You know you need to work out, but you haven’t got the time. Or energy. Or motivation.
Getting up and moving on a regular basis isn’t as hard as it sounds, though. It only takes three steps to change the way you think…and eventually, the way you feel.
1. Set Goals
No one goes from blob to buff overnight – it’s going to take time. You’re not likely to stick with your workout routine long enough to see general results unless you set specific goals and work towards them. So what would you like to do? Trim off a bit of weight? Tone up your abs? Run a specific distance? Keep it small and choose one goal at a time. Once you figure out what you’d like to achieve, that’s going to take you to the next step.
2. Measure It
How will you know if you’re making progress if you don’t measure it as you go along? Before you even begin your new workout regimen, document your starting point. Get on the scale (even if you don’t want to know what it says) and write down the date and your starting weight. Get out the measuring tape and record your measurements. Take full-body selfies. The first day you run, record how far you go and how long it takes you. You may feel discouraged at first, but these numbers will give you something to compare yourself to in just a few weeks.
3. If You Fall Off, Get Back on the Horse Again
Nobody’s perfect, and everyone experiences failure. It’s how you deal with that failure that counts. If you miss a few days of workouts, don’t get discouraged. It takes at least 66 days to form a new habit, so if you don’t exactly feel cheerful at the thought of sweating it out even after a month of working out, stick with it. Make sure you’re checking your current weight, measurements, running distance, etc. to see that you are making progress because this is a huge motivation to keep you going.
Remember that you can only make these changes if you want to make them for yourself – not because you’ve promised your significant other or anyone else. Once you start to see changes in both how you look and feel…you’ll be encouraged to make a permanent transformation from permanent couch implant to workout king.
