7 Tips to Make Exercise Part of Your Daily Life
The Guide on How to Start Working Out Daily
I’ll be the first to say it. When it comes to daily exercise...THE STRUGGLE IS REAL! The excuses keep filling up: “I don’t have time,” “I’m too tired,” “It’s just too much”...
I hear you, I feel you, and I get it. I used to always make excuses for not getting my butt up and moving. Busyness is a real thing. I’m not trying to downplay it. Tiredness is real, and so is pure laziness. I used to be the girl that had every excuse in the book to not workout (or even just get off the couch some days).
But today...today I am active and I couldn’t imagine going more than 2-3 days without exercise. Here I am- strong, healthy, and confident. I love that exercise is part of my daily life and that it’s changed me and my life for the better.
The benefits of exercising regularly are endless, both physically, mentally and emotionally. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying exercise should be hours of strenuous exertion, nor repeating a routine you hate day in and day out. Exercise can be fun! Start slowly by turning it into a habit, and before you know it, it will become an integral part of your lifestyle.
Daily exercise should be a priority in your life. Exercising daily will help you feel happier, more confident, and empowered. All you need is a bit of will, self-control, patience, and experimentation.
I know first hand how awesome is once you start incorporating exercise into a part of your daily routine. So here are my top 7 tips to help you to get started:
1. Find a Workout You Enjoy
Exercise should be enjoyable. Now, you may not absolutely love it at first. It really does take some getting used to. In order to ensure that exercise stays a part of your daily life you’ll have to work for it. So why not find some workouts you actually enjoy? You’ll have a better chance of sticking to it.
Just so you know, there are tons of options for exercising. Thinking you won’t find something you'll enjoy or that you’ll never enjoy exercising is a negative mental space to be in. It’s limiting and needs to be removed.
Variety is what keeps me interested. I love running, but I also appreciate a great yoga or dance class. There’s pilates, tennis, kick-boxing, swimming, or even just walking. Get out there and try something new.
2. Small Steps
Starting small and easing your way into it is a good way to make daily exercise less intimidating. Starting small will keep your exercise consistent, enjoyable and prevent you from burning out. Moderate exercise can be a brisk walk, dancing, gardening, yoga, weight training and more. You don’t need to go super crazy. The CDC states that only 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week can improve your health. In an entire week, 150 minutes is nothing!
Try making a small goal of moving your body just only 30 minutes per day, and try to build it up from there. Moving is easier than you know and can be seen in simple activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking farther away from your building, taking a short walk during your lunch break, stretching if you’ve been sitting for a while, walking/biking to nearby places etc. Small steps are key.
3. No More Excuses
I get it, life happens and things come up. But you have to realize when it's a legitimate excuse or an excuse for the wrong reasons. Reality check, some days you just won’t feel like working out. Your reason for working out may be justified, like maybe you’re sick. That’s justifiable. But, if you just don’t feel like it, start putting one foot in front of the other and do it anyway. This, ladies, is called discipline. You can build it over time, but just like a muscle, the more you work it, the stronger it gets. Once your will becomes a habit, exercising daily will become second nature for you. One little, “I don’t feel like it” today starts to become a justifiable excuse to you and you’ll wind right back up at the beginning.
Sometimes, getting started is the hardest part to overcome. Once you get started, you’ll usually find it’s easier to keep going. If you come across a day where it’s difficult for you to get active, set a goal to just work out for 15 minutes only. At the least, you did something, but I bet you’ll do more once you get started.
4. Make It Convenient
Whenever and whatever is most convenient for you to start exercising, the easier it’ll be to do it and stick to it. Don’t join a gym an hour away if the likelihood of you attending regularly isn’t realistic. The more convenient it is, the less excuses you can give yourself.
For some, it’s doing home workouts videos you can do anywhere at any time. For others, it’s attending a fitness class on the same block as their job so they can stop in right after work. Whatever it is, by making it convenient, you’re setting yourself up for success.
5. Be Yourself. Don’t compare Yourself.
Girl, your progress is your own so own it! This is your life and your own journey. When looking for certain results, such as weight loss, muscle toning, etc., you’ll always find someone who is stronger, slimmer, bigger, or better at an activity than you. You can look to them for inspiration, but never let their journey bring yours down.
Think about your progress instead. All of your excuses are gone, your obstacles overcome, you should appreciate your achievements. Keep being yourself and doing your thing. The only place you need to turn your focus is inward on YOU, and being the BEST YOU possible.
6. Get Good Sleep
I can’t stress this one enough. A good night’s rest is crucial for everything in life, including your new active lifestyle. When you sleep better, you have more energy and motivation to exercise. You’ll also prevent injuries when exercising with a well-rested body. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night to feel at their best. I’m definitely a 9 hour girl :) . And you know what else is great? Exercising also helps you sleep better. What a beautiful cycle.
7. Adopt a Healthier Diet
Eating a healthy balanced diet with your regular daily exercise is essential in maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. If your goals are weight related, these are super effective in preventing excess weight gain and in maintaining weight loss. If you simply want to feel better and glow, eating healthy can also boost your mood, sleep, skin and immune system. A wholesome diet decreases your chance for illness and disease, and you’ll just be a better you overall. Starting your day off right with a healthy meal can help replenish your blood sugar, something your body needs to fuel your muscles and brain in the morning. Wholesome, nutritious foods throughout the day power our entire bodies, which is what we need for our workouts and other daily tasks and functions. Eating healthy can be fun too and doesn’t have to be boring. Trust me, eating is one of my favorite things to do. Literally the reason I exercise is because I like to eat, but hey...whatever keeps us motivated right?
I promise. There are some great things out there that are so tasty, you wouldn’t believe they’re healthy. Check out our delicious recipes for healthy eating ideas.
With these 7 tips, I know you’ll be able to do it. Start small and take it one day at a time. This is your journey, own it. You got this. Vibe high!
Learn more about how to implement these helpful tips and how to stay accountable to finally achieve your goals here.