I’m not an expert when it comes to movement, and not gonna lie, I’m only at the beginning of adding it into my life. However I think I have made some mental progress that I’d like to share. I used to be in a loop of trying to get into fitness by getting a spike of motivation and doing a few workouts a couple days in a row and then I’d be drained of energy, or I wouldn’t have time to keep up with the workouts. So I always fell out of the habit before I had even formed it. In this post I share tips on how to get out of that loop and actually become someone who moves their body regularly.
Shifting the motive from looks to health
I think my motive has played the biggest role in making movement a solid part of my routine. Years ago, I only wanted to get in better shape physically and I didn’t care much about any health aspects. I still do care about my looks, but I changed my priority to genuinely wanting to feel better and be healthier, and that has made movement feel a lot more meaningful.
This ties into finding the right ways to move for you. If you are only focused on appearance and doing specific workouts targeted on your insecurities, no wonder movement feels like a chore and unenjoyable. When I started prioritising movement that felt good, such as walking, stretching, dancing, doing handstands, bouldering, badminton, tennis etc., I started to like moving my body. Now I sometimes even like to do quick home workouts as well, because I genuinely have fallen in love with moving my body.
As a woman it is also important to remember that your menstrual cycle can have a huge impact on how you feel in different phases of your cycle. For me, the luteal phase is the most difficult, since that is when I experience a very noticeable drop in my energy levels. I recommend reading more about the hormonal changes during your cycle, it can help you understand your body’s needs in each phase. Here’s one simple resource explaining What Happens to Your Blood Glucose Levels During Your Menstrual Cycle. But back to the movement, be gentle on your body during the low energy days. Maybe choose light movement, like going on a walk or stretching. If you want to do a workout, maybe don’t force yourself to do as many reps or lift as much weight as you normally would.
Another tip for getting into traditional workouts is, maybe you don’t need to count your reps right from the start or even do a specific amount of sets. At least I started with focusing on how the movement actually feels and trying to find the right form. When you’re working out, the point isn’t to just get it done, the point is to actually focus on what you’re doing. Be interested in it, that’s how you make it a habit.
How rest, nutrition and your schedule affect your ability to make movement a habit
There are still a few other aspects to making regular movement a habit other than the movement itself. Surprise surprise, sleeping and eating right do have a noticeable impact on whether or not you are able to keep up with the habit. In my opinion there is a cycle – it’s hard to have energy to move your body if you are eating poorly, and it’s hard to eat right if you are sleeping poorly. So start with rest and getting enough sleep. I’ve noticed, when I’m sleeping enough I get less cravings and it’s easier to eat healthier. And obviously when I’m eating healthier and sleeping right, I have more energy to move my body. That being said, I do struggle with going to sleep, and I’m currently working on it, so I’ll be sharing a post on that topic sooner or later. (:
A busy schedule also makes it hard to find time for movement, but there are some ways you can incorporate it into your existing routine. Walking, for example, is quite easy to add into anyone’s daily life. Walk a little longer part of your route to work or school. If you’re taking a bus, choose to get on at the stop that’s a bit farther away than the one closest to you, or hop off a bit earlier. If you’re driving by your car, park it farther away than you usually would. And take stairs more often, rather than the elevator. I promise, small changes like these are not for nothing, they really do make a difference in how you feel.
I like to aim for at least 7 500 steps a day, but I wouldn’t advise getting too attached to the number. Honestly, if you want to set a goal, set a reasonable one for you, even 2 000 steps a day is better than 100. The point is to just walk, not collect steps, so the goal should be maintainable. People online have decided that 10k steps a day is the right goal, and yes, it is maybe ideal, but if it’s not maintainable for you, feel free to aim for less. You can always work your way up once the habit of walking more has been made.
Key takeaways
- Focus on your health and how you feel rather than your appearance. Find enjoyable ways to move your body. I started with walking and stretching, and that was enough to create the habit of moving.
- When doing traditional workouts, start by focusing on how it feels and the form. Counting the reps and doing a specific amount of sets is not that important.
- Menstrual cycle can have a huge impact on your energy levels, so be gentle on yourself on low energy days.
- Start with sleeping and resting enough, that way you’ll get less cravings. Then it’s easier to eat healthier. Once you eat healthier and sleep right, you’ll have more energy to move your body.
- Walking more than before is a small but easy change you can make and it will make a difference in how you feel.