Investing in your fitness is a great choice if you can sustain it. One might put in considerable time and effort into their workout routine and follow the plan rigidly when they are pumped up initially. However, as that excitement begins to wear off, we tend to get off track.
Fitness doesn’t have to be about struggling at the break of dawn, tough boot camps, or swearing off carbs forever. You can get fit without torturing yourself! The secret? Make the activity fun and flexible. Here’s how you can build a routine that works for you.
1. Don’t Try to Be a Hero
Go easy on yourself! Don’t set difficult targets and avoid getting into the perfectionist mindset. You do not need to train like the Rock on your first day or even the next couple of months. All you need to do is show up!
Here’s a rule you can follow: lower the bar. No really. Can you commit to stretching for 5 whole minutes? Does walking around the block sound exciting to you? Do you think dancing to a song once a day appeals to you much more than getting on a treadmill? Go for it!
Celebrate your small achievements and work on building consistency first. Intensity can come later. You aren’t supposed to prove anything to anyone. You’re just showing up, one day at a time, with zero expectations.
2. A Solid Workout Playlist > Willpower
Do you keep avoiding your workouts or cutting them short? It’s not you, it’s the workout. Don’t point fingers at yourself and put yourself down. Avoid calling yourself lazy. There’s a greater probability that you are simply bored of the workout.
Maybe you’re more of a “dance in your kitchen” or “go climb a tree” kind of person. That’s totally acceptable. Movement is movement, so let’s flip the script. Why don’t you try roller skating, aerial yoga, trail walking, or that random kickboxing class you have been curious about? Fitness doesn’t need to be serious; it just needs to get you moving.
3. Create Attachments and Associations
If you find it hard to squeeze in your workout during the day, try a small hack. Pair your workout endeavors with something that you already need to do that particular day.
For example, you could do a few calf raises while you’re waiting for your coffee to brew. You could also go for a “fake commute” walk if it is the end of the workday. Watching TV? Consider stretching on the floor during your show.
Pairing up your exercises with something that’s already within your schedule can remove the friction. It goes from an hour of exercise you must force to an hour that you can easily slip into your schedule.
4. Treat It More Like a Game, Not a Grind
Here’s where exercise gets fun. Consider creating a quest out of your fitness journey.
A quest should involve challenges, wins, and rewards. Track your progress with fun apps or a wall calendar. Name your workouts ridiculous things like “Boss Battle Leg Day” or “Zen Warrior Yoga Hour.” You could also give yourself side quests like “Do a handstand by summer” or “Hike 3 new trails this month.”
Gamify your routine and turn it from something you have to do into something you get to conquer. Suddenly, you’re not just working out; you’re leveling up!
5. You Don’t Need to Earn Your “Rest” Day
You can rest whenever you don’t feel up to it. Remember that craving rest isn’t a weakness. You don’t need to “earn” a day off whenever you want to take it. Rest is a big part of the process. It is how your body is supposed to repair itself.
You can schedule rest days or simply listen to your body and see what it is telling you.
6. Ditch the Lone Wolf Mentality
Your people can become your power move. Community matters and people can keep you accountable. Whether it is a friend, an online group chat, or simply sharing your progress online on YouTube, go ahead!
Fun Idea: Got a friend who is into fitness? Set up a standing walk or workout date. Don’t have the time to think so much about your workout habits? Let a personal training expert do it for you so you can focus on other tasks!
7. Make it a Vibe
Turn your workouts into your me-time. Light a candle whenever it is time to work out. Wear an outfit that makes you feel appealing. Build playlists that make you feel like the main character in a video game. Simply work on setting the mood so the workout feels less like a punishment, and more like an act of self-care.
It’s Time to Play the Long Game
There’s no finish line here. Workouts should be a part of your lifestyle. Some weeks you are going to be on fire while on others you will see yourself backsliding. Don’t worry! That’s just life. The goal is to create a system that you enjoy enough to keep coming back. You take the help of Gym Serum to increase stamina strength flexibility & energy.
