Five Ways to Stick to Your Exercise Routine

Full disclosure, I have no degree in anything related to exercise or health, and I am far from a gym rat. However, over the past couple months I have been able to finally stick to a exercise schedule. In this article I'm going to try to explain the steps I took to finally reach a continuous exercise habit.

For a while, I tried to stick to a running/lifting schedule by myself. But, a good playlist can only go so far. Having someone in your corner going through the same exercises and routines can make you feel like you're not alone. Not only can the buddy system keep you entertained on a run, but it can help you push yourself harder. Your buddy can keep you on pace on a run and be there to spot you while you're lifting. With two people you can cross-train by playing basketball, racquetball, and other one-on-one sports to improve cardio.

Before I was able to finally stick to a routine, all my attempts didn’t last long because I always pushed myself too hard in the beginning. The first day of my new routine I would push myself too hard and either I would be too tired or it would push me to a container of Chunky Monkey and reruns of “The Office.” So, make your first week back easy so you can ease your way into your routine. Keep accomplishing more and more goals and in no time you will reach your end goal.

Make yourself actually want to exercise:

• If your headphones don’t stay in while you are running, get new headphones.
• If it’s too hot, run in the morning or later in the evening.
• If you're not a runner, try biking or swimming.
• Make a good playlist for your runs. A bad song can really ruin a pace and a song with a good beat can really turn a run around.

The important thing is to make your exercise more enjoyable. The more enjoyable you make your routines, the more likely you will be to stay with it.

Before starting you own schedules you should investigate what your end goal is:

1. Weight Loss or Muscle Gain
2. Strength Training or Toning
3. What Supplements? Whey or Protein?

It's important to know how to schedule your exercise and what parts of your body you should be exercising. Without proper research, you could be lifting and running and still be getting nowhere.

A healthy and continuous routine isn't going to be accomplished in a week. It will take time to achieve your end goal. So remember to enjoy accomplishing the small goals along the way. If your plan of attack isn't working, adapt and keep trying. The most important thing is to remain patient.