A lot of people struggle to get started with an exercise routine. But the even bigger challenge is to keep exercising once you have gotten started. Does this sound like you? You state a big goal, you decide that in order to reach that goal you are going to do x exercise, you get up early in the morning and do that exercise. You congratulate yourself. You might even do it again once or twice more that week. But then something happens. Maybe you had to work late the night before and you are tired. Or maybe one of your kids was up all night sick, so you decide to skip the next workout. That one skipped workout leads to throwing in the towel and along with it that big goal.
If this sounds like you, and trust me, it sounds like a lot of people, including me at different times of my life, then read all the way to the end of the article for some tips on how to stay consistent with your exercise plan.
The Importance of Consistency in Exercise
First let me answer an important question. Why should you care about staying consistent with exercise in the first place?
Consistent exercise is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. It not only improves physical health by strengthening muscles, boosting cardiovascular health, and aiding weight management, but it also significantly enhances mental well-being. Regular workouts can reduce stress, elevate mood, improve sleep quality, and boost self-confidence.
Tips to Stay Consistent with Your Fitness Goals
There are so many benefits to exercising consistently. So how can you make sure to get it done?
#1: Schedule it!
A lot of my online clients tell me that their goal for the week is to walk 3 times. I love that goal. But it is not specific enough. I always circle back with them and ask, “When are you going to get those walks in? What days of the week and what time of day? Where do you think you will take those walks?”
In order to stay committed to your exercise plan, schedule it on the calendar like you would a meeting at work or a doctor’s appointment. Take some time at the beginning of the week to look at your schedule. Based on your other commitments, choose the most realistic times to get your exercise done and write it down! Once it is written down you no longer have to rationalize with yourself about it. No deciding if you should or shouldn’t do your workout. It is on the books, you get it done.
#2 Set Goals, Both long and short
If you are only exercising because you think you are supposed to or because you want to get healthier, that may be a problem. That is not to say that exercising for better health is a bad thing. But if your long term goal is just to “get healthier” it will be much easier to shirk off a single workout. Getting healthier is a pretty vague goal which makes it a lot easier to see each workout as expendable.
Instead I recommend that you set a specific performance goal or consistency goal. Some examples of performance goals are to get your first push up or chin up, complete a mile or a 5K in a set amount of time, or bench press a certain weight. Consistency goals really focus on the process. You set a goal for what percentage of time you are going to complete your workouts. If you are currently only working out one out of three times a week, perhaps your goal will be to average two out of three times. By keeping track of your overall percentage, each individual workout becomes part of a bigger goal.
#3 Have a plan
If you are not sure what you are supposed to do each time you set foot in the gym, it can make it more difficult to get there. Having a plan will eliminate the guesswork and relieve a big mental load. If you have a well designed plan, you can be sure that the workouts you are doing are helping you progress, which will add more motivation to continue exercising.
Part of my one on one online coaching includes a workout program. Each of my clients get a workout tailored to their specific goals, needs and equipment. Consistency for them is a lot easier. They don’t have to figure out what workout to do or how many days to do it. I do that work for them.
Together we keep track of their progress and make sure they continue to progress so that their time in the gym feels worthwhile. This makes it much easier to stay consistent, along with the extra bit of knowledge that I will be checking in with them to see how their workout went!
#4 Make it fun
You are much more likely to do your workout if it is something you actually enjoy. There are many ways to workout. While I focus mostly on strength training with my clients, some of them also include other activities, like spin, yoga and swimming. Strength training is important for maintaining muscle while trying to lose weight. It also helps with bone density, balance and a whole lot of other things! The good news is that there are many different styles of strength training, so you have options!
Here is the hard truth though, some people won’t find any type of training fun. And that is okay. You still need to do it. Just find the one that sucks the least and get it done because you know you should. You may need to lean harder on some of the other strategies in this article instead.
#5 Make it social
Along the lines of make it fun, if you are a social person, finding a workout buddy or a workout class that you enjoy can help with consistency. For some reason we have a harder time canceling on other people than we do ourselves. Lean into that!
Additionally, there is something magical about working hard in tandem with someone else. You have someone built in to commiserate on the tough days and celebrate the victories along the way.
For some people, hiring a trainer is just the right amount of social contract. The trainer provides the workout and the social expectation that you are going to show up.
# 6 Ditch the All or Nothing Mindset
Remember that scenario I mentioned in the beginning of the article. The one where your kid was up all night feeling sick. By morning you are exhausted and the last thing you want to do is go to the gym to keep up your exercise consistency. Instead of not doing anything, find something, some way, to still “get in a workout.” That could mean you skip the gym, but do a bodyweight circuit at home. Or maybe you go to the gym, but all you do is a warm up on the treadmill and the first two exercises on your plan.
By doing something you are triggering a very powerful force. Momentum. It is much easier to keep an object in motion once it is in motion than it is to get it back into motion once it stopped. Doing a very scaled down version of your workout, but still holding yourself to that appointment you set on the calendar, will make it much more likely for you to maintain your consistency next time.
You can do it!
I believe in you! The people who are most consistent with their workout plan don’t have some special secret or ability. They are just like you and me! By implementing these strategies, you can break through the barriers that have been holding you back and establish a sustainable exercise routine.
