My 5 Steps to a Consistent Exercise Routine

Post high school and college sports, it is pretty difficult (for most of us - shout out to the select few) to stay consistent with a workout routine. Our schedules can differ, one of my friends has the craziest of schedules in my eyes where she works one job in the morning then comes home changes and goes to her other one from 3pm - 11pm (she is such a rockstar I don't know how she does it), sometimes it is the lack of energy, motivation, or space that keeps us from sticking to it. These following steps are designed to help you get motivated, stay motivated and stick to your routine! 

1. Define the why to your what.  First of all, you need to know your what, for the sake of examples, let's say it is to improve your endurance and strength. Ok, onto the WHY : you want to run in the fun 5k that ends in a dance party with free craft beer at the end and to have more energy and fitness for the summer hikes coming up, you want to feel more confident in a bathing suit and your favorite pair of yoga pants. Now, this may be uncomfortable but write down how it will make you feel to achieve those things, to feel more fit and that you could just keep running, keep climbing that mountain trail, for your behind to look and feel fabulous in those yoga pants, what will that do for you? What will the added confidence allow you accomplish? How will that change your life? I know I may be losing some of you - getting really deep here but stick with me !

2. Draw out your road map! Maybe you actually draw a map or my favorite (and anecdotally proven with past and current athletes) way of defining goals is to take a snapshot of where you currently are (ex: I can only make it a mile before I am toast, my arms have lost their definition, my 5k time is XX:XX, and my butt looks like it is frowning in my yoga pants), then define where you want to go (aka your goals: run a 5k comfortably in XX min to XX min, chisel my arms and lift XX lbs again easily, and again ... turn my butt's frown upside down in my yoga pants).  Now that you have your starting point and your destination figure out (and this is where it is helpful to seek support from a coach or trainer, and I will be happy to field any questions you throw my way) you now have to figure out what are the steps, roads, and turns to get from start to your destination?

3. Alright you have your why, your goals, now let's plan. I and others (from my unofficial survey) have found that by writing in my workouts each day like I am making an appointment in my planner/google calendar with my workout I am 110% more likely to do it ! I will sit down on Sunday night and write in each day what I am going to do and at what time. This helps especially those with a crazy schedule to plan ahead and FIND the time to pencil in something that works. It may be that you only have 30 min on 3 of the 7 days ... that's fine - plan something that takes 30 min or less! This is where planning ahead is so helpful!

4. Have back-up planS, yes, multiple. This is the most important step- no one is perfect, but if we have a back up plan we are good to go. Ok so say you were suppose to run today but then a huge snow storm hits, your meeting ran late and now it is pitch black and the roads are covered in snow - and you determine that it is too dangerous to run outside.  If you have a back-up plan you are all set - otherwise so you take the day off - no big deal but will this snowball (I'm so punny) into more missed workouts and a screwed up plan? It doesn't have to - have a back-up (again here is a great spot to seek a professional's advice if you are stumped), if your run was suppose to have some pick ups and anaerobic elements maybe you do a HIIT workout video in the safety of your own home.  Say your yoga class got canceled, easy, yoga video at home! You get where I am going here?  

5. Get some groupies. be accountable to someone. If you are a lone-ranger and are able to stay accountable to yourself, your fitness tracker, exercise journal, calendar - AWESOME, those are some great ways to stay on track. If that is not enough for you, as it is not for most people, get a buddy, family member, significant other that you can check in with with your fitness. Maybe you get a coach, a trainer, join a workout group at your community center, an online fitness challenge group, find a pen pal - whatever it is- whoever it is - make sure that it is someone or some thing that you will want to stay accountable for and that will be motivating to you in times where you don't want to workout (which will happen, sorry to be a Debbie downer, I know you can get through it). 

There you have it, 5 steps to getting on track and staying on track with your fitness and exercise routine! Hope this helps, and please ask me any questions you may have - I am happy to help !