program hard to stick to long-term. As soon as Life gets in the way (which it always does) and you get knocked off your schedule, it is so hard to return to something you didn't initially love doing. Whereas if you actually love what you do, if you truly miss it when your schedule doesn't allow, you will WANT to come back.
#2) It must challenge you - This can be the tricky part. Of course you want to find a workout that you will enjoy doing but as the old saying goes, if it doesn't challenge you, it will not change you. I used to work at a large gym and saw the same people come in day after day, week after week, and do the exact same workout every time. Or slight variations of the same general intensity level. They'd start on the cardio machines, watch the TVs, get to the weight machines, bust out a set, play on their cell phones, get back to it, rinse and repeat. I have been that person too and I can tell you with absolute certainty that it will not produce results. It will help you maintain, and believe me, ANY physical activity is better than none but we as humans have to be pushed. Whether we push ourselves or find someone else to push us. I would say that 95% of the people I've met, myself included, fall into the latter category. We need outside help. Whether that comes in a class format, small group training, or 1-on-1, or some type of training. It's very hard to truly push yourself outside of your own comfort zone. What's more is that we sometimes might think we are doing it but we don't really get that extra effort we are capable of. And it's that extra effort that makes us better. That is the challenge that will change us.
#3) You must MAKE time - This is huge. I can't tell you how many people I've met who tell me that that their schedule doesn't allow for them to stick with any exercise regimen. Or that it can but they have to squeeze it in. They have to find the time. Once again, I'd say that 95% of us actually can make the time if we really want to. I know people who have active social lives, a demanding job, a big family and still exercise every day. Some even multiple times a day. How do they do it? You might think they have to skimp on some of those abovementioned responsibilities but they don't. They just make the time. They find ways that they CAN exercise, instead of looking at ways that they CAN'T. I am not saying that you need to work out every day, certainly not multiple times a day, but the vast, vast majority of us can find a way to exercise for an hour 3+ times a week. The key for most is a set schedule. These are the days I work out, these are the times and come hell or high water, I AM exercising at these times. Others who try to "find" the time or "squeeze a workout in" almost never stick to it. I have seen this over and over again. Don't find time, make time. And if you haven't started your exercise program, start today. Or tomorrow. What about next week? Or next month? Or as soon as you finish X? Nope. Start now. I have heard countless people tell me that they are going to start in the near future and almost none of them ever do.
One more thing I would like to say regarding time is that many of us have spouses, children and family responsibilities as well. These are very, very important to us and I think they should be. But remember that you must also take care of yourself so you can take care of them. It's like those things they have in the airplane that show pictures of the adults securing their own mask before they put it on their child's. You also just need some time of your own, whatever it may be.
#4) It must become a habit - This goes hand-in-hand with Rule #3 but deserves mention on it's own because no matter how much you abide by Rule #1, no matter how much you love your workout, there will be days you just don't feel like it. Maybe you're tired, had a long day, it's raining outside, time/season change, stayed out too late last night, friends or family are in town, or there is absolutely no reason whatsoever, you are simply "not feeling it." It's inevitable and that is why we have to build a habit. As mentioned before, set your workout days and stick to them, feeling it or not. Once it becomes a habit, you will think less about whether you are feeling it or not. It's just something you do. Like brushing your teeth. You have made a commitment to yourself and by doing so, you have also made a commitment to everyone who cares about you. Your health and wellness is important to all of them.
#5) Be prepared for setbacks - Oftentimes when someone starts up a new exercise program, they are pretty gung ho about it. They're proud of themselves for doing it - as they should be - they feel better and they're all in. They've got their mojo working and they've got momentum. This is there life now. Then something happens. Doesn't have to be anything big. Maybe they are out of town for a week, maybe their work schedule changes, maybe they sprain their ankle playing soccer, maybe they catch a cold, maybe it's Thanksgiving, etc. And that is. Once they have been derailed, even slightly, it can be so hard to get back on track.
So how do you avoid this scenario? First, accept that setbacks are going to happen. No matter how diligent you are, no matter how well you follow Rule #3, you cannot avoid all setbacks entirely. The next step is to be okay with that. Be ready for it. What are you going to do when it happens? Of course no one wants to say they will just give up but it happens so often. Because once you lose that momentum, it's very tough to pick it back up again. I can't speak to the deeper psychological reasons but again, I know very well that it's a thing. So as you have to accept that setbacks happen, as you have to be okay with them happening, you also need to be prepared for that feeling of all your momentum lost. But you can pick it back up again. Faster than you realize. Your own brain may not help you out here. It may try and find an easy way out for you. Give you a good reason why you really can't start up again. Or just make you believe that it is a new chapter now and the old thing you did for exercise may not be part of the new chapter. But you can't listen to your own brain in this case. If you enjoyed what you were doing, if you made a commitment to yourself and others that love you, you need to stick with it. You can't give up. If something better for you comes along, great, but make sure you're not just jumping ship because of a setback.
#6) Be prepared for HARD work - Once again, these rules are relatively simple and if you follow them, they will work for you! But that doesn't make it easy. Not at all. It's gonna be tough! There are no shortcuts or magic buttons. The world will constantly try to tell you that this is true but they are generally trying to sell you something and worse, taking advantage of people who need help. There are more effective ways to train and less effective ways. All require a commitment and hard work. You can do it! And you are certainly worth it. We really do only get one body.
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