In Just 30 Days, I Can Make You A Plan

I was recently reflecting with Mr. Husband about how we used to get up and get ready for the gym first thing without complaint. Our bodies were so used to the motions that our brains didn't have a chance to whine about it (which my brain is exceedingly effective at). I cannot wait to get back to that place! Of course, I booted up the Google-Machine for some tips on sustainable habit building. There is a lot of advice out there around habit building for exercise and everyone subscribes to a different theory. Nearly all agree, however, that a habit's success starts with the following parameters.

1) Start Small and Realistic

If you currently do a lot of sitting around on your butt watching TV, it isn't realistic to set a goal to work out for an hour every day. You'll exhaust yourself and your willpower before you have a chance to routinely do it! Joel Gascoigne provided a breakdown of how he built his habit. He started small (working out 2-3 a week) until it became habit. After the habit was formed he built upon it slowly. The key was starting with something he knew he could 100% commit to executing long-term.

2) Make the Time

If you can, try to plan your new habit so that it is something you do at the same time on the same days. Make a plan for working out on X days of the week at X hour. Every week, strive to do that exactly. You're more likely to be successful if you don't have to "fit in" your workouts into your already busy day.

3) Do Stuff You Like

I'd venture a guess that most humans who don't have the habit already built-in for fitness aren't going to adore exercising, but there are exercises you'll enjoy more than others. Try out what your gym/neighborhood has to offer! If you're not enjoying what you're doing you're less likely to do it. Don't be afraid to try new things until you find the exercise routine that best suits you.

4) Try It Before You Buy It

Treat it as a 30 day experiment! An experiment is used to gather knowledge and so is your first 30 days of exercising. You're learning your body, how you feel, what works, and what you can do to improve your strategy. Don't beat yourself up if you miss a day; just get right back on schedule as soon as you falter. Learn something from your missteps and move forward until the end of the experiment!

So, I'm making my 30 day plan starting tomorrow. Here's what I'm committing to! It is easy to start with, something I love, and at a time I know I can make work. From 3/5/13 to 4/4/13 I will:

Tuesday - Workout with Megan
                 6am at the Gym
                 Elliptical at least 30 minutes

Thursday - Workout with Megan
                 6am at the Gym
                 Elliptical at least 30 minutes

Saturday - Walking with Megan
                 5:45am at Lake Morena for 1 hour