Staying Motivated

Starting – or at least planning - an exercise program is easy. Sticking with it can be challenging. Life has a way of intruding upon the best laid plans. And once even a few days have passed without exercising it can become harder and harder to get back on track. So here are a few tips to help you get back into it and perhaps even avoid the next derailment.


1)    Prioritize.      How important is your health? When you’re tempted to blow off your exercise session on any given day, think about why you exercise in the first place. Do you feel better afterwards? Does it help you to relieve stress? Before eliminating your exercise session think about all of the positive benefits. Then even if you still cannot manage it on a particular day, keep reminding yourself about all those positives. And just get back to it. It’s never too late to start again.
2)    Cut it short.    Even if your usual exercise session is pre-empted by an emergency, there is almost always some alternative that can be worked in. If your usual activity seems daunting, simplify it. Walk for 10 minutes – set an alarm and time yourself. March in place. Do some knee lifts or step touches (step your feet together from side to side). A recent article in the NY Times said that research has confirmed that even standing burns more calories (a lot more!) than sitting. So just stand and wave your arms around for a few minutes. That will probably be enough to motivate you to move a little more.
3)    Buy something new.   Nothing like a new pair of shoes to get you out the door. Spring is coming. How about a pair of shorts with pockets or a new t-shirt. Re-sale and thrift shops are a great resource for workout clothes.

4)    Take it easy.    If you’ve over-worked yourself and you’re hurting, go easy on yourself. Try doing something different. If you usually walk and your shins are hurting, try biking. If your shoulders are hurting, avoid weights and do something aerobic. If you usually walk on pavement, try trails for a softer surface. If you usually walk on hills, opt for a flatter surface. The Mickelson trail offers some good gentle options.

5)    Enlist a friend.     It is always easier to stay motivated when someone else is joining you. This is why classes are so popular. You have the benefit of others doing the same thing with you. It also helps to schedule your workout and make it an automatic part of your day.

6) Keep the beat.     Music is a great motivator. You don’t have to have an expensive I-Pod to enjoy the benefits of the vast audio library now available through the wonders of modern technology. For as little as $30 (or less) you can get an MP3 player and download your favorite music. There are specialty collections that will help you maintain a particular pace while you’re walking. Or if you prefer, you can listen to audio books. As many of you know, I listen to all sorts of radio programs, interviews and magazine articles. There are even university courses you can download. There is nothing like learning something while you’re new hiking! I can almost guarantee you will look forward to your next opportunity.
7)    Wear a pedometer.    You’ll be amazed at how far you walk just going through a normal day. It becomes a motivator to increase that number. It also helps with goal-setting. Think about how satisfying it will be to meet (or exceed!) that daily goal.

8)    Keep a log.   This can be as simple as a calendar in which you make daily notations of your activities. You can make it as detailed (weather; clothing worn; goals; time; distance; route; how you felt; etc.) or as simple as you like. Place a “star” sticker on each day that you meet your goal. As you see the back-to-back accumulation of data you will feel a real sense of accomplishment.

9)    Reward yourself.    Review my previous post about small changes. If you’ve gotten off the exercise bandwagon for longer than you would like, reward yourself with something meaningful when you get back to it.

10)    Make time.    This is time that you give to yourself. While you are busy making time for everyone and everything else in your life remember – you count, too! Look back on any day and you will probably be able to make a list longer than this one of ways in which you've wasted time. Cut one of them out and get moving. When running errands, park in one place and walk to the bank or post office or drug store or library.

11)    Use a DVD.    If you don’t have any, use your computer and google “exercise” or “pilates” or “yoga” or “aerobics” or “dance”. You will find hundreds of web sites which offer free videos and other forms of instruction so you don’t even have to leave your house to get some ideas and try something new.

I’m sure you can think of many more ways to motivate yourself. Please feel free to share them with us by posting a comment on this blog. That way we can all help keep each other motivated. One thing to remember: you almost always feel better after you exercise than before. Remind yourself of this. Then turn your mind off and Just Do It! You’ll be glad you did.