This is the type of post that you would often expect to find around the first of the year when people are motivated to change and establish new habits. However, the best time for establishing healthier habits is now, not at some date in the future!
If you know you would benefit from more regular exercise, these 5 strategies can propel you towards greater success with staying motivated and consistent with your intentions to get moving. Even a small investment in getting more physical activity, can pay huge dividends down the road!
1. FIND A WORKOUT PARTNER
Exercising with a friend greatly increases most individuals' chances of staying motivated and consistent with regular exercise.
You can help hold each other accountable.
It helps keep it a priority in your schedule because you have committed to meeting a friend.
It is often a lot more fun!
Others may find it worthwhile to invest in working with a personal trainer or coach to build confidence, gain new skills, and reach their goals.
2. CHOOSE ACTIVITIES YOU ENJOY
Focus on ways to get physical activity doing things you enjoy! I have taught wellness classes to students of all ages at a local community college for years. One of the most common misconceptions I run into among students is that there are only a few really effective ways to get in shape, like running or going to the gym. Not only is this untrue, but if you don’t enjoy those activities, chances are very high that you will quickly give up. We all have some things that we should do as a regular part of a well rounded fitness routine that we may not love. However, all of us would all do well to spend the majority of our time being physically active doing things we actually enjoy doing.
3. RACE TO TRAIN
Yep! You heard that right, Race to Train! Most people think of it the other way around- that they need to train so that they will be ready for a race or other athletic event that they have signed up for. However, my sister-in-law, who has now completed 108 marathon distance or longer running races, coined the phrase “race to train” years ago. She has learned that if she has a race on her calendar, that is usually all she needs to stay motivated to train and stay active.
Another benefit of this mentality and training for an event or race is that it can help keep our focus on what our bodies can do as a result of regular exercise rather than just the changes we are hoping to see in the mirror. Focusing on what you can accomplish, like completing your first 10K running race, lifting more in the weight room, or a new marathon PR can be very motivating!
4. SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING
A common misconception that derails individuals from consistency with their workouts is that if you don’t have a long uninterrupted period of time to workout, then it’s not even worth getting started that day. However, even short periods of physical activity are far superior than nothing at all and can lead to significant improvements in your health. If your day is full from start to finish, even taking 15 minutes for a brisk walk after dinner or spending 10 minutes doing a few strengthening exercises is worth it and will likely leave you feeling better after you are done, both mentally and physically!
5. FIND YOUR WHY
Often times people will start exercising with the primary motivation of a trimmer waistline or other physical appearance goals, but those goals alone usually don’t keep people going for long. Individuals who have come to experience the even more significant benefits of regular physical activity have a lot more motivation to keep at it.
Benefits such as:
More restful sleep
Decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety
Improved ability to deal with stress
Increased energy
Greater self-confidence
The fun of doing things you enjoy for exercise
Small steps towards a more active life transform into big health gains over time when done consistently.
Even more importantly, when we take good care of ourselves physically, we are usually in an even better place to focus on the things in life that are of the greatest value.
If aches and pains are keeping you from getting the regular exercise you know you need, contact your physical therapist for help. At Open Range Physical Therapy we can help you get to the bottom of what your aches and pains are coming from and provide guidance on ways to get back to a more active life without aggravating your symptoms.
- Melissa Warders, PT
Our mission at Open Range Physical Therapy is to help people feel and move better and get out of pain so that they can lead active and healthy lives.
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