How To Stick With Your Workouts

I thought I’d share this great post from my Bombshell Bootcamp partner Carrie!

3 Steps To A Successful Workout 

by Carrie Barnhart

Many of my clients come up with the same excuses:”I’m too busy to exercise, or “There is not enough time in the day to workout”.  Face it, we have all felt this way one time or another and made that excuse.  The fact is our schedules are busy, but YOU MUST make time for yourself.  One hour of exercise is only 4% of your day…Stop making excuses and check out my Trainer Tip: 3 Steps to a Successful Workout

Step 1: Do your prep work – Find out what motivates you & set your goal

Find out what motivates you.  If you like to run and are just starting out, research local 5K or 10K races.  If your more advanced make the commitment to sign-up and train for a half or full marathon.  Today there are so many fun “run/walks” for families like the Color Run, Diva Dash and for more advanced, The Tough Mudder. If running is not your favorite activity, but being outside is look for area bootcamps, or crossfit gyms close to home and work.  The group fitness atmosphere is great for accountability and friendly competition.  Invite your co-workers, friends or significant other to join with you. If you belong to a gym print out the group fitness schedule and place on your refrigerator, or by your office computer.  Highlight the classes that interest you and find at least 1 class a day that you could attend.

Step 2: Own it and Schedule it – Tell someone your goal & make it a priority

Once you have identified what motivates you it’s time to own it.  What do I mean by “Own It”, well easy tell the people closest to you your goal and have them keep you accountable.  You must own it to make it happen!  Now here’s the not so easy part, schedule it place it on your calendar.  Yes write it down, make it bold and write it in ink.  If you can, place your workout time as a busy or meeting time on your Outlook calendar then do so.  Each week sit down and decide what days you will make the gym, bootcamp, or go for your run.  I like to do my schedule on Sunday before my week has started.  Now for the hard decision making; if something outside your normal routine pops-up like a work happy-hour or dinner and it conflicts with your scheduled workout, within reason try and reschedule, or tell them you can attend after your “scheduled appointment”.  Remember this is YOUR goal and important to you!

Step 3: Tune In and Turn Off – Focus on you & forget outside distractions

When the time comes to begin your workout, group fitness class, or run focus on tuning into your body.  Try and pay attention to your “RPE or rate of perceived exertion”.  Perceived exertion is a number scale that allows you to rate your body’s reaction to the intensity of your workout.  I like to use a 1-10 scale with 1 being extremely light and 10 being extremely hard.  During your workout focus on yourself and the exercises you are performing and try to turn off outside distractions or thoughts.  Turning off your thoughts and “daily to do” will be tough, but will allow you to enjoy this time for yourself.  Good luck and get prepping!