We all want to live happier and healthier lifestyles. This includes eating well, being mindful, and, the big one…exercise! Making exercise a part of our daily routine can be challenging with busy schedules, work, kids, and everything else we have going on in our lives. Yet, it is one of the most important elements in living well, staying active, and being healthy and strong in our body and mind.
We know that making exercise a lifestyle habit can be challenging. That’s why we have narrowed it down to the 4 pillars (or as we like to call it, the 4 P’s) that really matter when making exercise a habit.
1. Prioritize
Your goals have to be important enough to you. If you want to lose weight, if you want to gain muscle, or if you want to fit into your clothes differently, you are the only one who can make these things happen. How badly you want these things is up to you. If your health is not a priority then it will be easy to make excuses to not workout. Your actions will always follow what you really want, and if consistency in your workouts is not happening, then it might be a good time to re-evaluate your priorities.
2. Plan
Be prepared so there is no room for procrastination. When it comes to staying consistent with your workouts, having a plan is one of the best ways to set yourself up for success. At the beginning of every week write your workouts down on your calendar, that way all of the guesswork will be taken out during the week and you can just go knock out your workouts. If you workout in the morning, have your clothes already picked out and your gym bag ready to go the night before. Make it easy for yourself to have everything you need so you can eliminate excuses and get that workout in!
3. Proximity and Accessibility
Let’s be honest, if we do not like our workout environment then we will most likely not want to workout. If you feel self-conscious at the gym, then buy some weights and workout at home. If your home is too crowded or you never have time alone there, then workout at a gym. If you hate being indoors, then workout at a park or use the trails by your house with an exercise buddy. Whatever you need to do to feel the most comfortable, and whatever is most convenient, do that. Just workout.
4. Play with It
Find something you enjoy doing and play with it. When it comes to working out it is important to find an activity that you really enjoy. That does not mean choosing something easy, but rather, find something that you will enjoy enough that the challenge will not deter you from the activity. If you cannot seem to find an exercise you enjoy, play with ways to make it more fun for you. If you are on the elliptical watch your favorite YouTube influencer, or if you are running make a really good playlist or find one online. Do not let the “unenjoyable” excuse stop you from being active, just make it work for you and do it!
