How do I find the discipline? What worked for you?

[Anonymous]

Mid-40s woman. Was always thin, and exercised occasionally but not regularly. I’d like to lose 10 lbs but honestly am more concerned about aging. I just notice I fatigue more easily and have a hard time doing things that used to be easy (move furniture, long hikes etc). I know I need to do strength training 2-3xs week, and some cardio, probably walking. The only exercise I love is yoga. I get spurts of motivation but life/kids/2nd job make it hard to maintain.

If you work out and stick to it, what worked for you? I’m the worst with follow through and my work ethic isn’t great if I’m
not doing it for a job. I need some kind of accountability group.
Or inspirational book I return to again and again. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I made an amazing playlist which helped a ton. Also, my teen daughter said she hoped I would live longer than grandma did.

[Anonymous]

For me, the only thing that lasts is making it part of my routine. Every Monday, I do strength videos after my staff meeting. Or whatever. So you don’t choose to do it anymore than you choose to eat lunch.

[Anonymous]

It helps that I go even if I do a really lame workout-like 2 sets of 5 and 15 minutes on the elliptical. I have “permission” in my mind to completely wimp out if I’m not feeling it so I am able to haul my reluctant ass in. The vast majority of the time I have a great workout and am glad a I went and 1 in 20 times I do a wimpy workout.

[Anonymous]

Playlist-that’s a great idea

[Anonymous]

Agree with routine poster. It’s the only way it sticks for me. I have a schedule (M/Th/Sa strength at 7am, W/F peloton at 7) I’m specific about the time because when I tried to tell myself “workout in the AM” something always got in the way. If I put it off for later, something always comes up. Be realistic about a time that will work and write it on your calendar and show up for yourself.

I’m a chaotic person by nature but have worked hard to stick to helpful habits in the past couple of years and it’s been life changing. Highly recommend reading Gretchen Rubins book on habits.

[Anonymous]

I just make myself get up early and do something with at least one other person. It makes me accountable and over time I have become used to getting up early. I’m now 50 and have been a daily exerciser for 10 years. You can’t rely on motivation but you can develop habits.

[Anonymous]

Here’s how I did it. I started with bikini body guide which is, lol, very 2016, but it allowed me to do 3-4 workouts IN MY HOME, this was key, rhat were only 28 minutes each. Just starting, that was challenging enough. Since I could do it in my house and it was only 28 minutes every other day, I literally had no excuses. There was no reason to ever justify missing one of those workouts. The 2021 equivalent of that program might be workouts on the Peloton app (you don’t need a Peloton and their workouts are actually REALLY good- Ben, Rebecca and Adrian will really challenge you).

In 8-9 months I did BBG1 twice and BBG2 and then realized I had progressed and needed more challenge . By that time, the discipline of the routine had been established. It was simply my normal to work out 3-4x a week, because it had become a consistent established pattern. I then moved onto weight training and for the last 5 years have consistently progressed with that. My body looks amazing and my discipline is rock solid. There are days I don’t want to go, but I get up and go and usually have a great workout. The very few times I’ve gotten to the gym after not wanting to go and still feel like crap 10 minutes in, I allow myself to leave but I think it’s only happened twice.

[Anonymous]

Set a timer for 10 minutes and just do something. Just 10 minutes. Just get started. How do you feel afterwards?

[Anonymous]

I got a hound. If he doesn’t get a run or a long walk he is a total mess and eats my socks. I got sick of buying new socks and pulling strings out of him, so I run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s how I did it. I started with bikini body guide which is, lol, very 2016, but it allowed me to do 3-4 workouts IN MY HOME, this was key, rhat were only 28 minutes each. Just starting, that was challenging enough. Since I could do it in my house and it was only 28 minutes every other day, I literally had no excuses. There was no reason to ever justify missing one of those workouts. The 2021 equivalent of that program might be workouts on the Peloton app (you don’t need a Peloton and their workouts are actually REALLY good- Ben, Rebecca and Adrian will really challenge you).

In 8-9 months I did BBG1 twice and BBG2 and then realized I had progressed and needed more challenge . By that time, the discipline of the routine had been established. It was simply my normal to work out 3-4x a week, because it had become a consistent established pattern. I then moved onto weight training and for the last 5 years have consistently progressed with that. My body looks amazing and my discipline is rock solid. There are days I don’t want to go, but I get up and go and usually have a great workout. The very few times I’ve gotten to the gym after not wanting to go and still feel like crap 10 minutes in, I allow myself to leave but I think it’s only happened twice.

BBG has an app now too - SWEAT by Kayla Itsines and they have a low impact program. She's pretty good; peloton is also really good (and less $$).

[Anonymous]

Classes. You pay for it ahead of time and it’s at a set time, so you have to show up. Even a zoom class. I think peloton has this in addition to on demand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Classes. You pay for it ahead of time and it’s at a set time, so you have to show up.

Yes. This worked for me when I started. And once you know people in the class you have this feeling that you'd disappoint them if you didn't show up even though they probably wouldn't notice or care. And I felt a ridiculous feeling of competition, like if I missed a class they'd be getting stronger than me and that couldn't be allowed to happen.

[Anonymous]

I established a routine and the habit of a daily workout through accountability, back as a high school student. Once I got into that routine and had those habits set, I go on autopilot. I'm in my mid-40s (30+ years after I started) and still working out daily.

You need to find a way to make it a routine, whether through classes you play for, an accountability buddy, whatever--and do that long enough to make it a habit. Then, keep going. I don't question that I'll work out daily, I just decide what to do. I work FT and have three elementary kids, so I can't rely on motivation.

[Anonymous]

Routine routine routine. Set a weekly schedule, not even necessarily what you will do but a hard time schedule. Then do it and do not cheat for at least 2-3 months. By then it will be a habit and you'll have some personal momentum to take it forward. You will WANT to exercise. But it will take a few weeks of just being super serious and forcing the discipline before that happens.