How to Get Back on Track

Having a day of unhealthy food may have an immediate effect on your energy levels, but even more so, it will have an effect on how you feel the next day. You might wake up feeling sluggish, bloated, or not like yourself. Then it can be so easy to repeat the cycle, even when you have the best intentions at the start of the day.

The one thing that can help to change the cycle is exercise. Here are some tips to help motivate you to get back on track.

1. Choose the exercise you enjoy most. It may be dancing, Zumba, Pilates, yoga, weight lifting, running, or another form of exercise. Choose your favorite exercise or whatever exercise you feel like doing. You don’t have to love exercise or even enjoy it. Just choose the exercise you like best.

2. Do that exercise for 5 minutes. Selecting 5 minutes in your day will not take up much time, and I think you’ll find that you won’t even miss that 5 minutes. Plus, you’ll most likely make better use of your time afterwards when you feel refreshed and invigorated. If you want to continue for longer than 5 minutes, go for it!

3. Select a time tomorrow to exercise. It could be 10 minutes or 2 hours. Try to stick with your starting workout time, and if that must change, make sure you still work out sometime that day. Remember, even if it is short it is much better to do something than to do nothing.

4. Write down you exercise goals for the week. Now that you’ve exercised two days for at least 5 minutes each day, you should be feeling more motivated to continue exercising. Set your times to exercise if possible. Set some goals for the week, such as to exercise 5 days this week, to exercise for 30 minutes every workout, or to stretch every day.

5. Track your achievements. Remember to acknowledge your achievements. Try keeping track of the days you’ve exercised by writing a checkmark or smiley face by the date on your calendar. At the end of the week, month or when you’re feeling down, take a look at your calendar and feel good about how many smiley faces or checkmarks you have!

One final tip to leave you with is that it is often helpful to choose a place to exercise in the beginning. For example, rather than working out at home, it is a good idea to choose a time and go to a gym, go to an exercise class, or select a place outdoors to exercise.

This isn’t to say you can’t work out at home or to a workout DVD. It’s just good to remember that when you’re having trouble getting motivated, you’re more likely to stick with it if you set a place you are going to and do it! Then you can always work out at home the next day.

Try this out the next time you don’t feel like exercising, don’t feel well from not eating right, or just need a motivational boost! I’d love to hear how it works for you! 🙂

Photo Credit: Photo by KaCey97007 at Flickr Creative Commons.