Building a workout routine can be a real struggle. Some people are only able to keep it up for a few days every now and then, some trail off after a couple weeks, and some are lucky enough to stay consistent for a few months before ultimately following suit. It’s almost as if a magical force is required to break through an invisible barrier before people can make exercise a steady part of their life and something they do without needing much thought.
OK, a magical force might be a bit hyperbolic, but it really does take an incredible amount of motivation and discipline, as well as a strong, inherent desire to change and improve. In reality, it’s not for everyone, but even for those who are very much committed to building a consistent exercise routine, it may take some time before you find something that works for you and that you can stick to.
Fortunately, there are some things you can implement into your routine to help generate that consistency. In this post, I want to share some suggestions for building a fitness routine that will make the process of fully integrating it into your lifestyle a lot easier.
Mark It on Your Calendar
One of the most helpful things you can do is mark time on your calendar for going to the gym. Have it in your schedule so you know when you’ll go and how long you’ll be there. This can have a couple different benefits.
First and foremost, building exercise into your daily schedule normalizes it as just another task you need to get done, instead of some daunting challenge you need to muster up extra motivation for. When it’s time for you to work out, it’ll be the same as when you need to go grocery shopping, attend a work meeting, or anything else that you have to cross off your to-do list.
In addition, planning your exercise in advance guarantees that you’ll actually have time for it. A lot of people who fail to keep up a fitness routine blame it on lack of time, but if you incorporate it into your schedule and make the time for it, this won’t be a problem.
Write Down Your Workouts
Something else I would heavily encourage is writing down all of your workouts. List out all the exercises you do on each day of your routine, as well as the weights you use and number of reps and sets you perform. If you follow a training program, most of this will likely already be written out for you.
Committing to going to the gym on any given day is a lot easier when you know exactly what you need to do and have clear steps on how to do it. Instead of needing to “work out”, which is a vague, abstract idea that can lead to one feeling overwhelmed, knowing that you need to train your chest that day by doing a few specific exercises may seem a lot more manageable.
Have a Gym Buddy
A great way to develop consistency is to have a buddy, like a sibling, roommate, or friend, with whom you can go to the gym.
This is great if both of you want to get into a serious fitness routine. Since both of you are committing yourselves to this goal, you’re able to hold each other accountable for staying disciplined. You’re able to rely on each other for a bit of an external push when you inevitably go through periods of low motivation in the beginning.
Furthermore, going to the gym with someone you know can also make working out more fun and less intimidating, which can also increase the likelihood that you’ll keep it up.
However, it’s also worth noting that while going to the gym with one or two other people can be beneficial, I’d avoid going in groups larger than that. When you have too many people all working out together, not only will it take a long time to get through the workout, but the social atmosphere it creates can also be distracting and take away from the focus you need to really train at your best.
Set Realistic Standards
So many people start exercise routines and sign up for gym memberships with tons of motivation, and yet many of them can’t keep it up for very long. This is because we like the novelty, but once the activity gets old and we don’t see immediate progress, our motivation plummets. It happens to everyone, myself included; that’s why an enduring fitness routine requires discipline and commitment, not just motivation.
When starting a workout routine, I’d refrain from setting very ambitious goals and expectations, like trying to exercise too frequently or do exercises that are too advanced. Asking too much of yourself at the peak of your motivation will only lead to a quicker burnout when that initial excitement wears off, because when that happens, it’ll be very difficult to find the energy and willpower to remain dedicated.
Instead, gradually ease into a routine. Aim to work out a few times a week and start with easier exercises that aren’t too taxing on your body. Definitely challenge yourself, but also don’t get too carried away. As your body settles into a routine and you learn to rely more on discipline and consistency rather than pure motivation, you can then really focus on ramping up the frequency and intensity of your training.
Focus on the Good
Although you can’t rely solely on motivation when building a workout routine, it’s still a powerful force when you’re able to get it. Therefore, it can be helpful to find something that excites you about exercising and makes you want to stick to it.
Everyone knows that working out is good for improving your health and getting in shape. However, in the short-term, these are benefits you can’t immediately obtain, and therefore aren’t great daily motivators that’ll get you out of the house and to the gym when you’re just starting out.
Instead, hone in on the things you enjoy when you’re at the gym. Find exercises you genuinely like to do. Perhaps you like the fact that being at the gym lets you clear your head after a busy day, or that it gives you time to listen to your favorite music or podcasts.
I realize that in general, working out isn’t the most pleasant activity, nor is it meant to be. However, focusing on and leveraging the enjoyable aspects of it can be an easy way to incentivize yourself to stay committed.
There’s No Shortcut to Success
There’s no doubt that developing an exercise routine you can stick to is incredibly hard. No matter what you do, it’s going to take time, and no matter how motivated you are in the beginning, it’s going to take a lot of effort. Implementing some of the tips I’ve discussed here can assist you along the way, but ultimately it comes down to how serious you are about achieving your fitness goals and how committed you are to doing what it takes.
Since I’ve talked about the need to balance motivation and consistency quite a lot in this article, if you’d like to learn more about these two concepts and the roles they play when it comes to working out, check out my post Motivation vs Consistency: Which Gets You Results?.
