6 Mindset Tips to Keep Your Summer Fitness Routine Consistent
Did you cancel your workout session for the 5th time? Haven’t worked out since the kids got out of school for summer? Has your fitness routine been less consistent over the past few weeks? Believe me, you are not alone.
Longer summer days mean making after-work plans with friends, taking family vacations, and spending weekends at barbecues or the beach. That’s all great, but your old habits may be coming back—you know, the ones you worked so hard to break. While the warm weather allows us to be more active outdoors, scheduling consistent workouts can be a struggle.
It’s easy to let your fitness routine slip in the summer. I totally get it.
Sure, your summer schedule might be less structured, but think for a minute. What else is going on? Is it that you are not prioritizing your health? Have you slipped back into putting yourself and your needs last? Are you going at it alone? We all know it’s easier to say “no” to yourself, especially if you don’t have a fitness trainer or an accountability group in place.
Anyone who has tried to lose weight, tone up or even just simply recommit to exercise knows that the battle is often more mental than physical. And after a few lax weeks, jumpstarting your fitness routine is easier said than done.
So how do we overcome that mental hurdle? Here are 6 fantastic hacks to get your mind in the game and your body back to “feening” the consistent fitness routine.
Start with mini workouts of 5-20 minutes bursts. These short workouts will give you just enough so that you will crave more!
Trim down your goals. Focus on one 1 thing—that is right—just one thing. Whether it be intentionally moving 3 days a week, drinking a specific amount of water, getting 7-9 hours of sleep, or cooking 4 days out of the week, commit to that 1 area. (Good news! These are all interrelated and doing just one will help you reach your ultimate goal.)
Adapt a go-with-the-flow mentality by looking for natural ways to add movement into your day. When your baby is crying, go for a power walk with the baby in the stroller to calm them down. Take your dog for a 10 minute walk and vary between intervals of speed walking and regular walking. Tread water while your kids are playing at the pool. Take quick breaks from your work and do 10 squats, 10 push ups and 10 sit ups between each task.
4. Start your day by caring for yourself before you start working for everyone else. Do something for yourself physically and mentally: go for a walk, workout, make your favorite breakfast, journal, meditate . . . Whatever it is, do something for YOU first.
5. Make skipping a workout a conscious decision rather than just letting it happen to you. Choosing your days off will help you feel a sense of control.
6. Get rid of the “all or nothing” mentality. We make so many choices throughout our day, and every effort counts. It’s a victory to only eat ½ a cupcake versus the whole thing or to work out an extra 5 minutes when you are feeling great and have the extra time. These are WINS. These conscious choices build up each day. You do not have to wait until tomorrow to start over. No, every single effort counts—starting now!!
Today is a great day to take a small step toward getting consistent with your summer workouts and making some great choices for your health and wellness. The Strong Fit Life is dedicated to helping you create and meet your milestones! Make the warm weather and flexibility of your summer schedule work for you—and not against you!
Looking for a great place to start? Download my Home Gym Made Easy Guide to help you.