Maintaining a workout schedule is much more difficult than making one. You may be raring to begin your routine after a visit to your medical weight loss doctor in East Brunswick, but that enthusiastic motivation doesn’t always last. When something else important comes up, our exercise plans are often the first things we give up on, convincing ourselves that skipping just one day won’t hurt.
Make no mistake: your exercise plans are just as important as everything else on your schedule. Without exercise, it will be exceedingly difficult to keep off the weight you lose during medical weight loss, so workouts will need to become a consistent part of your weekly routine. Many people have trouble sticking with an exercise schedule, but you can make it easier on yourself by turning your workouts into a habit, a task you can easily complete without fighting yourself or your busy schedule to do so.
To make exercise habitual, help yourself with:
A Realistic Routine
You may have some preconceived notions of when you’d like to work out, but they may not necessarily match the realities of your lifestyle. If you find yourself frequently skipping workouts that you schedule at a certain time, it may be time to face the facts: that time period just isn’t working for you.
The best time to exercise is whenever you’ll actually get it done. Don’t make the mistake of optimistically planning 7 a.m. workouts only to snooze through every day—plan to exercise at times that don’t conflict with your habits or responsibilities. Many people find themselves struggling to fit long blocks of exercise into busy days, and that’s OK. Instead, split your workout into chunks, exercising in five or 10-minute bursts that add up to a full-length workout.
Of course, even the most expertly devised schedule will do little good if you can’t remember it. Be sure to record your schedule in a planner, calendar, spreadsheet or scheduling app on your phone. The latter option is especially beneficial, as you’ll be able to access it any time and set reminders that jog your memory and tell you to hit the gym.
A Worthy Workout
Many exercise routines are so unsustainable because people simply do not want to do them. Boring workouts are hard to get excited about, even with your medical weight loss doctor’s insistence. If you spend your exercise time doing something you actually love, or exploring things you’ve never tried before, you may find that motivating yourself becomes significantly simpler. Sign up for a class, exercise with a friend, explore an outdoor workout—think outside the box and remember that exercise never has to be predictable or dull.
If you’re having trouble sticking with your exercise program, don’t hesitate to ask for your weight loss doctor’s help. Dr. Liu may be able to offer a few pointers that get you moving in the direction of a workout plan that works for you.
