If you’re struggling to stick with a fitness routine, it might be time to get creative. One of the most critical aspects of creating an exercise habit is developing a process that works for you and then sticking with it. Although a fitness routine may start out feeling tedious, making a few small changes to how you exercise daily can help you stay motivated to keep at it.

Begin with Mini-Workouts

A mini-workout is the perfect solution for busy professionals, people who travel frequently or anyone searching for a way to prep themselves for more prominent, stronger exercising. It may be months after having taken up running, and you haven’t touched a treadmill in quite some time. 

You could lace up your sneakers and set out on an entire hour-long run – only to find your knee feels unstable and you hate it. Besides offering the benefit of convenience, mini-workouts are a judicious way to test out if you’re ready to begin an exercise program.

Here’s what you can do: Take a 5-minute walk around the office while answering emails. If you’re up for it, add in some arm and core strengthening exercises like pushups and planks. It might seem like a small addition to your day, but it’s an easy way to get your body active without feeling overwhelmed. With plans to add more mini-workouts each week, you’ll be on your way to achieving your fitness goals in no time.

Set S.M.A.R.T Goals

It is easy to set unrealistic weight-loss goals: “I want to lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks” or “I want to get in shape in 3 months.” Setting such lofty goals may lead us towards unhealthy behavior such as crash dieting and exercising until we are exhausted and injury-prone. This is not the way to go about behavior change when it comes to weight loss. Many fitness experts suggest setting S.M.A.R.T – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound goals.

Smart goals are much more motivating and help us take action when we fall short. It’s essential to set goals that excite you and get you buzzing so you can stick with your plan because there will inevitably be times when you feel a little hungrier than usual, a little lazier or a lot less confident in your ability to lose weight given the challenges life brings our way. Based on this, it’s vital to have a plan in place to get back on track.

Weight Loss Should Not Be Your Only Goal

Many people start exercising with the goal of weight loss, but it’s not always this simple. In fact, if you only focus on weight loss due to your exercise regime, you might lose sight of some other important health markers.There’s no denying that weight loss is a big draw to starting any exercise regime. But measuring the small changes in your body such as increased muscle tone, better energy levels, or an enhanced ability to concentrate will provide you with a greater sense of satisfaction. It will motivate you even more than watching the number on the scales go down.