Did you ever wonder how those "exercise people" do it? I mean they seem to have just as busy a life as you yet, they manage squeeze in some kind of exercise just about everyday. They look so healthy and have such cool and exciting lives. In just one short conversation you hear all about their adventures climbing mountains, trail biking, kayak picnics, blah, blah, blah. As you listen with an odd mixture of wonder and contempt the only thing you can think to bring to the conversation is a juicy bit of gossip about the latest celebrity naughtiness and arraignment.
Where do they get all that energy? Maybe it's the exercise? Your doctor says that just a little exercise would do you a lot of good. You figure that's right but you just can't seem to fit it in.
How do they do it? Chances are, they do it in the morning. While there is no evidence that exercising in the morning is "better" for you, there is a great deal of evidence suggesting that people who exercise in the morning are much better about getting it done. All that really matters about the time of day you choose to exercise is that you actually exercise. "Morning exercisers tend to stick with their exercise habit," according to Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, chief exercise physiologist of the American Council on Exercise, "By doing the bulk of exercise first thing in the morning, you get your exercise in before other distractions can intrude. We can all relate to that -- because once the day gets going, it's hard to get off the treadmill called life."
Here are six tips for helping you to go from couch potato to a jumping lean bean by establishing a regular morning exercise habit.
1. Set more than your alarm.
Beeep, beeep, beeep, beeep - - Fwop! You slam your hand on the snooze bar and that's your entire workout for the day. While experts agree that it is important to start small (see tip number 2) "snooze bar slams" probably aren't going to help you shed any pounds, finish a 5k or summit any mountains. While setting your alarm is good, it's usually not enough to overcome the impulse to limit your workout to several reps of snooze bar slams. Before you go to bed, try setting these things as well.
*Set the appointment. Treat your exercise time as you would an important business meeting or an appointment with you doctor. Don't be a no-show. Be on time and ready to go.
*Set the activity. Figure out exactly what you are going to do. If you are going to the gym, think about which machine you are going to use and for how long. If you are going to do an outdoor activity like biking or running, plan the route in advance. It is also a really good idea to have a plan "B" just in case your first plan is scuttled by weather or an "out of order" sign on your favorite machine at the gym.
*Set out your workout clothes. Decide exactly what you are going to wear and set the clothes in a place where they are easy to find in the dark. This may not seem like a big deal but it is. When you set your clothes out, it helps you to get started faster and gives you less time to bail out. Plus, if you don't workout, that frickin' pile of exercise clothes will haunt you. If you stick to your plan and keep the clothes there, they will remind and motivate you.
*Set your mind. Do a mental run through of your new morning routine before you go to bed. Imagine yourself hopping out of bed, grabbing your gear and getting to it. This only works if you focus on the positive aspects of the workout. Nothing will torpedo you faster than imagining your gym as a medieval torture chamber. As you do your mental run through, think about how accomplished you will feel, who you are going to meet at the gym and the trip to the coffee shop after (see tip #6). I kayak so I love to imagine the majestic sunrise or gliding past flocks of waterfowl as they fly just inches above the water.
2. Start small.
The ONLY purpose of the FIRST day of your new morning exercise habit is so that you can have a SECOND day of your new morning exercise habit. That's it. This is about establishing the habit, not about transforming yourself into a world class athlete before breakfast on day one. Those "exercise people" you admire (or hate, or both) have a secret. Wanna hear it? They don't abuse themselves. They have built themselves up through simply being consistent. Start out with something really simple like a 10 minute walk or bike ride. Trust me, build the HABIT first and then, after you are in a routine, then worry about stepping it up.
3. Plug into a network.
One of the most effective ways to keep motivated do anything is to connect with other people. The most basic way to accomplish this is to tell a lot of people about your plans to do morning exercise. As you tell them, think bout how uncomfortable you will feel when they ask you about it (and you know someone will ask), if all you did were some reps on the snooze bar. If you want to step it up a bit, get a workout partner. The buddy system really works for exercise because you will motivate one another. On the days that your a ball of energy and they are dragging their butt, you will likely give it a swift kick for them. As a result, they will be very anxious to return the favor on days when your dragging yours. A partner also helps with appointment setting. You are less likely to ditch your morning walk when you know your best buddy is waiting out in the cold.
Not a big fan of working out with an entourage? That does not mean that you can't plug-in. Try posting your activities on social media. Apps like "MapMyRide," "MapMyRun" and "MyFitnessPal" will keep track of your route including distance and time. This is a great way to create accountability. Many apps will even send you a weekly workout summary.
An even more creative way to use these apps is to take a challenge. This is where you commit to, let's say, ride your bike the same distance as the Tour de France in a month.
4. Give it some love
Ok, so you hate working out but, do you really hate everything about it? Is there anything you could do to put a little love into it? Sometimes this is as simple as just reflecting on what there is to love about the exercise you are already doing. It's so easy to focus on the negative. One thing that works is to mentally break the exercise down. Stop thinking "I just hate exercising" and start contemplating what you don't like about it. Then, think of at least three positives for each negative. So, you hate sweating but you love the way you feel afterward. You love the natural high, you love the bragging rights and you love the feeling of accomplishment. Maybe you can even re-frame sweating as a purging of toxins from your body and begin to appreciate the perspiration. OK, maybe not but, I do.
How about just searching for something you really love. I love kayaking. Did I always love kayaking. No. How could I? I was a 400 pound man. I didn't fit in a kayak. Then, after losing my first 100 pounds, I tried it. That's the key. I tried it with an open mind. At first I sucked at it and didn't love it. I saw potential in it though. I created three positives for each negative and pushed on. Same for trail biking and rock climbing. Still not a big fan of running. I only do that when I am in a hotel with a crappy gym. What are my three positives? 1. I get to do a little sight seeing, 2. I love the rush of endorphins, 3. I feel really accomplished. BTW, there are more.
How about coupling your exercise with something you do love. In the winter, I exercise indoors which I do not love. I do however, love movies and vintage TV. Enter my iPad and Netflix. The rule for me though is that I do not watch unless I exercise. I really leverage this when I workout through half a movie. Then I am excited to workout the next day so that I can see how it ends. Are you a gamer? Why can't you play while you exercise? Music, of course, is a mainstay of the exercise crowd but, so are audiobooks. Why not tone your mind while toning your body?
Another way is find the love is to get help. Do it with someone you love (see tip #3). Not only will you both get stronger but, so will your relationship.
5. Give it purpose.
"He who has a why can bear almost any how." ~Friedrich Nietzsche
Nothing is a powerful as purpose. When you connect your exercise to a deep purpose, it sure helps get you out of bed in the morning.
I truly believe that my life is an example to others. I know when people read my writing, attend my workshops or see my lectures, they assume I exercise. Since it is important for me to "walk my talk," my exercise has a purpose way beyond simply staying fit. I have connected my exercise to my authenticity and my ability to change peoples lives.
I also know that my exercise helps my mental wellbeing. I am all out of sorts when I don't get my workout. This, in turn, keeps me from being at my best that day. Since my mental performance is important to me, so is my exercise. See the connection? The more important connections you make between exercise and what you want or who you want to be, the easier it will be to get off the snooze bar and get out of bed.
How about donating your workout to charity? My favorite motivator is to leverage my workouts for a good cause. This works best when you do it in a way that challenges you. So, don't just sign up for the relay for life and do a few laps on event day. Train for your event as if your performance mattered. If you have never run a 5K before, sign up for a charity 5K and train to actually run it. That means getting serious. Last year, I paddled to the very edge of my comfort zone and went right around Long Island NY. It was over 270 miles of the most challenging paddling I could imagine. The only reason I could do it was because I trained hard and my motivator was the charity to which I committed.
6. Celebrate.
Last but, by no means least, is celebrate. Celebrate every workout! First and foremost, take a moment to inventory all the good things you feel after working out. Acknowledge the feeling of accomplishment and the tingling of your muscles. Whatever the feeling is to you, it is not going to help you motivate if you don't acknowledge it.
Equally important is to create a pleasure ritual at the end of each workout that you can look forward to. Maybe it's a warm soak in the tub. Maybe it's that first cup of coffee. For me, it's that cherished hour at the coffee shop with my Kindle. The key is to make it a true celebration of the workout. If you don't workout, don't do the celebration.
Another hint is not to center your pleasure ritual around high calorie food. So, maybe that post-exercise trip to the pastry shop is not a good idea.
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