First off, don’t do what you don’t like to do.
Don’t join a gym if you don’t like working out by yourself or don’t know what you’re doing or feel self conscious about it. Just don’t add that guilt of making the decision, spending money and not following through. You don’t need that.
Have a why statement for getting healthy and decide what that looks like.
What’s your end goal? Simply building the habit of intentional movement each day IS a measurable goal, it’s big enough, 28 days makes a goal. After 28 days you aren’t struggling to do it anymore, ta da, you did it.
Take baby steps.
This is really easy if you’re okay with starting small and sloppy. If you’re willing to take messy unproductive baby steps that leave you falling on your butt half the time, you’re going to make it.
You’ve got to start by taking small but size chunks, and stop letting the guilt in when you don’t do it perfectly or every day. It’s okay. You’re not perfect. You’re human and it’s about growth, slow growth.
Easy and free ways to start working out
Go for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, it doesn’t require you to wear anything special. Just get outside and take a short walk. Let 5 minutes or once around the block be enough for you – remember, small, imperfect baby steps.
Find a YouTube video workout for a specific need (like posture or bad knees or libido yoga)
Have a dance party in the living room. Create a playlist full of songs you can’t sit still when you hear (keep it simple, it doesn’t have to be long. You wanna move for ten minutes, that’s just 3 songs!) In our house – because it’s full of little boys – these dance parties always turn into wrestling matches and pillow fights, but that still counts as a workout.
Stretching or Pilates while your kids are in the bath. This idea comes from Robin at The Balanced Life and it has totally changed the way I view my time.
Practice good posture while driving, waiting, sweeping, sitting, etc – stomach tight, shoulders rolled back and down, booty tucked under.
Make everything a little bit harder than it is – do squats while cooking lunch, deep lunges as you go up stairs, do a dozen calf raises whenever you have to reach something on a high shelf. You can incorporate these movements into everyday life and stop seeing them as a “workout” but instead as building strength at every opportunity.
A few bonus ideas for added motivation
Try something new with a group like aerial yoga, rock climbing, or spin class.
Buy a new workout ‘fit and reusable water bottle. Make it something you look forward to. Get yourself something you already feel amazing in and can look forward to putting on and showing up ready to crush it!
Show and Tell:
Get over to Instagram and share a photo of your WHY! Everyone’s feeds are going to be filled with selfies at the gym or up close pics of their blender bottles, I want to see the reason why you are making lifestyle shifts and focusing on your health. Don’t forget to tag me so I can see!
Brittni Clarkson 