Sweat, Smile, Repeat: Choose Workouts You’ll Love & Stick To 🏃🏽♀️
As someone who has tried countless of workouts in hopes of finding a routine that works best for me, I can confirm how difficult it can be to navigate your fitness journey, especially in the early stages. There are so many ways to move your body, and figuring out which are the the most effective at releasing your happy hormones, getting a good sweat in, and keeping you consistent comes with trial and error. My advice to choosing workouts you’ll love and stick to? Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself by testing out different workout styles, and use these experiences as markers to see what you enjoy, and what you don’t. Personally, I have found I am not a runner, but I really enjoy walking — it’s one of my favorite ways to stay active and enjoy the moment. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to get your body moving — just your way!
In my journey so far, I have also found that starting simple and setting realistic goals are the best way to stay consistent. Setting attainable goals will encourage you to stick to your plans because you are confident in your ability to reach them. For instance, if you’re starting off, perhaps after being sedentary for some time, it may be more helpful to aim for 5k daily steps, instead of 20k daily steps, and then building the momentum from there. I’m not saying 20k isn’t possible, but starting with 5k is a more manageable way to build up to it.
The true perk with setting realistic goals is that it allows you to be transparent with yourself and can serve as goal posts as you track your strength. And in case you don’t hit those 5k steps on day 1 like you may have promised yourself, it’s okay. Give yourself grace. Monitor how many steps you can get that feels challenging, set that as your marker and work from there. The key is to find a way to move your body in a way that feels fun, challenges you to grow your strength, but also keeps you coming back for more. When we set goals that align with our current abilities, we give ourselves the opportunity to make steady progress, guiding us towards a healthier and more confident lifestyle.
The goal isn’t to move faster, but to simply start moving and make steady progress, at a pace that feels right for you.