If staying consistent and motivated was easy – everyone would do it! From what I’ve seen as a physician working with people at the end of life, staying healthy isn’t something that most people prioritize until it becomes too late for them to change their trajectory. Take a moment, grab a journal and reflect on your why for wanting to move and stay consistent with working out. 

Physical activity vs. Exercise 

Did you know there is a difference? Physical activity is defined as muscular exercise that consumes energy. To put it another way, any form of movement is, in fact, physical activity. Intentional, planned, repetitive, and continuous movement to enhance or maintain physical fitness is known as exercise. Exercise is a type of physical activity. All physical activity, according to research, has a positive impact on one's health and well-being.

Here are some simple ways to incorporate more movement into your day -

• Do you sit at a desk all day? Every hour take a break. Get up, walk around for two to three minutes, and stretch. Or better yet, create a standing workstation!
• Do you have stairs in your home or office? Take them instead of the elevator whenever possible. Even if that means taking it one step at a time!
• What about when you're on your way to work or running errands? Park as farther away from the entrance to get in extra steps.
• Need a new family activity? Consider family bike rides, hikes and walks around the neighborhood.
• What about your home? Do you have a green thumb? Make time for it during the week rather than leaving everything until the weekend. Instead of devoting just one day each other week to cleaning, try to include daily active chores that take 10 minutes or less into your weekly routine.
• Cooking dinner? Turn on some music & dance while you are cooking. Or do some squats alternating with bicep curls using your chickpea cans while dinner is cooking.
• And finally, if you are going to watch TV or sit down with a book - make sure you're moving while doing so! You can do that by either riding an exercise bike or walking on a treadmill.

Research shows a minimum of 10 minutes of physical activity at a time is sufficient to improve health outcomes. Even though 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week is the recommended - it does not mean you have to start there! In fact, if you try to make radical changes to your routine, you are more likely to fail. Start with something you know you can do consistently, then gradually add on more minutes and intensity as you feel comfortable.

One of the best things about being physically active is that there are endless possibilities when it comes to what type of activity you decide to do.

Create SMART goals.

The benefit of creating a SMART goal is that you’ll be more likely to stick with it, and less likely to become overwhelmed. Once you have your goal set, it’s important to make a plan on how you will achieve that goal. This may include mapping out what days and times you will work out, what exercises you will do, what equipment or attire you need and any other logistics. The more prepared you are, the less of an excuse you will have for not staying consistent with your workouts.

If you’re not used to working out, it may be best to start small. For example, commit to a five-minute walk every day for the first week. Once that becomes comfortable, increase the time by two minutes each subsequent week until you are up to 30 minutes per day. Once you have successfully completed your goal, increase the intensity or duration of the activity to make it more challenging. Remember to celebrate each accomplishment along the way!

Develop A Growth Mindset (& Have Grace)

This is probably one of the most important take home points. This is something that I struggled with for a long time. I always wanted everything to be perfect (I'm Type A clearly) and if I didn’t meet my goals, then I would feel like a failure. This is what I learnt after becoming a mother - Do what you can in the season you are in friend. For example, this means, if I set a goal for a 30-minute workout, and I only end up doing 10 minutes because one of my kids needs me, then I still give myself credit for getting something done. Every day is a new day which means it’s a new chance for you to crush your goals.

Let your setbacks become your set ups — figure out what is working, what is not, and shift your approach. Just don’t give up! Be intentional about it. If one day is a struggle, know that it won’t last forever. This is where grace comes in. You will have days where everything seems to go smoothly and then there are those days where nothing goes right, and you just need time to recover.

Embrace it! All of it! These are the days that will make you stronger and more determined. You are not perfect and that is okay because perfection is the lowest standard! Focus on your progress, learn from your mistakes, and keep moving forward. Remember, growth comes with time and practice so don't give up on yourself. 

Accountability Is Key

One of the most important things to remember when you’re trying to make a change in your life is that accountability is key. You need someone or something to keep you accountable, because if you don’t have anyone checking in on you, it’s all too easy to fall back into old habits. This is especially true when it comes to making shifts in our lifestyle habits.

But what if your friends and family aren’t the best at keeping you accountable? Or they just don’t understand how important this is to you, so they don’t hold you as responsible? That can be frustrating. But thankfully, there are tools out there that can help you stay on track whether or not the people in your life are keeping you accountable. A few such things that come to mind are fitness trackers, apps or online communities.

She taught me what I was capable of, and she showed me how important it is to have someone who holds us responsible on our journey.

Looking for a lifestyle coach? Jump a free clarity call with me to see if we are a good fit to work together!

Conclusion

Making a lifestyle change does not have to be difficult, but it does need perseverance and dedication. If you’re ready to start moving more consistently (and I hope that you are!), then start with these five tips and see what happens.

Remember: Consistency is the key! It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently across all the aspects of our lives.

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