Consistency is needed if you want to accomplish your goals. “Without commitment, you will never start. Without consistency, you will never finish.” 

Working out is often difficult because progress is delayed and timely. We often want instant results and give up if we don’t see any. For me, I started working out to not only keep myself healthy, but because it was a stress reliever. I wanted to make working out enjoyable, not a chore. To me, the hardest part of working out is the process of getting myself ready and to the gym. To make this easier, I prepare my clothes out on my desk. When my gym gear is visible, I am more likely to accomplish my workout. Make your habits/goals visible!

My secret to keeping consistent when working out is to balance motivating myself to workout while not forcing it. For example, the night before I go to bed, I tell myself when I plan on working out. Often when I wake up, it’s so easy to change my mind, but I stick to my word and go to the gym because I told myself I wanted to workout the day before… I just needed a little push. On the other hand, there are times where I don’t feel like working out and know that I should take a rest day…so I listen to myself. By not forcing myself to workout, I keep exercising a fun activity. The problem is, you need to be able to balance this way of thinking because if you let yourself slack too frequently, you are losing consistency. At the same time, if you overpush yourself, you make working out unenjoyable which can decrease consistency as well. You have to learn the difference between, “I can’t workout today… I am not in the right headspace,” and “I’m lazy… I don’t have motivation.” In the first scenario, I usually listen to my intuition and take a rest day. In the second scenario, I push myself to go to the gym because I know it will wake me up and get me on a productive flow. 

Working out in the morning is the best because you are more likely to actually do it. The more you wait to workout, the more tired you get and will decide you don’t want to. The excuse that “you don’t have time” to workout isn’t usually justified. You always have time to do what you want to do… people make time for their priorities. You can wake up before your job or school to get in a workout. Make exercise enjoyable and a priority. The more fun you make it, the more consistent you will be at it. It becomes part of your routine, like brushing your teeth. Have an open mindset about the journey and find workouts that you LIKE to do. I used to hate watching youtube exercise videos and would still force myself to do them. It made exercise boring. The day I switched my routine and found exercises I like was the day I fell in love with fitness. Try all types of workouts; you can do cycling, running, weight lifting, HIT cardio, Zumba… there is SO MUCH to try! I personally like to have a mix of everything. You don’t need to be an expert at anything to start because you will learn as you go.  Find good post-workout recipes and meals that add to the excitement of working out. Treat yourself to smoothies and cool workout clothes. Whatever it takes, make working out fun. That is what will keep you consistent.