An Exercise Routine You’ll Actually Stick To

How to stay motivated to maintain your fitness program.

If sticking to a consistent exercise schedule were easy, you wouldn’t be here. It’s easy to talk yourself out of exercising, especially when you’ve returned from a long day at work. Excuses are easy to find if you want to find them, but maintaining a consistent exercise schedule is just as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. Luckily, the right mindset and these tips can help you get on track with the right fitness routine for you.

Don’t be caught in the “all or nothing” mindset

Doing something is better than doing nothing at all. Don’t get caught up in those pesky excuses telling you, if you can’t go all-in it’s not worth doing. The “I only have 30 minutes,” and “I already missed Monday and Tuesday, I might as well start next week,” defenses are not good enough! Getting started is everything, even if it’s not in full force. Do what you can do, when you can do it, and worry about perfecting your schedule and workout routine once you’ve gained some momentum.

Find a gym-buddy

Syncing up with a friend to power through a consistent workout schedule is a great way to prevent you from feeding into your excuses. It’s much easier to bail on a workout class than the friend who is already waiting for you at the gym. Health professionals agree that a support system can be the single greatest driver in you achieving your health and fitness goals.

Track your progress

Keeping a fitness journal or using an app to track your progress will help you realize every small step you take towards achieving your fitness goals. You can track your mile time, the calories you burn, the number of reps you take, or whatever else you’d like to see improvements in. Much like progress pictures, a workout log can help you stay accountable while also focusing on the long-term progress rather than the scale. It will take time to see the results you want in terms of weight loss. Instead, look back on your first month and realize how much you’ve progressed. Celebrate the small victories rather than focusing on the overall end-goal.

Start small and set the bar low

Don’t get too in your head if you have an off day or week. Beating yourself up only impairs your motivation to start again. By starting small, you can set goals that you can definitely do. Something as minor as parking on the far end of the lot or taking the stairs to your office will help you get some extra steps into your day that you didn’t originally have. Next, commit to 10 minutes of exercise per day. Yes – just 10 minutes makes a difference, and it’s easy to fit in. Run in place or bounce on a fitness trampoline as you watch the news or wait for your kids to get ready for school. It’s extremely likely that once you start exercising, you’ll keep going. And even if you don’t, 10 minutes is still better than zero. Take small steps, and pretty soon they will be effortless.

Stay creative, and start with something that doesn’t feel like exercise

Much like parking at the far-end of the lot, if exercise feels like a chore to you – don’t go to the gym. Or if you’re going through your gym routine, but your heart isn’t in it anymore, switch it up. Join a yoga studio, attend a rebounding class, or find something both easy and fun to do at home when you have a free moment.

If at-home activities are your ideal first step, consider JumpSport’s fitness trampolines. One of the main reasons people take up rebounding is that it only requires a small amount of your time for a large impact on your health. Studies have shown working out for 10 minutes on a mini-trampoline is equivalent to running for 30 minutes. Yes, you can get a better workout by doing something that doesn’t feel like running – right in your own home! Learn more about the benefits of rebounding and contact us today to take the first step towards finding an exercise routine you can stick to.