As you may have discovered for yourself, sticking with an exercise program long enough to make it an actual habit can be difficult, to say the least. While hopefully most of you reading this are either currently exercising or planning to start doing so in the near future, almost all of you will at one time or another grow tired of your current fitness program.
When meeting new clients for the first time, they often tell me that they have tried working out on their own in the past, but find it very difficult to adhere to a regular program. Although I have always been an advocate of scheduled workouts until you are at least past the initial dropout phase (the first 6 months), I am going to change my philosophy.
The key to success is developing a habit when it comes to exercise. Developing a new habit takes time and consistency.
If you think you don’t have enough time to exercise, I think you’re wrong. It usually boils down to priorities, and exercise may not be on the top of your list.
When you’re exercising but not losing weight, it’s very frustrating, to say the least. For those people just starting an exercise program, it’s extremely important to stay motivated, and if your goal is to lose weight, but you’re not seeing a change on the scale in the first month or so, many people will quit. There are a number of reasons why a person just starting an exercise program may not see a change on the scale.
If you haven’t realized it by now, overcoming obstacles is much easier if you set a goal. That has never been more true than when it comes to exercise and getting in shape. It’s just humane nature to push yourself harder and further toward something if you have some idea of just what that something is.
One sure way to overcome procrastination is to just do it, like the Nike campaign states. Its human nature to put things off, especially things that you’re not crazy about doing.
A woman that recently emailed me inquiring about a fitness routine inspired this column. Like a lot of people, she’s finding it difficult to get into a routine, and even more so to continue enjoying it after the initial excitement wears off.
If some of you find it difficult to get motivated to workout, maybe you need to try a different approach. Rather than spend these nice days in a gym, try mixing it up by getting out in the fresh air...
As you may have discovered for yourself, sticking with an exercise program long enough to make it an actual habit can be difficult, to say the least. While hopefully most of you reading this are either currently exercising or planning to start...
