Fitness tip of the week: 6 ways to get yourself to exercise more

I've been focusing a lot on non exercise related fitness tips lately (food, sleep, etc), so I thought this week I'd switch it up and talk about small tricks I use to get myself to exercise more consistently when I'm feeling unmotivated. I was a little worried that these might come off as cheesy, but they're all things that I actually do and I actually think they work.

1. Set a small goal

Set your alarm just 10-15 mins earlier to give yourself time for a short, dynamic workout. For me, this was a huge mental block to get over. I used look at workouts like I needed to have my full hour (or more!) to work out, or else I just wouldn't do anything. Then I'd write the day off in terms of health. Obviously, that's ridiculous.

10-15 min workouts have significant benefits, like:
a. Increased RMR (resting metabolic rate, or the calories your body burns when you're just sitting around) throughout the day.
b. Faster cognitive response - I think a lot of us notice that our energy level is better and our mind is clearer after a good workout, this is true even for 10-15 min workouts.
c. If you're able to do a HIIT workout, 10-15 min of work results in benefits like increased oxygen carrying capacity and increased calorie burn. If you really push yourself to work hard, these workouts can be on par with longer (as in 40 min) lower intensity workouts.

Interested? Exercises to try:
a. Strength moves that also get your heart rate up - burpees, jumping jacks, jump rope, etc. 
b. Moves like push-up and plank variations that get multiple muscle groups working at once.
c. Moves that engage your larger muscles that get more blood flowing and burn more - think lower body moves like squats, lunges, and step ups. 

1b. Small goals II

The 10 minute concept is also a useful strategy to get yourself to exercise when you're feeling tired or lazy. If you have the time for a longer workout but you're feeling unmotivated, get yourself to try just 10 mins of easy cardio. Being in your clothes and at the gym may get you in the mood. If it doesn't, you've at least got a short walk in that you wouldn't have otherwise. 

2. Set up a system for accountability

A lot of you get this from me! But it doesn't have to end with sessions, let me know when you plan to work out at the beginning of the day and I'm happy to send a check in text. 

Alternatively, set up this sort of system with a friend or group of friends.

3. Commit in advance

Borrow this strategy from our sessions together. You don't cancel on me because we have a set schedule. If you like to take classes, sign up for them at the beginning of the week, or a day or two in advance - whatever is realistic for you. Tell someone (perhaps a friend or family member, or me if you want to be more private about your fitness goals).

4. Use your commute as a workout. 

For those of us that live in the city, using commute time to work out is definitely an option. It might be too much to arrive sweaty at work (unless you have my job), but its possible to use your commute home this way with either a brisk walk, a bike ride home, or a run. 

5. Commit to a movement goal outside of workouts

Just keep moving throughout the day, take a look at how many miles you walk per day (on your phone or activity tracker) and then try to up that by something moderate like 1,000-2,000 steps a day. That's at least 7,000 more steps in a week (a few extra miles of walking!), which definitely adds up.