What did you say… you don’t have enough time today to exercise? Did you brush your teeth? Did you have time to eat? I think you have time to block off 30 minute for yourself to exercise efficiently.
After the holidays people usually start to work out in the beginning of the year consistently for a few weeks. Then something happens one day or week that they miss their workout. Suddenly the week of no exercise becomes weeks then months. Sounds familiar?
One morning we are getting dressed for the day and look in the mirror… we may not like what we see. We struggle to find motivation to get back to the gym and to start another new exercise program. The reasons or excuses not to exercise are often related to time. We don’t have enough time in the day to fit in time for ourselves. How does that work?
But then we may have a spring vacation, a reunion or wedding to attend in the future … suddenly we figure out how to find time and motivation to exercise again. Only to burn out and quit after the event occurs. Then we find ourselves looking in the mirror again only to feel unhappy about how we let ourselves go. The cycle begins again.
As a personal health and fitness trainer/coach for over twenty years I have seen a lot of people to be stuck in this cycle…the exercise rut, the weight gain/loss cycle and the lack of self-esteem.
My goal is to help clients switch their mindset towards exercise and stop the excuses.
We quit exercise program because of many reasons including:
- Lack of time
- Lack of motivation
- Boredom
- Lacking the fun factor
Why can we not workout just because it makes us feel amazing, happy, energized and alive? If we could find time each week to exercise when we have a goal in mind as a vacation or wedding…how can we be motivated to continue the program after the event concludes?
Let’s start with finding TIME… we don’t need to go to the gym or outside to exercise for hours to get the benefits. We actually can get the endorphins and metabolism revved up with a 5-15 minute workout if designed appropriately. I love doing 30 minute workouts for myself as well as my clients instead of one hour as I feel we receive even more benefits in a 30 minute workout as we do in 60 minutes since we move faster…or as I say “skip the commercial breaks”.
Motivation. If we had workout partners to meet, a group or a class to register for each time then we will commit as well as block the time off in our schedule. We are more motivated to exercise if we commit in advance plus we don’t want to let our workout buddies down. I signed up for Masters Swim workout and block that time off in my schedule … I am more motivated to go to my group swim practice as I see my swim lane buddies each time and I know they expect to see me or else I get some messages about being MIA! My personal training clients receive an email or text if they missed an appointment with me so they know they were missed!
Boredom. Most gym workouts bore me… and even observing the same people do their gym workouts over the year’s looks boring. Maybe I have a little ADD and I need variety but I think anyone would get bored of a workout that was the same routine week after week…then quit. I feel that sitting on the stationary bike or walking on the treadmill then doing the weight machines offers some health benefits but how excited are you to go to the gym each time? That leads us to the next problem…
Lacking Fun. Most people don’t seem to have fun or make their workout fun. Perhaps people look at their workout as a requirement for health and as long as they do their 30 minutes or so on the treadmill or their typical routine then it is okay to hate your workout and be bored. Why not make your workout fun? You should be smiling, laughing and enjoying yourself! Not feel as if you are on the hamster wheel getting the job down and crossing your workout off your list.
It’s time to change our mindset and attitude towards exercise. Let’s make it fun, entertaining and rewarding. How do we do this? Well why not try doing the complete opposite of what you always do… if you always go walk on the treadmill then try doing the Rowing machine (erg) for five minutes then bike 10 minutes and then the Elliptical 10 minutes then walk uphill for 5 minutes? Mix it up…muscle and brain confusion!
If you always do the weight machine circuit then try adding free weights and the cable machines then add cardio blast in-between sets? Make sure you make an appointment with a qualified and experience personal training (do your research!) to create a new program for you that includes total body movements, functional movement patterns, core and mobility work.
Try making some changes in your exercise program:
- Your workouts can be complete in 30 minutes easily…and everyone has time in their day to find 30 minutes.
- Plan the week ahead. Block off the time in your schedule for your weekly workout sessions. No cancelling…only reschedule them as needed to a different time
- Make appointments to exercise with friends to work out or sign up for shared personal training sessions or a group session. Make the commitment to your health.
- Try something new every month. Maybe sign up for a new race or event. Go for a hike or bike ride. Try yoga or Pilates. Switch up what you do to make it fun, fresh and effective.
- A few times per week include some cardio blasts or intervals into your workout session. You don’t have to be able to do box jumps and burpees to get the metabolic effect but you can add sprint intervals on the cardio machines for 20-30 second blasts to increase heart rate where you feel out of breathe (anaerobic heart rate zones) then recover back to where you catch your breathe into the aerobic zone or lower.
- Try adding one set of the popular “Tabatas” to the end of your workout where you do eight sets of the same exercise for 20 seconds then recover for 10 seconds.
- Go play…your workouts don’t have to be only on a machine. What activity makes your smile, laugh and feel like a kid again? Go for a hike, kayak, hopscotch or play field games. Make your workout an activity that you enjoy and finish with a smile on your face!
Hopefully this is the year that your workout sessions are a part of your daily life as brushing your teeth. Let’s break the cycle of starting over …as it is harder to restart and get back into shape. Take a look at your reasons why you stopped exercising and go from there… determine your reasons and then write out solutions. Let’s change our mindset towards exercise into a positive experience and most of all FUN and feels like you are playing! Quickly, I guarantee you will be finding the time each day for your workout sessions and then transforming your body into a fat burning machine this year. Start with establishing new workout habits and pay it forward by including your family and friends!
Always remember my “WHOLESTIC Method” works to improve fat loss, health and performance by starting from the inside out to get the results you are looking for. Now block off time every Sunday for the week ahead for your workouts. Make your health and well-being a priority… you will be more productive during the day, lower stress levels, sleep better at night and a better person to be around!
In good health,
Debbie Potts- The WHOLESTIC Method Coach
NASM CPT, MET, USAT & CHEK HLC
Fitness Forward Studio
118 105th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
Learn how to become a fat burning machine!
Host of the “Shut the Front Door Podcast!”
