The purpose of this post is not to convince you about the benefits of exercise or a daily movement practice. I am sure you already know that. So let's dive straight into how you can make this a habit.
The only 2 things that you need to do are:
1. Get Started : Doesn't matter how old you are, or how unfit you are or how overweight you are, or even how busy you are. The moment you realize that you can benefit with some daily movement, get started.
Simplest thing you can do, is start walking. While walking alone is not sufficient to live a more fulfilling life that comes from better endurance & strength, it's definitely a good start.
“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” - Rumi
2. Be consistent : I know you have heard this a zillion times & I totally get it if you are struggling with it inspite of knowing that it is "the" thing to do.
While movement comes naturally to me, there are other things that I would like to be more regular at & struggle with. So here's what I do. See if any of these work for you :
A. Keep a tracker : A simple excel sheet to track your habits that you want to stay consistent with, will do. Keep it limited to maximum 3-4 habits so it's easy for your brain to register & focus. Be honest with yourself. Even if you couldn't track or skipped to do a task or went below your own expectations, mention it "as is". The act of reviewing the sheet daily will increase your consciousness to these particular habits, & you will either start nailing them or realize how some of them are not that relevant to your life.
You could also look at using the chain method, to keep yourself motivated.
B. Find an accountability partner :
Join hands with people with similar goals. Nothing like a friend to nudge you into action.
I have a "badminton buddies" group & we catch up once a week to play. Even if I forget there is someone else on the group that remembers.
C. Be part of communities that align with your goals : I have just recently started to learn shuffle dancing. I love how cool it is but often get side tracked and skip practice. Seeing other people post their choreographies on the “shuffling community”, then motivates me to put in some work, even if for just 5 minutes.
Basic shuffling. Long way to go to smooth this out 😃
Just the other day, one of my close friends was telling me how being part of the “Strava running community” was helping her stay on track with her running goals. The group checks on her everytime she misses a run & motivates her to get back to running, something she loves doing.
So, look out for a community. It can help you move forward when you are stuck.
D. If A, B, & C don't work for you, don't fret. Let's face it. We don't live in a culture were movement is celebrated and made a part of daily life. Even for our weekend entertainment, we look at going to restaurants to eat, or watch movies in the theatre ( seated, ofcourse ). How many of us consider going trekking or rock climbing, or anything else more adventurous or physical ? It's just not part of our culture.
So if you are struggling with discipline or lack of motivation, know that you are not alone. Tackle this, by enrolling for a class. Choose a movement style that you are most comfortable with. Anything structured will help you stay disciplined. Speak to the trainer or coach & let them know where you are & what you are looking for. Once you join the class, stick with it for 3-6 months atleast. You need that much time to gauge the efficacy of the program.
Your relationship with health, fitness, & general movement will evolve. My own has. But for this evolution to happen, you need to stay in the game longer.
If you are someone who has been contemplating being regular with your movement practice then I hope you will use some of these suggestions & get the ball rolling.
And if you are someone who has already found the joy in movement, then I want you to look around, spot a few couch potatoes & inspire them to get moving.
And to do this, you don't have to be a trainer or a coach, just someone who wants to share the joy he/she has found with others. You can do this by becoming an accountability partner for someone, by talking about what a regular movement practice has done for you, being encouraging & supportive of people starting out, and above all prioritising movement for yourself, so others see you as an example to emulate.
Everyday I feel like I am on a mission to get people moving & help them find joy in movement. I sincerely hope you are inspired to join me on this because I would love some company ❤️. Give me a 👍 or a 🙌 if you are, in the comments. Also feel free to share how a regular movement practice has changed your life for the better. I would love to hear about your journey 💕