Many of us are guilty of not sticking to our fitness regimes. We come up with excuses and reasons to defend ourselves and try to avoid the gym until the New Year arrives and once again, we resolute to hit the gym. However, this usually does not last. To finally be able to learn how to stick to your fitness regime, you will first need to understand the common mistakes people make, and how tweaking your mindset and tactic will help achieve your goals.
Common Excuse 1) "I don't have time."
Exercising should be a habit, just like how we should not forgo brushing our teeth daily just because we have busy schedules.
Prioritise: Plan ahead of your week and allocate 30 minutes three times a week to exercise. You may also break the 30-min workout down to two 15-minute sessions.
Common Excuse 2) "I am so sick and tired of doing the same thing everyday."
This may be due to the fact that many people engage in the same activity day after day, week after week. Exercising should be kept fun and interesting, or else chances are that you will grow bored of it quickly.
Variety: Try varying the exercises so that you will look forward to your exercise time. Be open-minded, activities can range from outdoor sports like tennis and cycling to fitness activities like zumba and kickboxing.
Common Excuse 3) "I hate exercising."
Perhaps some people feel that with no pain comes no gain and as a result push themselves too much at the start. This may result in them associating exercise with pain gradually hate exercising.
Start slow: Ease yourself into it, you may like to start slow by walking with your family to the nearby mall, or play some light ball games as starters. Get your mind off your preconceived perceptions of exercising and enjoy yourself.
Common Excuse 4) "I seem to lose motivation after awhile."
Most people have certain big goals i.e. losing 20kg of weight, and start off with a rigorous regimen. However, they soon burn out and when progress is gradual or barely noticeable, they start giving up hope and quitting.
Short Term Goals: It is important to set realistic short term goals. Start at low intensity then slowly increase it. Also keep track of your progress and it would be good to keep an exercise journal. Even when you do not feel like exercising, tell yourself that you will do it anyway. Having an exercise buddy helps too.
Common Excuse 5) "I don't know how to exercise."
Trouble spots can be very discouraging, especially to those who exercise but still do not see results. It may seem impossible to achieve and as such, helplessness sets in.
Get help: A personal trainer may be what you need, as he or she will have adequate knowledge of the types of fitness routine to target your trouble spots. There are also many online programs and books readily available to help you achieve results.
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