I fell off the exercise bandwagon this winter. It wasn’t obvious at first. I didn’t make it to a gym session once because of an after work commitment, and I missed my lunchtime walk because it was raining. I was slipping off the back of the wagon and didn’t realise. Then I moved house, went overseas and by the time I had returned… THUD. I’d hit the ground and the exercise bandwagon had disappeared out of sight.
So, now I have been back for 1 month and I have no more excuses. It’s time to track the wagon down and jump back on. If you are feeling the same way, here are some helpful hints that I will be using to move more and get back on track.
1. Start small
I have often fallen into the trap of going from 0 – 100 with my need to exercise and then not been able to sustain it for more than 2 weeks. Or, I have planned in all the time that I COULD exercise (given it a pretty colour in my diary) and then it’s never eventuated. But, I am learning that starting small and persisting is just as satisfying. Ask yourself: what is the bare minimum amount of exercise I can do every week? If it’s a walk around the block, GREAT! If it’s 20 minutes of yoga, AWESOME! Take the pressure off your grand plans and just start somewhere.
2. Make it easy
Try picking something that feels too easy. When trying to get back on the movement train, the thought of a long run in the cold and getting hot and sweaty was not appealing. I have started with something really easy. A 20 minute yoga Youtube video that was more about stretching than working up a sweat. It was really, really easy and I was able to do it in my living room in my PJs. And while it didn’t get my heart rate up, it did feel good. It made me want to come back and do it again. So, that is all I did for the first week, home from holidays, a really easy exercise that was just focused on feeling good.
3. Start a novelty challenge
After giving myself the permission to do exercise that feels easy, I knew had to give myself some challenges otherwise I would get bored. Luckily there is no shortage of mini workout challenges online to keep you interested. Try these on for size:
- Do 5 squats, 5 push ups, 5 lunges and 5 crunches and then increase by 1 each day.
- Hold a plank for 20 seconds and then increase by 5 seconds each day.
- Start with 3 burpees and 10 squats. Increase by 1 burpee and 2 squats every second day.
- Try a 30-day challenge of something, like yoga. Here at The Healthy Eating Hub, Kate and I have loved Yoga with ‘Adriene’s 30 days of Yoga’.
4. Get with the program
If you have a gym membership (like me), and you’re not taking full advantage of it (like me!), why not refresh the whole task by getting a trainer to create a new program for you. I often feel unenthused to go to the gym because I don’t know what to do with myself when I get there. Spring is a fantastic time to re-assess your goals and change up the routine.
5. Try something new
If changing up the routine sounds motivating to you, go one better and try a new type of exercise. Sign up to a boot camp or grab some friends for a sports team or head out to a trampoline park. You could even bust a move at ‘Jazzercise’ or ‘No Lights No Lycra’. Pick something you have NEVER DONE BEFORE! Stepping out of our comfort zone is a great way to take the boring out of exercise. I always wished to be a ballerina so I’m going to give adult beginner ballet a try!
6. Become an activity connoisseur
Here at The Healthy Eating Hub, we have really enjoyed our Fresh Fitness reviews. We have road tested a number of Canberra exercise facilities and made note of our pros and cons. I would highly recommend giving it a try! Test out a new activity each week and find the best one out there. You could even try the places we have reviewed through Fresh Fitness and give us your own opinion.
7. Make a movement date
Rather than meeting your friends for coffee, why not meet them for a walk? Take a stroll around the lake or push each other up the nearest mountain. Chances are your friends and family are looking for ways to get more active too. You’re actually doing them a favour!
8. Mix it with your commute
The weather is starting to get more bearable and the days are getting longer so why not combine your trek to the office with your daily exercise needs. Walk to a further bus stop, jog into work, or grab your bike and start peddling. I am trying to get into riding to work more often because I love the fact that when I get home afterwards I have already completed my exercise and I don’t have to find more motivation to go out again!
9. Distract yourself
It’s really easy to talk myself out of moving, particularly when it’s exercise for the sake of exercise. So, I have started pairing exercise with something that I enjoy, and that will make me want to do it. I have a few podcasts that I love; I don’t allow myself to listen to them unless I am walking. I will put on an audio book when I am riding my bike and before I know it I have smashed 2 chapters and worked up a sweat! If it’s a rainy day I have been known to download Gilmore Girls to my iPad and hit the gym’s treadmill. Pair movement with something you enjoy and something that is completely distracting.
10. Get tracking
I find that the very act of tracking keeps me more aware and gets me moving more. ‘What is measured is managed’. I have to admit, I am living by this motto at the moment and exercise is no exception. I am not saying you need a GPS, heart-rate monitor, or pedometer. Or anything fancy! In fact, all I am doing is jotting down the number of minutes I have spent exercising each day and tallying them up each week. Two weeks ago, I did 130 minutes of exercise between yoga, indoor netball and a walk. Last week I did 180 minutes because I included a ride. My aim is to get up to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. This is the amount recommended for good health.
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