When it comes to workout habits, you might have the best intentions but lack the tools to create a successful habit. Here are three strategies to support you in your efforts to build a sustainable workout habit:
Aim for Consistency
To create a workout habit that sticks, pick consistent days and times for your workouts and then stick with that schedule. The more relaxed you are with your routine, the more likely you will push your workouts to later in the day. Then later in the day might become tomorrow. Or the next day.
Hold yourself accountable to your routine by logging the days that you work out. You don’t have to work out every day, but keeping track of the days you do work out can motivate you to keep going.
Get Rid of Barriers
Figure out the barriers that stand between you and a consistent routine. Then do everything you can to eliminate as many physical and mental barriers as possible. For example, you can set yourself up for a successful day by packing all of your gear the night before. As a result, you’ll have one less thing to worry about in the morning, which means one less excuse.
You can also try picking a class time that is the least disruptive to your day. For example, if you’re an early bird, plan on working out on your way to work. If you tend to hit the snooze button, plan to work out during your lunch hour or plan for after work before you get home.
Prioritize Your Workouts
Even after removing all the barriers you can control, a less tangible barrier could still be lurking – priorities. If you don’t prioritize your workouts, something else will take that spot in how you choose to spend your day.
Ask yourself why working out is important to you. Do you want to lose weight? Increase your energy levels? Learn how to defend yourself? Whatever your motivation, define it and ask yourself what you must do to accomplish your goal. If something is important to you, you’ll figure out a way to make it work in your life.
Get Back on Track
Building a workout habit won’t happen overnight. So be patient and give yourself some time to build up some momentum. And even with a consistent, barrier-free, prioritized routine, you’ll inevitably be faced with a day where something or someone throws a wrench in your schedule. For example, you’ll get stuck in traffic, a meeting will go long at work, or you might get sick. Or one of your kids gets sick.
Take whatever comes your way all in stride, and as soon as the window of opportunity re-opens, get right back into your routine.
Classic Fight Team in Fountain Valley is here to support you and your martial arts and fitness goals. Contact us to learn more about our program offerings today.
