Weight Loss Wednesday: Three Ideas to Kickstart Your Workout Routine

I talked a few weeks ago about changing my schedule so that I could get up and walk/run early in the morning. Changing habits takes time, even if you are very dedicated. Lifehacker did a nice article on changing habits today, and it got me thinking about some of the things that have helped me make the transition to walking and working out. This is still an ongoing process, and this is by no means a definitive list, but here are three ideas to help you establish a workout routine:

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1. Keep a journal, write a blog or video taking care to talk about how your workout makes you feel - Writing or voicing our thought is a cathartic process. When we verbalize or write down our thought, we are more likely to remember them. You may never share this with anyone else, but it will help you remember how you felt each day. When you look back on this journal in a year, you will remember why you started working out.
2. Workout with a friend, and hold each other accountable - When I was in college I met up with one of my best friends every day at the gym at 2:00 to work out. This was before the days of cell phones (that seems strange...), so if I didn't want to work out one day, I had to go to the gym and tell him I was going to flake out on him. This, as you can imagine, kept me working out. I mean, I was all the way at the gym already. He needed a spotter, and I was there... so I usually ended up just working out anyway. This worked the same way if he did not feel like working out some days. We held each other accountable, and gave each other all sorts of grief if one of us did not show up, or if we "phoned in" a less than heart-felt workout. Having a work out buddy is awesome!
3. Change the way you talk about your workouts - This one is going to seem silly, but it is very powerful. Instead of saying "I have to go work out," try saying "I get to go work out." Instead of "I am  so sore from my workout," try using "I feel like I actually did some work today at the gym." The power of language is truly amazing. Changing your words, even if you don't believe them at first, will change your attitude. This is why the people at Chik-fil-a say "My pleasure," and "How may I serve you." This is why Disney calls their theme park workers "Cast members" and customers "Guests." There is power in language.

 Please take a moment to leave a comment below talking about some of your ideas on how to kickstart your workout routine. You guys are amazing, and I learn from you each week. Also, take a minute to share this blog with anyone who might like it. As a group we can help inspire each other to do bigger and better things!