Living Right: Keeping Your Commitment

Exercise is a great way to keep your physical body in shape, as well as keep you generally feeling good. As we transition into cooler months, exercise and hitting the gym sometimes sink to the bottom of the list. Use these tips to keep moving this winter!

MONDAY IS A MUST. You might not feel like getting up Monday morning or winding down the first day of the week with a workout, but always exercising on Monday sets the psychological tone for the week.

IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE SCALE. Get out of the habit of motivating yourself to exercise strictly for weight loss. Yes, exercise can help you shed a few pounds, but the benefits go far deeper. Also, if you don’t lose weight easily, telling yourself exercise is useless becomes too convenient.

GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT. You don’t have to run marathons to give yourself a pat on the back (though if you are running marathons, that’s great). If you lace up your shoes and go for a 20-minute walk, don’t beat yourself up because it wasn’t an hour-long effort. Let yourself feel good about the small achievements.

FREQUENCY IS KEY. Yes, give yourself credit, but don’t rest on your laurels. Going for a walk twice a month isn’t enough. Make a commitment to lace up those shoes at least five times a week.

THE SPICE OF LIFE. If you’re easily bored with exercise, give yourself a variety of options. Perhaps join a gym where you can work out three times a week, as well as invest in some yoga or Pilates DVDs you can do at home. If you'd like to try a group class, we recommend our neighbors over at Red Square Yoga and Young Pilates & Fitness.

Source: Parts of this article were excerpted from the mtj® (Massage Therapy Journal®) Summer 2010 "Living Well" article. Subscribe to read the entire article.