Sticking to Your Workout Routine

“Motivation is important, but routine is what builds consistency.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Here on the blog, we talk about routines A LOT. Because making things consistent–exercise, eating healthy, building good habits–is really the only way to make long-lasting changes for the better. So finding the right routine that you’ll actually STICK WITH and do consistently for the next few months and/or years is essential. It might take a lot of trial and error, but every minute spent on finding out what works for you is worth it, even when you feel like it’s a waste of time. 

For the most part people tend to fall into three categories when it comes to fitness: people who exercise regularly, people who dabble periodically, and people who generally resist exercise. It’s important to note that no matter what category you are, it can change. (Life happens–look at the pandemic, for example. People who were regular exercisers suddenly stopped working out, lost motivation, or had other stresses in their lives that took priority. You never know.)  

When it comes to RESISTING exercise, regardless of what category of exerciser you are, we all share the same problem: FEAR. Fear of failure, fear of being judged, and maybe even fear of putting in the “blood, sweat, and tears.” These fears often keep us from working out, but there are ways you can fight the voices of doubt in your head. 

1. Find the thing you really enjoy doing. You’d be surprised how quickly you forget that exercise can be “work” when you’re doing something fun. It could be boxing, it could be a dance class. Bonus: Doing something fun tends to give you more energy during, plus you look forward to every session.
2. Do research. You can look everything up online these days. Sometimes, the more info you have, the less afraid you’ll be because you’re no longer dealing with unknowns. 
3. Start slow and build up. The people who dabble in exercise usually go all-out for a few days/weeks and then fall off the train. But you want to make this a routine that you do for months and years. Starting slow and building up makes things more sustainable, less intimidating, and helps avoid burnout. 
4. Find a group that’s supportive. I can say that every trainer at Trifecta is supportive and welcoming, no matter what fitness level you’re at. The class environments are just as positive. We’re all in this together, and that definitely comes across in our sessions. 
5. Work out at home if that’s where you’re most comfortable. The one good thing to come out of the pandemic has been the virtual classes. We’ve got a lot of options for you!  
6. Don’t be afraid of hard work! If finding motivation quotes helps, do it. But sometimes when you don’t feel like it, do it anyway! You’ll never regret it. 

When you do something often enough, it becomes second nature. You don’t get a chance to think about it, change your mind, etc. You just do it because that’s just part of your day. Because there will be days when you don’t feel motivated, and what matters most is still working out in spite of that. Take time to figure out what fears/doubts might be keeping you from working out, and think about what you can do about it.