How to create (and enjoy) a consistent exercise routine
It’s pretty wacky that by spending energy you can actually get more energy, but that is the beautiful paradox of exercise. It’s also what I’ve personally discovered to be true as I’ve focused on cultivating an exercise routine during my healthy living project.
Exercise holds so much power! It has the potential to unlock a happier, more energetic you. But I know it can also feel overwhelming, intimidating, and like a total drag. Stick with me and get a fresh batch of motivation to move your body (and gain more stamina and strength), get access to my personal workout routine, and get the tools to make exercise a part of your normal, everyday life.
Sound enticing? Read on!
First, a pep talk to help you actually want to exercise
Everyone wants a quick win, am I right? Exercise provides that. The moment you work out, you feel different. Your heart gets pumping, life-giving blood flows throughout the nooks and crannies in your body. Plus, exercise helps you avoid a MYRIAD of chronic diseases and ailments. So many that it’s almost unbelievable.
But beyond that, exercise can help you feel happier, thanks to the release of feel-good endorphins, and in some cases be as effective as antidepressants!₁ It also can increase energy pretty immediately, thanks to the release of the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine.₂
This is nasty, but as a college student during finals, I actually used to go into the bathroom of the library and do some push-ups when I hit a slump. I definitely washed my hands after but still… pretty gross. It did help me perk up though! And as far as I know, I never caught a disease.
In the long term, exercise gives you more stamina by promoting mitochondria growth, otherwise known as “the powerhouse of the cell.” These little factories are king at giving you energy. It also helps you use oxygen more efficiently which also boosts long-term energy.₃
Plus, the exertion of exercise helps you sleep better! Which naturally leads to increased energy, a better mood, and a stronger immune system.
As a part of my year-long healthy living project, I’ve been focusing on creating and following an exercise routine. And I’m happy to report that it’s worked really really well. I already feel stronger, more toned, and more emotionally stable.
So let’s talk about how I created a consistent routine, the lessons I learned, and the ways you can adapt this to your own beautiful and unique life.
How to create a consistent exercise routine
I’m often asked, what’s the best exercise routine? The answer is… the one you’ll actually do!
The best advice I’ve ever received is to “lower the barrier to entry.” Have you ever found yourself wanting to start working out, but are waiting for that perfect moment when you can carve out an hour each day, buy a gym membership, or hire a personal trainer? I know I have. And then… that perfect moment never comes. And you miss out on all the beautiful gifts exercise provides that could be yours even in a really imperfect scenario.
And so I suggest, lowering the bar. Could you exercise for 15 min? How about 5? That’s a perfect place to start! In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear even advocates for simply starting with the goal of changing into exercise clothes. Long term, you will optimize this habit, but for starters, simply start. As Clear says, “You have to standardize before you can optimize.”₄
My focus, and what I would encourage you to focus on is “becoming the kind of person who doesn’t miss workouts”₅ rather than only working out when you can fit in an hour-long, muscle-shredding workout.
What kind of exercise routine could you commit to doing? And how often? Once a week for 5 minutes for starters if just fine! Choose something that you are confident you could accomplish 90% of the time. And allow for real life. Maybe when life is perfect you could commit to 30 minutes 5 times a week. But life isn’t going to be perfect. Know that and adjust accordingly.
For me, this translated into me “counting” any kind of exercise as long as it was a deliberate workout. 10 minute walk? Great. 15-minute easy yoga? Made the cut. The focus was on deliberately carving out time for exercise and as I’ve solidified that habit and my body has adapted, I’ve started enjoying more challenging workouts.
In the beginning of my healthy living project, I started with really easy cardio workouts. I weight-lifted at home as well, but did a pretty basic workout really similar to this one, but only did one set of each exercise, instead of 2-3. This took away any intimidation factor. I could get workouts done really quickly (in like 20 minutes) and it was realistic on most days.
As I’ve advanced, my current workout is more focused on muscular development. I thought it might be fun for you to see what a personal trainer’s workout is like, so here you go! It will definitely change as my goals adapt, but this is my current workout routine!
Workout A
Typically on Monday & Friday, and then only on Wednesday the following week
Core & balance - 1 set
Stir the pot - 10 rotations each way
Stability ball dead bug - 10 reps each leg
Flutter kick - 20 reps
Staggered feet side plank - hold 1 min on each side
Strength - 3 sets
Dumbbell goblet squat, 10 reps
Dumbbell bicep curl, 10 reps
Dumbbell farmer walk, 1 minute
Dumbbell seated shoulder press, 10 reps
Dumbbell calf raise, 10 reps
Dumbbell bench press, 10 reps
Dumbbell single-arm bent-over row, 10 reps
Cool down
Stretch anything tight - usually wrists, quads, hamstrings, back, and neck
Workout B
Typically on Wednesday, and then on Monday & Friday the following week
Core & balance - 1 set
Prone plank - hold for 40 seconds
Superband bird dog
Mini band single-leg deadlift
Assisted leg lower to bolster
Strength - 3 sets
Dumbbell glute bridge floor - 10 reps
Dumbbell seated bent over row - 10 reps
Dumbbell alternating reverse lunge - 10 reps each leg
Dumbbell lateral raise -10 reps
Dumbbell flat bench chest fly - 10 reps
Assisted pull-ups - 10 reps
Cool-down
Stretch anything tight - usually wrists, quads, hamstrings, back and neck
Cardio
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I typically do some kind of cardio. This could be as simple as going for a walk. Most often, I follow along to a HIIT Youtube video (strictly cardio, no added dumbbells since I’m getting plenty of that already) by Juice and Toya or Bodyfit by Amy. You can see 13 of my favorite cardio videos here.
Flexibility
On Saturday I typically follow along with this flexibility workout. It challenges me and makes me feel so good after. Or I might do a gentle yoga routine like this beginner morning yoga workout.
How to make your new exercise habit stick and start to love it
It’s inevitable. The moment anyone starts working out consistently, they promptly either get hit with an illness, their kids get sick, or they have a vacation come up.
So let’s talk about how to make your exercise habit stick, come what may.
In Atomic Habits, James Clear outlines 4 laws to create a habit. These laws are bricks of gold and have made working out easier, simpler, and more fun in my own life.
1st Law: Make it obvious
To make exercise front and center in my life, I moved my exercise equipment into a high-traffic area of the house where I am bound to see it multiple times a day.
I also created a sticker chart for my workouts. I labeled it with the date for all of my workouts (basically every day of the month except Sundays). Each day that I do deliberate exercise, I put a sticker on the corresponding date. The sticker chart is on the fridge so I see it all day.
Since it’s on the fridge, my family sees my chart and I get to explain to my children what it’s for. I also get a teasing nudge from Brenden if I fall behind.
Another way I make it obvious is that I workout out 6 days a week. I know this is not for everyone. The reason I do this is because for some reason it’s easier for me to exercise 6 days a week than 5, 4, or 3. I also thrive off having the same portion of the morning blocked off for exercise each day. I’m never wondering if I’m due to exercise today.
I also typically exercise at the same time each day. After the kids have breakfast, I turn on a show for them, or invite them to exercise with me. They expect it and I expect it at this point, no fuss. Usually.
LAW 2: Make it attractive
To make it attractive, I listen to a playlist I reserve only for workouts. It’s a really fun, cliché playlist and I love it. And since “neurons that fire together wire together”₆ my brain feels ready to exercise once I get that music pumping.
I also do workouts I typically enjoy (even if I don’t always enjoy them at the moment, I enjoy how they feel after).
I also have cute & comfy workout clothes, even though I typically exercise at home. Usually, I throw on my soft tank and leggings first thing in the morning and my brain is like, “It’s go time.”
Law 3: Make it easy
To make the habit of exercise easier, my equipment is right where I need it to be. In the past I had to pull out my dumbbells from the closet and it was so much work. That needed effort alone was often enough to discourage me from working out.
I also bought a sturdy exercise mat to make it easier to work out with comfort without getting the carpet dirty. And I keep my portable speaker in the room where I workout.
Additionally, I took some deliberate time to plan out my lifting workouts so I know exactly what I am doing each weight training day.
Law 4: Make it satisfying
Wearing an exercise tracker (my Apple Watch) makes exercise so satisfying. I know that’s kind of silly, but closing that little green ring on the watch just gives me this tiny hit of dopamine that is so nice.
But I’ll be honest, it takes a lot more than kudos from my Apple watch to make me feel rewarded for doing something hard. My sticker chart on the fridge has been the best thing for me. I try to put a sticker on it right after my workout to reinforce the satisfaction of working out.
Every two weeks that I hit my workout goal 90% of the time, I get myself a little reward. The first time I bought myself some cute artsy earrings. The second time I got myself a cute T-shirt. These were little things that didn’t break the bank but that I also wouldn’t just buy for myself for no reason.
Exercise also carries it’s own reward, I am at the point where I definitely crave it each day and start getting really antsy if I haven’t yet worked out. iEventually I probably won’t need an external reward, but for now this system is working really well for me and it’s something fun to look forward to.
Troubleshooting
Look, you’re going to miss workouts sometimes and that’s okay.
But a strategy that can help you get back on track is to “never miss twice.” As James Clear says, “One mistake is just an outlier. Two mistakes is the beginning of a pattern.”₇
Bad days happen, but if I miss one workout, you can be sure that the next day my workout is prioritized as urgent and important. And if that’s a 5 minute walk, that’s fine. My priority is becoming an active person who exercises regularly.
On low energy weeks (hello period) or sick days, my workouts will be really light. And that’s okay. Like if I really can’t get out of bed obviously I’m not going to exercise, but there are few times when I haven’t benefitted from some kind of deliberate movement.
I also always know in the back of my mind that something is better than nothing. So if I really can’t motivate myself to do my scheduled workout, I’ll do something else that I can wrap my head around.
Challenges
Here are the challenges I’ve encountered while focusing on creating and following an exercise routine.
A bit of pain in my ankle. I’ve been keeping a close watch on this. I have regressed any exercises causing me pain and will be working on strengthening my feet. As much as I want to get stronger, I absolutely must prioritize avoiding injury.
A great side effect of getting stronger is that I’m outgrowing some of my weights. And exercise equipment can be expensive! My approach is to increase intensity in other ways but eventually I will need some heavier weights and/or perhaps some kind of bar. For now I am literally using a yoga ball, pull-up bar resistance bands, dumbbells (up to 25 lbs) and a piano bench lol. But hey it works!
Now that I do 3 sets of exercise, my weight training workouts typically take 45 minutes. As I have followed the same routine over and over however, I am getting a lot faster. As long as I can keep my kids entertained, it’s usually fine.
The biggest challenge - getting a shower in. This is the toughest flow to figure out. After my kids have been so patient during my exercise, I feel bad making them wait longer while I shower and get ready for the day. But the rest of my day usually is better when I take the time to freshen up and look cute. Still working out this flow. Any suggestions are welcome!
Next up: eating mindfully
The next phase of my healthy living project is eating mindfully. The purpose of this habit is to help me better tune into my hunger/fullness cues, avoid overeating, enjoy food more, and simply slow down.
Here’s my plan:
Make it obvious: Create a sticker chart on the fridge with an associated reward (since it’s been so effective). Maybe I’ll throw up some cute quotes in our kitchen to remind me to slow down.
Make it attractive: play classical or zen music while I eat (as long as I’m not with people, plus when I’m with people I tend to eat more slowly as I chat and enjoy their company). I’ll also work on making the table area of our kitchen and enjoyable and comfortable place to be so that I actually want to be there instead of at my desk or standing at the counter (why do I even do that?).
Make it easy: Sit down each time I eat. You would not believe how much I stand up. Once I’m sitting down, I’m way more likely to slow down. I’m not going to focus on changing any of the foods I’m eating yet, rather I’m just focsing on the process of enjoying and slowing down. I’ll also work on planning enough time for eating so I’m not scrambling so much.
Make it satisfying: If I have eaten most meals mindfully at the end of each day, I will reward myself with a sticker. At the end of the two week stint, I get a reward for hitting at least 90%.
And there you are! You are now equipped with the tools you need to create your own consistent exercise routine! And one that you can enjoy and sustain for pretty much ever. I hope you are feeling empowered and ready to have some fun moving your body. And if you need a beginner workout to get you started, I have a free one for you here!
If you liked this post about how to create and enjoy a consistent workout routine, you may also like these posts:
My Favorite Type of Workout for Core Strength, Balance, and New Weight Lifters
In Need of Some Motivation? Check out This FREE 30-Day Healthy Habits Checklist I Made for You!
Sources
₂https://www.issaonline.com/blog/post/how-to-exercise-to-increase-energy-and-beat-fatigue
₄ https://jamesclear.com/how-to-stop-procrastinating