FITNESS
Let's Get This Thing Started.
Hey, friends!
I know I have been talking a lot about my fitness routine and how literally life changing it has been! But real talk, girl. It was not easy to get here. It took a lot of commitment, time, effort and a few tricks to get me to this point. Which is still at the beginner stage, don't get me wrong. I am no expert. Let me be sure to say that right now. This post is not for advanced runners or worker-out-er's. This is for the girl who just simply cannot seem to make this a habitual thing, for whatever reason. And make sure you hear me here, whatever your reason is that it is not habitual is probably a good one. You are probably a busy momma or working two jobs or trying to balance self-care with selflessness. I am sure that all of your reasons are valid and worthwhile, unlike mine were. Even if you do have really good reasons, but this is something you want to do, can I challenge you to just start? Just make it happen. You can do it. You can do anything, really, as long as you set your mind to it! Believe that with your whole soul and nothing will stop you. I promise. I also promise you that I did not get where I am without figuring out a few tricks and hacks along the way! What were they you ask?! Well, let me just tell ya ...
1. Buddy System. Girl, find yourself a friend who you know will not let you back out. I was lucky enough to have my momma as my buddy and the best thing she did was respond, every single time when I asked whether we were running that day or not, with a big fat "YES!" Exactly like that. All caps. Exclamation points. And honestly, if you momma is that encouraging, you cannot bail. Ever. We would talk our way through the entire thing (or moan and groan) but we would do it. We continued to show up every time because we made a commitment to each other, which for some reason, it so much more powerful to us.
2. Buy the freaking workout clothes. Buy them. Let them be your motivation. You don't have to buy all of the workout clothes. Just buy the ones you really want that will actually motivate you to get your butt off of the couch! I also use this as a reward. For example, after we finished our first round of Couch to 5K, I went out and bought myself a new pair of running pants and the coolest running sweatshirt. It made me want to keep going so I could wear my cool new digs! I am not telling you to break the bank, but invest in some pieces that will make you want to get your sweat on.
3. Do the meal prep. It sounds complicated and time consuming and I mean, what happened to Sunday being the day of rest?! I get it guys. From the outside looking in the meal prep just seems daunting. But it is a game changer. It makes the rest of the week simple and it honestly takes, at most, 3 hours of your Sunday. The longer you stick with it, the more routine it will become, too. I am to the point now that it is literally just part of what I have to do and I don't even have to think about it. Find something that is easy for you to prep and delicious and just get it done! Your exhausted Wednesday self will thank you and so will your waist line.
4. Copy people who are doing what you want to be doing. As you all know, I love Rachel Hollis. So when she mentioned she was going to do a challenge and tell us how she went from a non-worker-outer to an avid runner, I signed up immediately! Because she was doing what I wanted to be doing. Or I guess I should say, she already did. I signed up, followed what she said and ran with it. I also followed her on all of her social media platforms because she often posts motivational things and is always encouraging us to hit the gym! Find that one person (or few people) who are doing what you want to be doing and copy the heck out of them! Do not reinvent the wheel when someone has already got if figured out, girlfriend.
5. Tell EVERYONE about it. Everyone that will listen that is. Not to brag or anything like that. Share so you have so many people holding you accountable. Talk about it so much that that is the thing people will ask you about when they talk to you! If you have to say "oh I quit" enough times, that will motivate you to get back at it! Having people ask you about it and know you are doing it makes a huge, huge, huge difference because you have so many people to hold yourself accountable too! Such a motivator for a people pleaser like me! Ha
There you have it. My most basic tips and tricks about how to just get this thing STARTED. Some of these may work or you, some of them may not, but this is how I stayed motivated and finally made working out a part of my daily routine instead of something I dreaded and avoided like the plague. I hope that this can help you to at least think about getting out there and getting started! If you have any other good tips and tricks, please comment below! I would love to hear what has worked for you all!
I know I have been talking a lot about my fitness routine and how literally life changing it has been! But real talk, girl. It was not easy to get here. It took a lot of commitment, time, effort and a few tricks to get me to this point. Which is still at the beginner stage, don't get me wrong. I am no expert. Let me be sure to say that right now. This post is not for advanced runners or worker-out-er's. This is for the girl who just simply cannot seem to make this a habitual thing, for whatever reason. And make sure you hear me here, whatever your reason is that it is not habitual is probably a good one. You are probably a busy momma or working two jobs or trying to balance self-care with selflessness. I am sure that all of your reasons are valid and worthwhile, unlike mine were. Even if you do have really good reasons, but this is something you want to do, can I challenge you to just start? Just make it happen. You can do it. You can do anything, really, as long as you set your mind to it! Believe that with your whole soul and nothing will stop you. I promise. I also promise you that I did not get where I am without figuring out a few tricks and hacks along the way! What were they you ask?! Well, let me just tell ya ...
1. Buddy System. Girl, find yourself a friend who you know will not let you back out. I was lucky enough to have my momma as my buddy and the best thing she did was respond, every single time when I asked whether we were running that day or not, with a big fat "YES!" Exactly like that. All caps. Exclamation points. And honestly, if you momma is that encouraging, you cannot bail. Ever. We would talk our way through the entire thing (or moan and groan) but we would do it. We continued to show up every time because we made a commitment to each other, which for some reason, it so much more powerful to us.
2. Buy the freaking workout clothes. Buy them. Let them be your motivation. You don't have to buy all of the workout clothes. Just buy the ones you really want that will actually motivate you to get your butt off of the couch! I also use this as a reward. For example, after we finished our first round of Couch to 5K, I went out and bought myself a new pair of running pants and the coolest running sweatshirt. It made me want to keep going so I could wear my cool new digs! I am not telling you to break the bank, but invest in some pieces that will make you want to get your sweat on.
3. Do the meal prep. It sounds complicated and time consuming and I mean, what happened to Sunday being the day of rest?! I get it guys. From the outside looking in the meal prep just seems daunting. But it is a game changer. It makes the rest of the week simple and it honestly takes, at most, 3 hours of your Sunday. The longer you stick with it, the more routine it will become, too. I am to the point now that it is literally just part of what I have to do and I don't even have to think about it. Find something that is easy for you to prep and delicious and just get it done! Your exhausted Wednesday self will thank you and so will your waist line.
4. Copy people who are doing what you want to be doing. As you all know, I love Rachel Hollis. So when she mentioned she was going to do a challenge and tell us how she went from a non-worker-outer to an avid runner, I signed up immediately! Because she was doing what I wanted to be doing. Or I guess I should say, she already did. I signed up, followed what she said and ran with it. I also followed her on all of her social media platforms because she often posts motivational things and is always encouraging us to hit the gym! Find that one person (or few people) who are doing what you want to be doing and copy the heck out of them! Do not reinvent the wheel when someone has already got if figured out, girlfriend.
5. Tell EVERYONE about it. Everyone that will listen that is. Not to brag or anything like that. Share so you have so many people holding you accountable. Talk about it so much that that is the thing people will ask you about when they talk to you! If you have to say "oh I quit" enough times, that will motivate you to get back at it! Having people ask you about it and know you are doing it makes a huge, huge, huge difference because you have so many people to hold yourself accountable too! Such a motivator for a people pleaser like me! Ha
There you have it. My most basic tips and tricks about how to just get this thing STARTED. Some of these may work or you, some of them may not, but this is how I stayed motivated and finally made working out a part of my daily routine instead of something I dreaded and avoided like the plague. I hope that this can help you to at least think about getting out there and getting started! If you have any other good tips and tricks, please comment below! I would love to hear what has worked for you all!
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