How Do You Do It?
Recently I was asked, “how do you do it”?
“How do you go outside and run in bad weather?”
“How do you workout at all different times of the day?”
“How do you stay motivated?”
The answer is both simple and not that simple. I just do it.
I have come to terms with the fact that there will always be things I can’t control and things I can control. While I can’t control the weather and while there will always be unexpected occurrences in my day, one thing I can control is how I respond. For example, if the weather is bad I know I have a few options. First, I can accept that the weather is bad and just roll with it. Second, I can look at my schedule and see if I can realistically reschedule the run to a different day/time. And third, I can choose not to do it.
To be honest, all are valid options. Training in bad weather is useful if you are training for a race because, again, we can’t control the weather and it's good to practice in various conditions. Rescheduling a workout may be the best option if it's not safe or just completely impractical to run. And missing one workout will not derail progress.
It also probably comes as no surprise that I love a good challenge. Things that feel difficult, present me with an opportunity to learn. So rather than walking away from something that feels difficult, I tend to confront it.
This does not mean that I don’t get frustrated or that every workout I do is hard. In fact the majority of my workouts (specifically for running) are easy. The challenge in running easy is just that, to slow down. Just because we can push hard, doesn’t mean that we should.
As for motivation, I am not always motivated. There are plenty of times when I would simply rather not do my workout. Over the years I have learned that I can’t rely on motivation to get to my goals. What I can rely on is discipline.
I schedule my workouts in my planner just like I would any other appointment. This helps to hold myself accountable.
There will always be setbacks, obstacles, obligations, and life events that we can’t control. We all have vastly different responsibilities, work schedules, and home lives. What works for me is definitely not going to be the same for someone else.
If you are struggling with motivation, adjusting to a new routine, or trying to “fit it all” into your schedule, here are a few options to consider:
Take a look at what you're prioritizing. We can only juggle so many responsibilities at the same time. Maybe you have started a new job, or have been healing from an injury or illness, or have had a lot of stress, or have had a lot of events in your schedule. These things may have been (or maybe still are) your priority. And that is ok! When you feel like you’re ready to start adding in fitness, remember that 1x a week is better than 0 times a week, 15-20 minutes is always better than 0 minutes, and starting slow is still starting.
Remember that motivation is unreliable. With anything you will have setbacks, obstacles, and times where you simply don’t want to do it. Find other ways to hold yourself accountable such as making your workout fun (or something you enjoy doing), scheduling your workouts in a planner, set a goal, or working with a program or a trainer to hold you accountable.
Ask for help. Trying to figure out when you will workout is only part of the puzzle. The other piece is what will you do during your workout? Trying to manage a schedule and design your own workouts can feel overwhelming. This where following a program or hiring a trainer can help! This way all you have to do is show up and not worry about what to do when you get there.
Start with a warm-up. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you don’t want to do your workout because you actually need a rest day or if your simply feeling unmotivated. When this happens I always suggest starting with your warm-up. If you start your warm-up and you begin to feel better, great! Keep going. If you start your warm-up and your still not feel good OR if you feel worse, than stop.
Set goals. Setting a goal can help motivate you to start and keep you motivated throughout the journey. The mistake that I see made is we set a goal, but don’t think about the actual steps we will take to get there. This is why I made a goal setting questions worksheet (see below).
Practice. As with most things, the more you practice the better you will get. If starting a new routine, expect to make mistakes. Expect to have setbacks. Expect for things to not go as planned. Instead of looking at these setbacks or obstacles as a failure, look at them as an opportunity to learn, adjust, and practice. It didn’t get it right this week? Practice again next week.
Goal Setting Questions:
The start of a new season can be a great time to revisit out goals. Below are questions that are part of my goal worksheet that I send out to members of my online training groups (Level Up 2.0, Level Up 1.0, and Body Strong) to think about your fitness and wellness goals.
What do you define Wellness as?
Thinking about your definition of Wellness, what goals come in mind for your training? Be as specific as possible.
If your goal is weight focused (example: I want to lose 10lbs) can you think of one more goal of yours that is not weight focused? Examples could be to workout 3 days per week, cook more meals at home, complete a pull-up, complete a push-up, run a mile, lunge without knee pain etc.
What are the simplest, easiest things you can do to accomplish this goal? What are the easiest steps you can take?
What are the most optimal, most ideal things you can do to accomplish this goal? What are the most optimal steps you can take?
What is somewhere in between these two options?
Thinking of your answers to the above questions, which steps feel like a good fit right now?