Six Tips To Start Moving Again
I want to start moving again, but I don’t know where to begin.
I get this statement quite a bit from ladies I coach. The process to get from this statement to walking away with a plan goes through a few more steps than simply putting “workout, Monday 9-9:30am” on your iCal. To build a new habit, there are a few steps you need to tackle if you want to make your movement habit last.
Here are 6 tips to start moving again:
Get in touch with your why. Ask yourself some questions. Why do you want to workout? Do you want to feel better? Do you want to look better? Do you want more energy? Why do you want to be healthy? What’s your family health history? Who are you working out for? Are you doing it just for you? Do you want to be able to keep up with your kids? Do you want to live longer? What do you think you might feel like if you were to workout regularly? What else could happen if you worked out on a regular schedule? Keep your WHY handy and refer back to it when you don’t feel like moving.
Think about a plan. How do you like moving your body? Do you like to dance? Do you like to lift heavy things? Do you like riding a bike or swimming or running? Do you love being in nature, the woods, the beach? Do you love fitness classes? Do you feel motivated by music? Do you enjoy the gym or a yoga mat? Do you have space in your garage or basement? And importantly, how can I move myself in a way that makes me happy or brings me joy? Do what you love and PLAN accordingly.
Consider who might support you with some accountability. Do you have a partner or spouse who can ask you if you moved your body today? Do you have a neighbor or co-worker who may want to join a fitness class with you? Can you think of a friend who would enjoy walking or running or biking with you? Will your sister send you a message asking about how your workout plan is going? WHO can offer you the support you need to feel like you’re ready? Pick someone who is a mover, they might be more likely to hold you ACCOUNTABLE.
Start small. This one is key. If you are starting from the couch, just pick a seriously easy and doable goal for the first week or two to get some success under your belt. Build up your belief in yourself slowly. Maybe go for a ten minute walk twice this week. Ask yourself how confident you feel that you can make that happen. If the scale is 1 to 10, 10 being most confident and the number is close to 10, go for it. If you pick an hour workout 5 times this week and you fail to meet that goal, you won’t build that new habit. Start SMALL.
Think through the obstacles that could get in your way. Does your boss expect you to be on call at all hours of the day? Turn off your phone. Do you easily get sucked into binge watching Netflix? Hide the remote and the batteries. Might your kids say they need you to make help them with x,y,z? Hire a sitter, trade off with a neighbor, or make sure your husband is ready to be on duty. Can you think of any other obstacles that might pop up? If so, figure out ahead of time what you will do to overcome OBSTACLES.
When you hit your target, reward yourself. It doesn’t have to be a huge thing, unless you want it to be, but just something that gives you a little pat on the back for getting the job done. Put a pretty star or checkmark on the days you worked out on your calendar. Give yourself the gift of a relaxing bubble bath for getting your workouts in this week. Set aside time to read a book, buy a refreshing candle, or pretty flowers to have in the house to remind you that you did a great job staying on track with your movement goals. You’re worth it, REWARD yourself!
