It can be tough to stay motivated to exercise. You might feel like you’re not getting enough from your workouts, or maybe you’ve hit a plateau in your fitness journey and aren’t sure how to get back on track. But there’s no need for shame because it’s totally possible to create a plan that inspires you! In fact, studies show that people actually enjoy being active more than they thought they would (or at least they don’t mind). So if you’re stuck in neutral or on cruise control in terms of making progress toward your goals–whether it be weight loss or general health–try one or two new strategies from below:
Set small, achievable goals.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when setting fitness goals is that they should be realistic and time-bound. This means that you have to set an achievable goal, not just any old thing. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds by next month, but only 5 pounds has worked for you so far this year and there’s no way it will happen before January 1st (or whatever else comes into play), then maybe it’s not such a good idea after all!
Instead, try thinking about how much progress has been made over the past few weeks/months – if there’s been slow progress but steady long-term gains overall on your exercises or diet changes. Then maybe now would be a good time for some more ambitious goals… like running four miles without stopping!
Consider physical activity in your life outside of the gym.
There are many ways to incorporate physical activity into your life outside of the gym. You can:
- Walk upstairs.
- Bike and take public transportation instead of driving everywhere you need to go, or at least walk or bike a small portion of your commute.
- Go for runs through local parks, trails, and paths with friends–and don’t forget to bring water!
Choose one or two activities and stick with them.
So you’ve decided to start a fitness plan, but where do you start? There are hundreds of activities out there–from cardio and weightlifting to yoga and kickboxing–and it can be hard to know which one is best for your body type, goals and lifestyle. To help get things rolling, here’s how to choose the right activity for you:
- Start with one activity that you enjoy doing consistently. For example: if running is what makes your heart thump when no one else is around, try running alone at night or early in the morning before work (and don’t forget those headphones!). Or maybe biking around town on an old-school bike with an upright handlebar will make you feel like a kid again! Whatever gets some blood flowing through those veins will do just fine as long as they’re not too painful after a while…
- Do this activity every day (or several times per week). Once that becomes habit-forming then consider adding another activity into your weekly routine just so there are no gaps between activities anymore!
Don’t rely on a single type of exercise.
- Mix it up!
- Your body will adapt and get bored if you rely on a single type of exercise. You need to mix it up so that your body isn’t getting used to one particular type of activity and then having to relearn how to do something different later on. For example, if you’re an avid runner and want to start doing some yoga classes at the same time as continuing running, this will help prevent burnout while also allowing you to get more out of both types of workouts by changing things up every once in a while (and maybe even making them part of your normal routine).
Take breaks and stretch.
A fitness plan that is enjoyable to you will include stretches. These are important because they can help prevent injury, which is something that most of us want to avoid when we’re trying to stay fit and healthy.
Stretching after each exercise session helps keep your muscles flexible and pliable, which means they’re less likely to tighten up as you get older (and less likely to hurt). You should do this every day if possible–even if it’s just for 10 minutes! If not at home (or even outside), there are plenty of places where people can go on their own or with others: yoga studios, community centers, and gyms all offer wonderful stretching opportunities in addition to the usual cardio machines found at most fitness centers around town (which isn’t bad either).
You can do it!
The first step to creating a fitness plan that works for you is, to be honest with yourself. If it’s not fun, then it probably won’t work.
If your goal is to lose weight and get in shape, then the best thing you can do is take each day as it comes and focus on what you can do today rather than focusing on all the things that are preventing you from accomplishing this goal.
When we set goals in life or work, many times we see them as impossible because of some obstacle or other that stands between us and our success (or failure). But remember: there are no “impossible” goals! Everyone has something they want to accomplish–and they’re always achievable if they’re done right! It doesn’t matter how long it takes; just keep trying until one day at least part of your dream becomes reality!
Even though you might not be able to lose weight by jogging if you don’t enjoy it, any fitness routine can be made into an enjoyable manner for busy individuals to get healthy throughout their season of life with preparation and commitment.
You don’t have to go it alone—there are many individuals out there who have been in your shoes and want to assist you! The best part about creating your own fitness plan is that no one will judge you for looking a little sweaty or preferring certain activities over others—and as long as you keep working hard at what works best for you, everyone will see how great they looked after they lost some weight or toned up those abs (just kidding).
