My Top 5 Tips to Get You Out the Door
Feb 25, 2017 · 3 min read
I am a sporadic runner and it frustrates me greatly as I know I feel better for regular exercise but I just can’t keep it up. Spring is now just round the corner and I really want to get going again so have been racking my brain as to what I can do to make sure that I not only start exercising (in my case running) but also that I keep it up. This is what I have come up with.
- Sign up for a challenge — This is how I first started running several years ago when I signed up for the York 10k. Be realistic about what you are signing up for as you do not want to set yourself an unrealistic target and become demotivated. A 5 or 10k race should be perfectly achievable if you allow yourself 4 months or so training time depending on how healthy you are. Also tell everybody you know you have signed up for the race so it is harder to pull out later and if you really want to pile the pressure on yourself (as well as raising money for a good cause) sign up to a charity to raise money by doing the race.
- Make sure you have at least two sets of active wear that you are comfortable wearing. I am not talking about the latest gear but leggings and a top which you feel good in and which do the job. I get my gear from Sports Direct or the supermarkets and my main concern is that it is made from a wicking fabric and that the top is a decent length. I also like a light hoodie and always wear a flourescent jacket or vest much to the embarrassment of my children.
- Have your gym/running gear ready for when you need it. Most of us have a short window of opportunity to exercise and do not want to waste time looking for sports socks or the vest that covers our bottom. A very good tip is to roll up everything you need and leave it at the side of your bed so you can grab it first thing in the morning or whenever you need it.
- Enlist a friend to join you in your pursuit of fitness. For me running is all about being by myself and enjoying some headspace but I know many people prefer to run with others and sharing your training with a friend and encouraging each other works very well, as does attending a class with a friend. When attending a class for the first time going with a friend can also really help get you through the door if you are a bit unsure.
- Visualise yourself doing what you want to do. This is very easy to do and, I think, really works. Imagine yourself going in to that Pilates class or running round the block. Then once you have done the class or been for a run/walk think about how good it made you and feel and how much you (hopefully) enjoyed it. Add these thoughts in to your visualisation and you will soon be desperate to get out there.
Finally, and this is not really a motivational tip, remember that no-one is looking at you and if they are they are probably wishing they were doing what you are doing. It can be really hard to take that first step but it will be so worth it. So what are we doing tomorrow?
