We are now into Part 2 of the personal health management series. If you haven’t seen part 1 you can read it here.
Now that you are getting better nutrition, it is time to step up the exercise routine…or put one in place if you don’t already have one.
Exercise is not something you have to dread. You need to change that mindset around so that you are looking at it in a fun way that you look forward to. It doesn’t have to look a certain way either. You don’t have to be working out in a gym if that is not your thing. You don’t have to be doing a video at home if you would rather be with people. Exercise is all about getting the blood flowing and moving your body…however that may look.
Here are 7 steps to improving or starting your exercise routine:
1.) Have Fun – Exercising is all about having fun. If you are not having fun you won’t do it. Exercise has many forms and I want to give you some examples. You can get exercise by running around the yard with your kids playing kickball, riding your bike, taking the dog for a walk, going on a hike with your partner, dancing around your living room (or going out dancing), working out at a gym, doing an exercise video at home, doing a series of yoga moves in your yard at sunrise or sunset. Do you get the picture? Exercise is about YOU and what makes YOU happy and healthy.
2.) Be Consistent – You don’t have to do the same thing every day. In fact that is actually not good for you because then your body and muscles get conditioned to that one thing and eventually they reach a peak and don’t go any further. Switching it up every day or every couple of days is key. Do some cardio one day, weights the next, work on your legs or arms or torso another day. Keep switching it up and you won’t get bored and neither will your body and mind;)
3.) Don’t push yourself – There are always modified workouts so don’t push yourself. If you are just getting started, start slow so you don’t injure yourself. You don’t want to go from sitting on the couch to running a marathon. Start slow, be consistent, and add just a little more or something new in gradually. If you injure yourself you will take longer to get to your goals anyway. And if you do get an injury, ease up on that area. If you hurt your leg, it is OK to still sit and work on your upper body strength. If you hurt a shoulder or arm, it is OK to keep working on your lower body. Just don’t hurt yourself further trying to push the injured area.
4.) Do something you enjoy – Try different things and see what you love and don’t love. Be open to opportunities and new challenges and don’t just do something once and decide. Give it a few tries. If you really don’t enjoy it, take it off your list. You will find things that you really have fun with and they will make you forget you are even exercising. That is the goal you want to reach.
5.) Take rest days – You don’t want to be working out every day. Especially if you are training for an event or something strenuous. You need to take a rest day at least 1 or 2 days a week but you want to try to not have them be consecutive days. They don’t have to be the same day every week either. Take your rest days on the crazy days when you know you won’t be able to really fit in a workout or enjoy it.
6.) Don’t beat yourself up – If you don’t reach your goal by the time you expected that isn’t the end of the world. Look at it in a new way. Maybe you didn’t get to the weight you wanted to but did you lose some of the weight? Did you gain muscle? (which weighs more than fat FYI and sometimes makes you weigh more anyway as you are gaining it;) Are you having fun? Do you feel healthier? All this is progress and you need to look at the whole picture, not just that one thing you hoped to achieve by that date.
7.) Keep at it – If you keep at it you will feel better, be healthier, and have more energy. You will sleep better too. You will have self confidence you didn’t have before and you will keep moving forward with a positive mindset. Exercise has so many benefits that far outweigh any negatives and I hope you find joy in your routine.
If you have any questions or want to chat just reach out to me!
