We’re now through January and February, and, according to some statistics, 80% of new gym members will have cleared out. This means that they miss out on the biggest changes because these come along in months 3 and 4, after starting exercise. SO, you could say that, actually, the most important part of exercise, is not what exercise you do, but staying motivated and sticking at it!
Stay Motivated
Knowing that great results are around the corner means that it is more important than ever to stay motivated. Here are a few tips to help:
Use Visual Cues
- Exercise can seem tedious, especially if it is repetitive, so visual cues can provide clear evidence of progress, add a little bit of satisfaction and help to reinforce behaviour.
- A visual cue is just a visual trigger that motivates you to perform a habit with more consistency. And everyone knows that consistency is an essential component of success.
- A visual cue can be a list that you tick off or a chart of workouts for a month that you score through; or it can be an empty jar and a pile of paper clips. Every time you complete an exercise or a workout add a paper clip to the jar. Watch the ticks or clips grow and feel that satisfaction.
- Visual cues also remind you to start a behaviour. We often lie to ourselves about our ability to remember to perform a habit. After a few days the motivation fades and the busyness of life begins to take over again. A visual stimulus can be so useful and it’s easier to stick to good habits when your environment nudges you in the right direction.
- Visual cues can have an additive and an addictive effect on motivation. As the visual evidence of your progress mounts it is natural to become more motivated to continue the habit, do more and more and if you continue you won’t want to break the chain.
- Visual cues can be used to drive short-term and long-term motivation. E.g. a chart that you tick off each workout for a whole month PLUS a list of exercises for EACH workout that you tick off when you complete them.
Break it Up if you have to
- Ditch the all-or-nothing attitude – you don’t have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into monotonous or painful activities you hate to experience the physical and emotional benefits of exercise. A little exercise is better than nothing and adding just modest amounts of physical activity to your weekly routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health.
- Even the busiest of us can find free time in our day for activities that are important. It’s your decision to make exercise a priority. Don’t think you need a full hour for a good workout. Short 5-, 10-, or 15-minute bursts of activity can prove very effective.
- Start small and build momentum. A goal of exercising for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week may sound good, but how likely are you to follow through? The more ambitious your goal, the more likely you are to fail, feel bad about it, and give up.
It’s better to start with easy exercise goals you know you can achieve. As you meet them, you’ll build self-confidence and momentum and then you can move on to more challenging goals.
Set Yourself up for Success
- Choose activities that make you feel happy and confident. If your workout is unpleasant or makes you feel clumsy or inept, you’re unlikely to stick with it. Don’t choose activities like running or lifting weights because that’s what you think you should do. Instead, pick activities that fit your lifestyle, abilities and taste. Maybe you love ballroom dancing or fencing or martial arts? They’re all good cardio workouts!
- Make it a game or pair it with something you enjoy. Activity-based video games such as those from Wii and Kinect can be a fun way to start moving. So-called “exergames” that are played standing up and moving around – simulated dancing, bowling, or tennis, for example – can burn at least as many calories as walking on a treadmill; some substantially more. Once you build up your confidence, try getting away from the TV screen ad playing the real thing outside.
Or use a smartphone app to keep your workouts fun and interesting – some immerse you in interactive stories to keep you motivated, such as running from hordes of zombies!
Think about activities that you enjoy and how you can incorporate them into an exercise routine: watch TV as you ride a stationary bike, chat with a friend as you walk, or dance to music as you do household chores. - Make it Social. Exercise can be a fun time to socialise with friends and working out with others can help keep you motivated. For those who enjoy company but dislike competition, a running club, water aerobics or dance class may be the perfect thing. Others may find a little healthy competition keeps the workout fun and exciting. You might seek out tennis partners, find an adult league, or join a team
- Schedule it. You don’t attend meetings or appointments spontaneously or accidentally – you schedule them. If you’re having trouble fitting exercise into your schedule, consider it an important appointment with yourself and add it to your calendar in advance, ideally as a repeating appointment, if that timing works for you. That way, when you schedule other appointments you won’t book that time.
- Make it easy on yourself. Plan your workouts for the time of day when you’re most awake and energetic. If you’re not a morning person, for example, don’t undermine yourself by planning to exercise before work.
- Remove obstacles. Plan ahead for anything that might get in the way of exercising. Get your workout clothes out the night before so you’re ready to go as soon as you get up. Or keep a gym bag in the car so you can head straight from work and won’t be tempted to skip the workout by going home first.
- Hold yourself accountable. Commit to another person. If you’ve got a workout partner waiting, you’re less likely to skip out. Or give a friend or family member your workout schedule and ask them to remind you just beforehand or check if you attended afterwards or generally check in on your progress regularly. Announcing your goals to your social group (either online or in person) can also help keep you on track.
Go for summer and Stick at it!
