Unfourtanetly, with all that has been happening, I have been feeling low on energy recently. As a result, I have been pushing my exercise and fitness regimen to the sidelines. Each day I made a different excuse to not workout – feeling weak, tired, and with zero motivation. Every day I would set myself up to get back on the horse – would wear my activewear, pictured the exercise I’d do in my mind, but somehow never followed through on my plans. However, about a week ago, something clicked, and after weeks of being inactive, I returned to fitness. Since I’ve had problems with sticking to my regimen in the past (and was convinced it wouldn’t happen again), it got me thinking. What can we do to stick with our fitness program?

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What had helped me stay committed and stick with my regimen was making it a part of my daily routine. Every day, at eight pm, an alarm pops off on my phone screen, reminding me to work out. At first, when I had just gotten back to workout, I did a short workout every day. Another thing that helped me stick to my renewed fitness routine is mixing it up. Each night, I did different types of workouts to keep things interesting and to exercise various muscle groups. By making my workout a part of my routine and reinventing it from time to time, I made the activity more fun and exciting, thus helping me maintain an exercise streak.

But my ways aren’t the only ones you could try to maintain your exercise regimen. The first tip, one that I recommend and use myself, is doing it for yourself. Studies show that people who are “externally motivated”, don’t stick with it. Those who are “internally motivated” – meaning they exercise because they love it – are the ones who stay in it for the long run. You have to establish your reasons for exercising and making sure they come from within. Another excellent tip is to take baby steps. When you do too much too soon, you’ll end up sore, injured, and discouraged. Take it easy as you get started. When you start to feel things are becoming easy, you can make it more challenging. You should also work within your limits and live in the moment. Don’t beat yourself for missing an exercise or eating another chocolate bar – leave the guilt in the past! You have a chance to get back into your routine today.