Be Loose, Not Stuck!
Do You Need to Move Your Fitness Plan from Stuck to Start?
Arrrrghhh! That’s the sound of you spending another day stuck in sedentary patterns stitched with good exercise intentions. Another day of you bartering with yourself in an Annie mood that “tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow” the sun will come out and shine differently on your workout and fitness plan. But no actual exercise has occurred on a consistent (or even intermittent) basis. How many “tomorrows” have come and gone that you now admit, yup, you’re stuck and need a prod to get going. As in “today!”
From Nothing to Something; From Some to Some More
Let’s say you used to work out, or never did, but remember it seemed like a good idea. You’re not alone. A common request we get is how to go from park to cruise mode; from inactive to active; from nuffink much to sumpin. Note I did not say to zoom from 0 to 60 off the starting line.
Start Small
In fact, starting small is one of our key pieces of advice. We’re going to share some action items that are so easy to implement you’ll be asking yourself, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”
Take off the pressure of trying to change several health habits at once. Instead, do this
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Take off the pressure of trying to change several health habits all at once. That’s putting more weight on your shoulders than we’d recommend for a strength training program! Go step by step. Learn to enjoy movement and the youthful vibrancy it brings.
Need a kick in the keester to get unstuck?
Say So Long Suckahs to Sedentary Stuckness
Kymberly: Transitioning to an active, healthy lifestyle is simpler than you think. Kiss frustration good-bye. Tackling just one of the items on the following checklist will progress you. Find one action you can complete today. Do it right away and check it off! You will move from inertia to energy in less than 5 minutes.
Alexandra: Can I at least have some French Vanilla ice cream with my inertia? And I didn’t know his name was Frustration when I kissed him. But I’d do it all again anyway.
Kymberly: For you, sis, you may partake of the can of Whoop Ass included in this post. For the rest of you, forget fitness trends, celebrity endorsements, or what you used to do when you were younger.
Title slide of a presentation I offered fitness pros.
8 Easy Ways to Get Unstuck Starting … Now! When Else?
- Identify a space in your home where you can work out, even if it’s just big enough to fit a mat or towel on the floor.
- Forget the all or nothing, “practice makes perfect” approach. Practice makes progress. Practice makes permanent. Practice creates habits. Perfection is overrated and unsustainable. Simply do a little bit more than the day before.
- Set your expectations low to start. What’s the least you can do and commit to today? Tomorrow?
- Drink water. Instead of sugary drinks or ones that have the word “latte,” or “fountain” in them, or whipped cream, or carbonation combined with a can. See where I am going with this? Being well water-drated will also minimize muscle soreness and fatigue. Thats’ a twofer special right there!
- Find moves and activities you enjoy. This has been a recording. Beeeeep. Ever wonder why we named our blog “Fun and Fit?” Because we believe that movement can be enjoyable; that an active life is more appealing than a sedentary one; AND that at least some of the exercise you do has to be fun so you will actually do it. Oh, and because my sister is actually pretty funny. Yes, those of us who have crossed over to the other side know that it is more fun to move and groove than it is to think about it. And it definitely is not fun to force ourselves to perform exercises we hate. Bleeeeech! (as Mad Magazine used to say).
8 Easy Ways to Get Unstuck with your fitness plan Starting … Now! When Else?
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- Find a community to support you or at least one that will hold you accountable. Whether you pick someone in person, online, or long distance, make a pact with at least one other support person with whom you will actually check in. Maybe you’ll even find a workout buddy.
- Use technology if that works for you. Don’t use the lack of a pedometer, wrist tracking device, calorie counter or any other wearable technology as an excuse NOT to start. We are not Waiting for Godot or Go Pro around here. Just get out there with or without the latest gear. The lack of a device is not an obstacle to movement. However, if the presence of any wearable technology helps you giddy up, why then use it! Strap on and keep on truckin’!
- Have a restart Plan B. You will not meet your goals each day. That’s no reason to give up. And by “reason” I mean “excuse.” Get back to the mat or gym or trail. Be prepared for the common, usual, and totally human reality that you will have “fail” days. What is your contingency plan when you get off track? Let’s hope it at least includes forgiving yourself, and looking to the future rather than berating the past.
Does one of the above actions speak to you? Then listen. And go for it. You need implement just one item to get unstuck and on the path to new active aging habits.
Find 1 action you can check off today to move from inertia to energy in less than 5 minutes.
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Time for Some TransformAging?
ACTION If you want even more support and ideas to transform yourself to a more fit you, then check out this cutting edge resource. Click to access the TransformAging page. The session “(Re)Starting Fitness Over 50” in particular is LOADED with strategies to get you happily and successfully going. And liking it!
By Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA
The post Is Your Fitness Plan in “Stuck” not “Start”? appeared first on Fun and Fit: Active Aging Answers for Boom Chicka Boomers.