What is the #1 way to be sucessful in creating an active lifestyle?
Hi Friend.
If you are struggling with not being as active as you WISH, then this is for YOU! In this post you will learn my personal tricks that has helped me become consistent.
Consistency is the #1 way, and the only way, to be successful in creating an active lifestyle.
While it seems obvious, it is also the hardest thing to do. So find out what will keep you consistent. What activities will become apart of your life. What ways can you provide yourself a form of positive feedback and reward to yourself.
Honestly- the first month of working out is NOT about the weight loss or the muscle gain. IT IS ONLY about the consistency. Can you create the habit?
SO - Here is what I DO when the struggle is REAL. PLUS You will also get a quick video of movement if you stick around long enough =)
PERSONAL TRICKS & TIPS:
I am here to share with you what has made it easier for me to be consistent and disciplined with exercise. It is not that I have more will power than you, or that I weirdly like working out every day. NOPE. I struggle too!! BUT- I have created a long and sloooow process of making my wants and wishes into my daily habits. And I want to share with with you HOW I did it!
Start smalllll. And make that consistent - no matter what. So whether it be walking for 5 minutes TOPS, or pressing play to a exercise video and moving for 5 minutes TOPS. Meaning NO MORE than 5 minutes. You do that for a couple weeks- you are designing your brain to adjust to this 5 minute change in your day. It is normal to want to GO BIG and GO ALL OUT ! But the reality is- you have to create the consistent programming first! ( I will share a quickie Hip stretch video later on in this email)
Make it easy for you to commit and hard for you to change your mind. I kid you not- I use to sleep in my workout clothes. YUP. I would shower at night, change into my workout clothes to sleep in. Wake up at 5:45 am and workout immediately before I could change my mind. Many times I would lie in bed and say to myself that I am not getting out of bed. Look down and see my clothes are already on. My water bottle next to my bed already filled. And be like 'crap- I have no reason to not get up'. And just do the damn thing!
Another Option- especially for those that go to the office and want to exercise immediately after working. Before leaving work or ending the work day- you change into your workout clothes! You are getting your brain ready for the next task. And not allowing anything else get in the way. And if you tend to be hungry immediately after work and have to choose between exercising or eating- smash that protein shake/bar/smoothie an hour before the work day ends and hold yourself off a little longer to get through the workout before dinner! Most times, after dinner, we are ready to relax and tuck in for the night.
Remember- It is always hard to keep adding things to our lives. More time to walk, exercise, be a better human, sleep etc. But we only have so many hours in our day! Think about taking away, swapping out or multi-tasking one thing for another. I can easily spend about my first 30 minutes of my day on my phone in the morning on emails and social media. Knowing that I still will probably do it any other time of the day- I will go and walk 30 minutes and STILL be on my phone for emails and social media. Yes I could probably walk without my phone and do sometimes, other times I accept the fact that I WANT to be on my phone and do NOT want to take it away. SO I stack the activities.
Be creative. Look into your day and see how you truly spend it. Start by cultivating the lifestyle by changing clothes to set the scene. And then creating 5 minutes of movement to be a regular part of your week. Soon enough you will be ready to take on 15 minutes of movement!
FREEBIE VIDEO:
When you are ready for 15 minutes of movement, and just want to feel good, warm and ready to tackle the day- this class is for YOU! Movement that is empowering and gives you energy tend to be the movement that you are willing to stick to. If movement takes away your energy- then it will likely be a short term commitment due to burn out. And I am NOT about the burn out life! Ok enjoy and move with me!
xx- Christa Ordonez, your PT and Pilates Bestie
Disclaimer:This is NOT for anyone with active injuries or pain. Reach out to me or your local PT if you are currently in pain to get assessed and avoid additional pain or injury. This video is for educational purposes. As always -pace and listen to your body!