If you're like me, your New Year's resolution was probably to get back into working out. But if you're also like me, then re-committing to exercise is easier said than done. Below are five steps that will help you get back into the swing of things and keep going strong!
Pick a goal
When you're starting out, it's easy to get distracted by what other people are doing. You might see someone who looks like they are in better shape than you, and then compare yourself to that person--and feel bad about yourself. Or maybe someone is posting on social media about how they've been working out every day for hours at a time, and this makes you feel inadequate because your workouts are shorter or less frequent than theirs. In reality though:
- The only goals that matter are yours. Your goals may not align with anyone else's; this doesn't mean either one of us is right or wrong (though there's nothing wrong with having similar goals). And if we do share similar goals, then great! But even if our paths diverge somewhere down the line, as long as we're both happy with where we end up then what does it matter?
Get a plan
- Make sure you are getting the right amount of exercise, rest, and sleep.
- Make sure you are eating enough food that is good for your body and tastes good too!
- Set an alarm if necessary to wake up earlier than usual so that you can get some exercise in before work or school starts - this will help keep energy levels high throughout the day (which is not always easy when starting something new).
Start small and make it fun
- Start small. Don't go all-in on a gym membership and an intense workout plan right away. Instead, start with a few minutes of exercise each day and build from there.
- Make it fun! There are so many different types of exercise out there that you can do anywhere--even at home--and make more enjoyable by trying new things. You don't have to stick with one type of workout forever; try something new every few weeks or months as your interest level changes (or when boredom sets in).
- It doesn't matter how long you've been inactive; just get moving! It's okay if you don't feel like doing anything besides walking around the block once or twice this week; even those 30 minutes will help improve your health over time.
Keep track of your progress
If you're struggling to get back into a workout routine, it can be helpful to keep track of your progress. This can be done in many different ways:
- Use a fitness tracker to see how many steps you've taken and calories burned each day.
- Create a journal where you write down all of your workouts, along with any successes or failures along the way.
- Keep track of everything on your phone using an app.
- Create spreadsheets and graphs so that they visually show how far along in their journey they are with their fitness goals. They may even want something more detailed than just numbers; some people find great satisfaction from seeing their weight loss represented as lines on graphs over time (and this makes it easy for others).
Reward yourself for sticking with it
It's important to reward yourself for your hard work, and you can do this by rewarding yourself in a way that makes sense for your lifestyle. For example, you might enjoy going out with friends or taking a relaxing bath after a workout session. On the other hand, if you're more of an introvert who prefers spending time alone in your home gym (like me), then maybe the reward will be something like getting your groceries delivered so there's no excuse not to cook healthy meals during those busy days when exercise feels impossible!
The point here is that whatever works best for YOU is exactly right--there are no "right" or "wrong" ways of doing things as long as they help keep YOU motivated over time and that includes finding ways to make working out fun!
It's not hard to get back into exercise once you know how to do it!
If you've been out of the gym for a while, it can feel like there is no way that you could possibly go back. But don't worry--you'll have fun again soon enough. Here are some tips on how to start working out again:
- Exercise can be fun! Don't worry about what other people are doing or how much they weigh; just focus on yourself and enjoy the time spent exercising. You'll find that as long as your body feels good after a workout, then it was worth doing! And remember: no one has any idea what is going through someone else's head or heart; so if someone gives advice based solely on their own experiences and opinions (and not yours), ignore them completely! You should only listen when someone asks questions instead of making assumptions about another person without asking permission.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has inspired you to get back into exercise. The truth is that it's not hard to do, and it can be a lot of fun! There are so many ways to get moving and stay active that no matter what type of person or personality you are, there will be something here for everyone. You don't need any special equipment or fancy equipment--just yourself and maybe some music if you want some extra motivation. And remember: if one approach doesn't work out for whatever reason (maybe because of injury), try another one instead! Exercise shouldn't feel like a chore because then we wouldn't want anything more than getting out of bed every morning; instead, think about how wonderful it feels when those endorphins kick in during an invigorating workout session.
