Exercising at home: how to restart a forgotten exercise routine
Once you break the habit of exercising at home, it can be extremely difficult to get back into a routine and move on. The habit of exercising is no different from starting or stopping a habit of any other kind. It often takes several false starts to get started. At first, you may find that you are struggling with yourself to keep going. The trick is to make sure you do it again if you find yourself slipping. If you can exercise regularly and consistently, you may not be able to wait until exercise time.
Identify and treat triggers
Most of us have certain things that make us stop exercising at home. It could be a conflict of schedules, a dislike for the activity or a simple inconvenience. Whatever it is, you won’t be able to continue the exercise program until you identify and kill the dragon. For a scheduling conflict, try adjusting your schedule and moving, or dividing the amount of time you set aside to get into good physical shape. If you find that you are having trouble getting home from work, try exercising in the morning or later at night.
Make exercise a conscious habit
If you don’t “write” in a time slot to exercise at home, you must! Making a conscious decision to commit to exercising in your daily lifestyle will greatly improve your chances of success. To help you remember, leave a note where you are sure to see it, perhaps on the phone, refrigerator, or even next to the microwave. It does not have to be a standard written note. Some people take out a weight or the clothes they like to wear when they exercise. You must choose the “trigger” that best suits your needs. Over time, the routine will become second nature and the day will not feel the same without it.
Reward yourself
Many people who want to exercise at home on a routine basis find that it is not physical activity that makes it difficult, but getting started. It may be difficult for you to get up and move, but you will be fine once you get going. If it’s you, don’t be afraid to bribe yourself! It could be a little pleasure, an hour doing something you enjoy, or any little thing you like to do. If you don’t do it, don’t reward yourself.
Find a motivator
Sometimes we just need a good friend to tell us to ‘toughen up!’ Don’t be afraid to tell your friends, family, and co-workers about your goals and difficulties and ask them to help you. It will be much more difficult for you to skip your training if you are accountable to someone else for it. As a bonus, you may be able to convince some of them to join you. They could take turns exercising in each other’s houses or just share each other’s accomplishments and problems.
The most important thing to remember is not to be too hard on yourself. If something happens and you miss a day, don’t give up completely! Get it back later that day or start over tomorrow. Every time you miss your p90x training, keep a “why” and “when” log to help identify any patterns that exist. Once you get them out of the way, you’ll be slim and trim in no time!