- I used to hate the gym, but I’ve been working out consistently for five years.
- Everything changed when I found ways to move that I actively love, like lifting weights.
- To be consistent, I make exercise easy, do what I love, and don’t punish myself for weak sessions.
When I was in my early 20s, I was categorically not a “fitness person.” He hated the gym because he thought he was boring and obnoxious. I only occasionally got in a session on an elliptical machine, which I didn’t enjoy but thought I needed to do to lose weight.
Now in my 30s, I work out five times most weeks and have been for over five years.
What changed?
First of all, my mentality. I stopped equating exercise with burning calories (and now I know it’s not just unhealthy but also absurd, because exercise only accounts for 5-10% of our total daily calorie burn). Instead, I think of exercise as a way to improve my mental and physical health and empower myself.
But the main game changer for me was discovering the types of exercise that I actively enjoy, rather than just the feeling of finishing afterwards.
I only do exercise that I enjoy
My main form of movement is weightlifting, which I inadvertently got into after testing it for work years ago. I didn’t expect to continue afterwards, but it was a lot of fun. I love it, and now I can deadlift 320 pounds.
Progress is slow, because exercising is part of my life, not my whole life, but having a relaxed attitude towards exercise helps me stay consistent.
When I started strength training, I had never done a dead weight At first I lifted around 90lbs while learning the correct technique. After six weeks, I deadlifted 220 pounds (thanks, rookie earnings!). Strength gains are slower the longer you’ve been lifting, so I haven’t jumped that big since, but I love how empowering it is to feel strong and I love seeing myself progress, albeit gradually.
I also love netball, dancing and walking. And the main reason I’ve been consistently active for over five years is because I enjoy the activities I do. They don’t feel like a task like running often.
If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t stick with it, personal trainer Emily Ricketts he told Insider.
“Too often, people put pressure on themselves to train a certain way because someone else is doing it and they think that’s how they should train, or they think that’s the only way to progress,” he said. “There are actually a lot of effective ways to move your body, move it in the way that feels most comfortable to you, that’s how you’ll progress, because you’ll be able to show up constantly.”
Sometimes I don’t feel like going to the gym, but mostly I keep going. Now it’s a habit, as much as brushing my teeth. Research suggests that exercising at the same time every day is the key to making it a habit.
Ricketts tells herself and her clients to “just show up.”
“What I mean by that is have your body and mind show up in any way you can that day. Take the pressure off of whether it’s a perfect performance, an hour-long workout, or a super-long walk. Just focus on just showing up.” , and do what you can that day,” he said.
Make exercise as easy as possible
The main problem most people run into when trying to get in shape is lack of consistency, Personal Trainer and Former US Special Forces Instructor. Mark Lauren told Insider.
When the cost of the behavior outweighs the reward — for example, having to drive 30 minutes to the gym — it’s harder to stick with it, he said.
I have made working out as easy as possible by joining gyms near my work or home.
I also plan ahead when I am going to exercise. When things get busy, putting exercises in your journal ensures that life is less likely to take over.
However, I also don’t blame myself when I can’t do as many workouts as I would like, because I think about my long-term progress.
Thinking long-term facilitates consistency
Staying active is for life. There’s no end date, and when you think of fitness as something you’ll do forever, you know that missing a workout here or there won’t have much of an impact on your long-term goals.
There have been periods in the last five years where I haven’t been to the gym for weeks or even months, and have exercised differently, less or not at all.
Consistency to me doesn’t mean working the same amount every week forever. It means doing your best or taking time off and then getting back on the road.
It’s not about perfection.
I know that not every workout will feel good. Sometimes I get to the gym and I just don’t feel it. I feel slow and weak. But knowing that sometimes it is unavoidable helps you keep going and not give up. It is part of the process.
“It’s not about every session being perfect, or getting every session every week,” Ricketts said. “It’s about showing up and doing your best every day.”
