How to Stop Flaking On Your Exercise Goals

How to STOP FLAKING On Your Exercise Goals

Drop right into a coaching call with me...

Let's say you tell me:

"I want to be someone who works out consistently. I think it will make me feel better, have more energy and help me improve my body (aka lose weight or fat)."

What if I then said:

"Ok Melissa, I want you to start working out three times per week. Have at it!"

Some people can take that and run with it. They have the personalities to take instruction and go after it doggedly.⠀

But what about the rest of us?

I don't coach to one personality type. I cover all of them.

So here is the process you and I would go through...

"Alright Mel, what do you enjoy doing and how often are you exercising now? One time? Sometimes? Cool, it sounds like you really want to work up to 3x/week in time, so we're going to start by adding one weekly lift and then increasing your daily movement. If you can crush that for a couple weeks, we're gonna give you more.

Now, do you have a program for the gym? Something that's worked in the past? No? Okay, let's make sure your lifts are programmed. I can put that together for you or you can check out these people/programs.

So, we've got your plan - when is this going to happen within your week? What needs to cleared from your schedule? Go ahead and plug it into your calendar now!

Last thing, and this one is SUPER important. I want you to picture that moment you walk in from work at 5:30p and have that workout scheduled. What can you do ahead of time to make that transition more automated? Can you lay out clothes, communicate to your partner, make sure you don't take a pit stop on the couch? Think ahead and forecast the obstacles, then set up systems to address them."

End scene.

How much more prepared do you think Mel is to ACTUALLY follow through on her movement plan now? I hope that helped you find some ways to upgrade your own movement systems!

Get on an organized training program

Aka stop showing up to the gym without a plan. It's too easy to find a great program these days, and if you're going to put in all the effort to get there, make sure you're maximizing results!

Schedule your workouts

Exercising may feel like a luxury. It's not. It's a privelege and necessity IF you want a body that can keep showing up and maintaining your health for years to come. Put it in your calendar and give it the sane consideration you do for all of your non-negotiable appointments.

Lay out your workout clothes

This is a really simple way to eliminate obstacles. What else can you do the night before to make movement more automatic? Pre-portion a smoothie? Ask your partner for support? Black out your schedule?

Incorporate some FUN!

You can get a TON of benefit from two solid lifting sessions per week. To maximize results these need to progress and be organized. Outside of that, think of ways you can move that you ENJOY - dance, walk, take a group class, climb - just move!

What's your favorite way to move? Other than lifting, mine is scrambling across rocks. And one day I'll live somewhere I can let my inner billy goat free way more often.