Making exercise “stick” in your life is a very real struggle.

Why is it SO hard?!  Because LIFE:

“I’m too tired.”   

“I’m too busy.”   

“I have to take care of my family.”   

“It’s too expensive.”   

“I travel too much.”

“I’m not motivated.”   

“It’s summer.”    “Kids are going back to school.”     “It’s the holiday season.”

It’s common to neglect your health for all these reasons BUT let’s be honest: this stuff isn’t going to ever really change.

A busy summer is replaced with a busy school year is replaced with a busy holiday season, with spring break, with end of the school year…rinse and repeat.

And while sure, it’s easy to rationalize why you can’t exercise, as a coach who’s seen the consequences and genuinely cares, I gotta keep it real and remind you that not exercising is leading you to a harder, less enjoyable life.

While we wholeheartedly understand life happens, and do not deny there are endless distractions, it does NOT mean you should neglect your health.

There is nothing more important than your health because without it – then what? What do you have?

If you’re always “waiting” to exercise until _______ (fill in the blank), you will NEVER start!

Maybe you aren’t (yet) thinking about your future life – how you are going to feel, how healthy or, unhealthy you will be, if you’ll be strong enough, able to live independently, capable of basic tasks like walking, standing up, getting dressed, pushing your grandkids around in the stroller – but NOW is a very good time to start because what I hear too often is the regret people feel for not taking care of themselves sooner.

You are in full control not just of how you live today, but tomorrow and the years that follow.

As a busy mom/dad, professional or any other role occupying your time, exercising, and taking care of yourself gets lost in the daily shuffle.

In a world where you can barely get enough sleep let alone fit in a workout, making exercise a priority feels hard and at times, impossible.

How do you make more time when feeling like you already don’t have enough? 

How do you stay consistent when motivation is tapers? 

How do you get started when everyone/everything else in your life requires too much of your time?

This blog explores the most common challenges holding people back from exercising PLUS 5 tips so you know exactly how to overcome each so that you can start exercising and living healthy, happy and strong forever!

5 TIPS TO MAKE EXERCISE STICK!

Challenge #1. Time:

Exercise takes time, planning and effort!  With the help of this timesaving hack, you can learn how to leverage pockets of time to fit in exercise and healthy meal prepping.

Tip #1: Sit down and write out your daily schedule to identify free time.

Planning and organizing your days and weeks seems simple but underrated and seldom used. By physically writing out your daily schedule, you can visually see and identify pockets of free time.

Based on these windows, start planning how to best use that time to focus on your health and fitness.  Like a doctor’s appointment, work meeting or parent/teacher conference, schedule time for exercise and treat it like any other (important) appointment.

As you write out pockets of free time, don’t forget to assess your “downtime” as well!

This is time spent mindlessly scrolling social media and watching TV (the iPhone feature that shows your average screen time per week is very eye-opening for those of us who claim not to have any time……).

Exercise: Maybe your pocket of free time is early morning before the rest of your family is awake or, after the kiddos get dropped at school. The main goal is choosing the best days/times and building those into your daily schedule.

Nutrition: Save time by using grocery delivery services or curbside pick-up, opting for pre-made protein sources, chopped fruits / veggies and grab and go salads. Always have frozen fruits and veggies on hand so you have access to healthy options.

Next, based on your window of free time, schedule slots to meal prep for the meals you have the least amount of time to prepare during the week.

Challenge #2: Money

Most disposable income is allocated towards things like eating out, snagging fancy coffee drinks, enjoying happy hours, and Amazon priming your life away – purchases that quickly add up!

The $250 you spend per month on carry out and Starbucks could be used toward joining a gym or buying healthier food options.

Tip #2: Review monthly expenses to understand where and how you spend money.

Exercise: Investing in your health may not produce immediate gratification like seeing that Amazon box on your doorstep BUT the pay-off is far greater!

Allocate your disposable income by investing in yourself!  This can include working with a coach, joining a local gym, buying equipment to use at home, walking shoes, or exercise / nutrition programs offered through your employer.

Nutrition: Buy healthy food options in bulk (Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s wholesale), buy produce “in season” (it’s always cheaper), shop around for better pricing, take advantage of weekly ads/sales, and shop local farmer’s markets and grocers. If you are in the Cleveland area, some of our favorites places to shop based on quality and price include Aldi’s and Sweet Berry Market.

The cost of being unhealthy: If you think working with a coach or joining a gym is too expensive, consider the cost of being unhealthy: prescription medications, procedures, hospitalizations, doctor visits, sick days, and missed work.

Approximately 60% of American adults suffer from at least one chronic disease like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease; costing the average American anywhere from $3,500 – $6,500+ per year!

Investing in your health now guarantees you are healthy for life and enables you to save money in the long run by offsetting the rising costs associated with treating chronic disease.

Challenge #3: Stress

Stress manifests in many different ways and can leave you feeling paralyzed with fear and overwhelm. When this happens, it’s hard to be productive and get stuff done.

This is especially true when it comes to exercise.  IF the thought of exercising makes you feel stressed, you’re not going to do it.

Did you know being under constant stress can take 2.8 years off your life?!  

Yikes! This is why stress management is crucial for your physical, mental and emotional health!

What are healthy outlets for managing stress?

Tip #3: Manage stress with regular exercise and daily movement!

Kinda like a catch-22 but exercising is scientifically proven to boost endorphins and relieve stress, anxiety and depression.  Once you start exercising, you immediately feel the positive effects of having a healthy outlet to release stress, which increases internal motivation to stay active! At this rate, exercise naturally becomes the ‘thing’ you rely on to manage your stress.

Challenge #4: Travel 

Frequent travel makes it difficult to establish consistent routines around regular exercise and healthy eating. However, with thoughtful planning and preparation, you can take your healthy lifestyle on the go!

Tip #4: Plan your travel and schedule:

Exercise: Choose hotels/resorts that provide access to a gym or Google local gyms where you’re staying offering weekly specials or intro packs for new members.

If working with a coach or personal trainer, ask for a workout you can do on the road and just like ike you would when home, designate time to exercise and add this to your travel schedule.

Nutrition: If traveling by land or air, pack healthy food /snacks: protein powder, nuts, tuna packs, self-contained fruits (apples, bananas, oranges), chopped veggies, single serving packs of yogurt, almond butters, hard boiled eggs, rolled lunch meat, etc. This ensures you have health options readily accessible.

When dining out, prioritize protein and veggies first and always review the menu before arriving to assess better options. When choosing more indulgent options, consider sharing or packing half away in a to-go container prior to eating to avoid overeating.

Challenge #5. Mindset 

Instead of thinking “I can’t exercise because_____”, shift your mindset and choose different words: “I will exercise because____”.

Tip #5: Strive for progress instead of perfection

Not all days, weeks and months will be the same. Some days are better than others, some weeks are busier than others, some months feel less motivating than others.  Making exercise stick is all about acceptance you/life won’t always be perfect and that is NORMAL and OK!

It’s all about making due with what you have versus giving up when things don’t go as planned.  Life is imperfect and acceptance helps you move forward instead of standing still.

We make time for and do what’s important to us and that starts with our own mindset and perspective!

Life will NOT wait, and neither should you.

Biggest takeaway: Understandably, making exercise stick in your busy, demanding lives may feel like an impossible feat, but these 5 tips prove you can and will successfully build a healthier, consistent routine, regardless of what life throws your way!

Remember, success is NOT found in perfection but progress!  You make progress by practicing / repeating habits and behaviors.

Yes, it will take some time, effort and practice but the more you put into it, the easier and more ‘routine’ exercise becomes – like brushing your teeth or getting dressed!

Try these 5 tips and give yourself the opportunity to build better habits, feel better, have more energy, and improve your health!

As coaches, we guarantee making time for your health will make your lives better, easier and more enjoyable!