When we start a fitness journey, one of the biggest complaints at the beginning is “how do I set and keep a consistent workout routine?”  Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question.  Like any routine or habit, it’s not something that will happen overnight.  Before something becomes just another part of our day, it takes a lot of concerted effort to get to that point.  So what can we do to get to the point that our workouts are consistently part of our schedule? Below are three suggestions to help get you to this point.

No Excuses

How many of us have started a nutrition and/or fitness journey and one month later we’re already back to square one? To make these activities a habit, it takes discipline and consistency.  One of the best rules we can make for ourselves is no excuses.  It’s going to be hard.  Work may have been extra tough.  The kids kept us up at night.  We’re just not feeling like it.  The earlier you give in to these excuses, the less likely you are to make health and wellness an uncompromising part of your daily routine.  Commit now to not canceling or rescheduling unless there is a true emergency.

Accountability

Being accountable for your new goal comes in many different forms.  One of the best ways to accomplish this is by having an accountability buddy.  Whether this be a friend, partner, or even someone you find in the Allwell.io community, having someone to check in with and keep you accountable can do wonders. If you don’t have someone or you’d rather use an alternative method, workout calendars like the calendar featured on the Allwell app or even handwritten progress trackers can be a great way for you to visualize your process and see yourself working towards a goal whether it be one month of consistent workouts or losing a specified amount of weight.

Cognitive Reframing

It’s easy to view working out, eating healthy, or taking time out to be mindful as a HAVE to instead of a GET to.  One of the best things we can do is reframe what these activities mean to us.  Cognitive Reframing is a psychological technique that helps reconceptualize a problem by seeing it from a different perspective.  If we wake up each morning and have the negative mind frame of “ugh I have to workout”, you’ve already created unnecessary negativity around the idea of exercise.  

By reframing the activity, instead you’ll say things like “I’m so excited to go lift some weights” or “I always feel so much happier and energized after I’ve gotten my workout in”.  The mind is a powerful thing.  Don’t inadvertently work against yourself by creating a negative frame of mind around any of the new activities you are trying to adopt.

Just taking a few simple steps will immensely increase the odds of your wellness journey becoming a permanent venture. By committing now and putting these principles into practice, you will be on your way to a happier, healthier you!