This Is How to Create a Workout Routine You’ll Follow

When it comes to workout routines, one rule is always true: what you do is way less important than how often you do it.

Why is this important? Simple: fitness, like jobs or first dates, will only hold your attention if it makes you feel good. That’s why the best way to stay committed to workouts is to find a routine you’re excited about.

Not sure how to create a workout routine that won’t get old by the third week? Check out our guide below for some useful tips and tricks!

Find Your Inspiration

We all know that working out comes with many benefits. It helps us stay fit, tones our muscles, and improves our mental and physical health.

The thing is, these are all vague reasons for exercising. Oftentimes, they won’t be enough to get you to the gym if you’ve had a stressful day. If you want to stick to your routine, you’ll need a more specific inspiration.

Let’s say your workout motivation is to lose weight. Are you doing it to impress others or feel better about yourself? The more you explore the true reason behind your workouts, the easier it will be to get motivated.

Start Small

When you were a baby, you had to take everything one step at a time. In fact, before you even learned how to walk, you had to learn to crawl.

Exercising works much the same way. Instead of committing to a one-hour routine right off the bat, start with 30 minutes. Once you’re confident you’ve mastered that, you can start thinking about increasing the workload.

Basic psychology states that dreaming big will make you discouraged easier. Once you can’t see how you’ll reach your goals, you’ll be more likely to give up. Avoid that by setting the right goals from the start.

Another reason to start small is that your body may not be ready for intense workouts. If you take on more than you can handle early on, you risk tearing a muscle or a tendon.

Plan Ahead

For many people, a lack of time is the ideal excuse for not exercising. If you don’t want it to happen to you, you’ll need to schedule your workouts.

Dedicate ten minutes on a Sunday to see what you’ll have on the next week. Then, plan your workouts for when you know you’ll be free. That way, you’ll find it much easier to carry through with your decisions.

See, your brain needs to make thousands of decisions each day. At some point, it will be too tired to stay rational. Scheduling your workouts is the perfect solution for avoiding making decisions on that day.

Set Your Goals

When it comes to how to exercise more, creating the right routine counts a lot. But how do you pick a routine for your needs?

In truth, this is easier than it may sound. First, assess your fitness level—is it basic, intermediate, or advanced? Then, figure out your main goal, such as losing weight, toning your arms, or working on your abs.

With your goal in mind, create a schedule for around three to five days a week. For best results, avoid working out the same muscle groups on consecutive days. The body needs 48 hours to recover from the tougher exercises.

Be Consistent

One of the most important tips for exercising is to be as consistent as possible. That’s the only way you’ll see actual results.

Think of sticking to your fitness routine as building a habit. Ideally, it would become second nature, like driving a car or brushing teeth. Instead of convincing yourself to do it, it happens almost by itself.

If you stay consistent, you’ll soon start seeing results. You’ll be fitter, your cardiovascular health will improve, and your muscles will grow stronger. That will give you the confidence you’ll get to the desired fitness level.

Join a Community

As the old saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Joining like-minded people can be a big help for sticking to your workout routine.

Think of it this way: humans are social creatures. That’s why sharing your workout struggles with others helps you overcome them. It’s also easier to talk yourself out of going to the gym than to tell your friends that.

Finally, we all know that starting something new can be scary. By becoming part of a community, that first step won’t seem nearly as intimidating. Join a local gym or find a workout buddy to see what we mean!

Celebrate Small Wins

Any fitness journey is hard, so you should celebrate the wins along the way. There’s nothing wrong with feeling proud of how far you’ve come!

Of course, some wins are harder to notice than others. Let’s say your goal is to lose pounds, but the scale doesn’t show it yet. You can still celebrate small wins, such as feeling better or improving your balance.

Tracking your progress goes a long way here. That can involve using a workout app or a workout journal. By tracking how much you run or how many calories you burn, noticing small wins will be easier.

As for your rewards, a fancy dinner with friends will do the trick. You can also get some fun activewear that will help with your workouts. For example, Nike React for women are some of the best running shoes out there.

Don’t Judge Yourself

Despite all the benefits of exercising, keeping up with your routine is hard. Sometimes, you simply won’t feel like working out.

Here’s the thing: this is fine. Very few people have the motivation to stick to their fitness schedule every single day. Be honest with yourself and accept the fact that this will happen to you as well.

In the long run, getting rid of the all-or-nothing mentality will only help you. The fact that you don’t feel like working out doesn’t make you a failure. Give yourself some credit and take a day off once in a while.

That Is How to Create a Workout Routine

At the end of the day, knowing how to create a workout routine is about having fun. Whether you want to get fitter, lose pounds, or tone your body, our tips above will help you do it efficiently and with style.

Want to know more about the importance of staying fit? Keep checking out our Health section!