It is challenging to stay consistent with exercise, especially as motivation begins to fade. However, this is normal and happens to most people who have a routine. It can be pretty damaging, though, and can lead to stopping exercise altogether, throwing away your previous results. But have you thought that maybe there is a better way to stay active and motivated without being too hard on yourself? From the two-day rule to gamification, here’s how.
Partner Up and Work Out with Others
It is scientifically proven that working out with others drives greater results. However, you can also take this to another level by scheduling a workout with a partner, joining a group or class, or even signing up for a fitness boot camp. The reasoning is that you have committed to someone else, and because you don’t want to let them down, you will typically follow through with your commitment, as well as knowing you will also be getting the support and motivation you need.
Stay Consistent With Exercise Using the “Two-Day Rule”
Studies have shown that it takes around 66 days to form a new habit or behavior. The two-day rule can help you get more from a routine by ensuring you don’t go for more than two days without exercising, which can help prevent a missed session from becoming a missed week:
- Never miss two days in a row. If you miss Monday, force yourself on Tuesday.
- If you can’t do a full session, then do what you can comfortably achieve; it’s something.
- Focus on consistency as the goal is long-term persistence, not everyday perfection.
Implement “If-Then” Planning
Sometimes motivation hits the floor, and you can’t even bring yourself to get changed into workout gear. However, you can get around missing a session with a simple change in how you think. Through “If-Then” planning, you can reprogram your mind into staying active and healthy, even when you don’t have the energy. For example, you can make a list of the “ifs”, and “thens”, such as “If I am tired after work” then “I will walk instead of jogging”; which still keeps you active.
Take It a Little Easier on Yourself
Everyone has those days where they just want to get back into bed in the morning or curl up on the couch after work. However, you can eliminate idleness with a low-motivation workout alternative that still keeps you active without too much effort. For example, you can have your gym clothes ready to go at all times, removing one obstacle. Or you can even exercise in what you are wearing if you are at home. The trick is to reduce the friction of beginning your routine.
Use Habit Stacking to Stay Consistent With Exercise
Habit stacking is a versatile method that can help you develop new behaviors easily as you attach one to another, so you begin to automatically do it without any thought. When consistency is vital, habit stacking can be the key to building a physical movement routine.
After this, do that
The philosophy behind habit stacking is attaching one behavior to another. Simply do one thing after another. For example, try saying “after I brush my teeth, I will complete 10 squats.”
Start small and simple
You will find it much harder to develop a new habit if it is too exhausting. Starting small and simple is a reliable way to start something new, such as a routine that only lasts for two minutes.
Choose solid anchors
It is harder to stack habits if you attach your new one to something you only do on occasion. A better anchor is a habit you do every day, such as taking a shower or walking the dog.
Think More About Identity Goals
Most people who exercise on a regular basis get too caught up in the physical goals of their routines. However, there are many reasons people engage in intense movement; not just for physical appearance. One of these is changing their lifestyle and who they are, such as being an active person altogether. So, instead of focusing on weight loss or muscle mass, think about the extra goals that come with a routine, such as shifting how you actually see yourself.
Start with Micro-Goals and Work from There
Starting a routine is the hardest part, and it genuinely becomes easier the more you do it. However, most people wrongly assume you need to hit the treadmill for an hour every night or lift free weights until your veins are bursting. This is the worst way to go about exercise, and there is no harm in starting extremely small and working from there. For instance, you can begin with a five-minute jog. That gets you used to movement, and it’s still better than nothing.
Stay Consistent With Exercise with Gamification
You can make exercising something of a game to enjoy it more, and tracking is a great example. In fact, when you track your progress, you are 2.5 times more likely to achieve your goals. This is because the desire to maintain a winning streak outweighs the lack of motivation you can feel:
- Track your daily points with wearable fitness trackers such as Garmin to quantify results
- Apps reward streaks, and this can help you stay consistent
- Join communities to keep yourself challenged and competitive to keep up a streak
Using Rest as a Strategy
One of the biggest mistakes that even experienced people who exercise make is not taking rest as seriously as they should. It can’t be understood how important the role of rest in an exercise plan actually is. But rather than seeing rest as slacking off, it is actually a major part of a strategy. For example, if you are low on energy the day after a solid workout, then just walk, jog or do yoga for a day or two after. This relaxes your muscles and reduces overall soreness.
Summary
Partnering up or scheduling a routine with someone else or a group will help you stay consistent with exercise because you have committed to others. You can also use habit stacking to attach exercise to another behavior, and don’t forget to include light exercise on your resting days.
