It might be due to the onset of winter or maybe you’ve been exercising for a while but we all have moments when our mojo feels like its up and left the building!
So, no matter how long it’s been MIA, here’s my top tips for getting your mojo back and getting back into the groove of regular exercise.
1. Commit For Thirty Days
Make a commitment with yourself to be active every day (even if just for a 20 minute walk) for one month. This will lock in the habit.
If you make a commitment to yourself, you also take pressure off yourself in the first weeks back of deciding whether to go. If it helps, write a short contract with yourself & stick it on the fridge, bathroom mirror, steering wheel of your car – somewhere you’ll spot it regularly!
2. Create A Ritual
Your workout routine should become so inbuilt that it becomes a ritual. Layout your exercise clothes, ipod, pre packed bag or whatever else you need, the night before.
3. Rope In A Friend
Having a training buddy gives you an extra level of accountability and it makes your exercise sessions more fun. You’ll be helping each other out, catching up & there’s nothing like a bit of friendly competition to up the ante!
4. Set Yourself A Reward AND A Penalty
You’re probably pretty familiar with setting yourself rewards for completing little goals you set yourself. How about, when I’ve exercised every day for 30 days, I’ll reward myself with a massage, manicure or facial etc.
But here’s a nice little kicker to step things up, also set yourself a penalty. For example, if I don’t exercise every day for the next 30 days, I will donate $100 to my Mother in Law!
You can make this part of your commitment contract and maybe ask your partner to set the penalty, he might say “If you don’t exercise every day for the next 30 days, you will have to wash my car every weekend for the following month!”
Have fun with it, but make it something that’s doable and find someone to hold you accountable!
5. Schedule Your Exercise In Your Diary
Just the same way you’d schedule work meetings, haircuts, Dr’s appointments etc, make exercise appointments.
This way you will prioritise this time and you won’t get to the end of the day and have that “oh damn, I forgot to exercise” excuse. If it’s in your diary, you’re going to see a reminder every time you open it – if it’s scheduled, it will get done.
6. Load Up Your IPod
When you’re exercising grab your iPod and tune into some kick ass music that gets your booty shaking and your mind associating with positive emotion.
Everyone has a favourite song that gets them up and going, so load up your iPod and see how much more enjoyable your exercise sessions are!
If you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s a couple of my favourites:
Titanium (David Guetta & Sia)
Painkiller (Freestylers)
So What (Pink)
Little Talks (Of Monsters & Men)
Can’t Hold Us (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)
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Sonya Lovell
