One of the biggest challenges with exercise is consistency. And one of the top reasons for a lack of consistency is the feeling of being inconvenienced. Want to improve your fitness results? Make exercise more convenient.
7 Tips for More Convenient Exercise
To say that convenience is important to us as Americans would be an understatement. It’s become ingrained into our very DNA.
“Two-day shipping. Instant smoothies made from dehydrated fruit. The one-minute meditation. There’s no denying it: we live in a culture of convenience,” journalist Sara Weinreb writes. “Faster, easier, and with the least amount of effort is often celebrated as the most innovative of inventions. Everything is delivered to – or picked up from – our front doors.”
We can speed up, rewind, skip lines, and access in real time. The lines between desire and consumption are blurred. If you want it, you can have it — almost instantaneously. Thus, when we encounter something that requires time, patience, work, and effort, there’s a natural recoil effect. It doesn’t mean we won’t do it or buy it, but it requires a lot more energy and intentionality.
Exercise and fitness goals would fall into this latter bucket. It takes time and the results aren’t immediate. Thus, we’re more likely to give up.
But what if you could make exercise more convenient? Do you think you’d be more likely to integrate it into your daily life? If you’re being honest with yourself, the answer is yes.
With that being said, let’s explore some of the top tips you can use to remove friction and make exercise a more natural part of your life:
1. Figure Out a Routine Ahead of Time
One of the worst things you can do is to show up at the gym with no plan.
Should I run on the treadmill or lift weights? If I lift weights, which machine should I use? Is it better to do a lot of reps with low weights or a few reps with max weight? How long should I work out? Is there a Pilates class at noon?
Questions like these will paralyze you and/or lead to a highly inefficient workout where you accomplish very little.
The easiest way to counteract these issues is to figure out a routine ahead of time. This allows you to confidently walk into the gym, get your workout in, and achieve the results you’re seeking.
2. Buy the Right Clothing and Gear
It might sound like a small or superficial detail, but it’s imperative that you buy the right clothing for your workouts. There’s some truth to the fact that you do good when you look good. There’s also a practical side to fitness attire, as the breathable materials actually help to improve performance.
3. Get a Home Personal Trainer
How many times have you planned on going into the gym, only to stay home because it felt like too much effort? Between getting dressed, hopping in the car, driving to the gym, small talking with the staff, working out, driving home, and showering, the idea of working out can seem like too much work. One way to counteract this is by hiring a home personal trainer.
A home personal trainer from a company like PT.com.sg comes to your house and helps you stay fit without wasting time commuting to and from the gym. This can easily cut the time commitment in half and allows you to use your time more efficiently.
4. Have Backup Plans in Place
Stuff happens…The gym closes down because of a power outage. Your personal trainer gets sick and can’t come to your house. You strain a muscle in your shoulder and can’t lift weights.
By always having a backup plan in place, you stop letting life dictate your workout routine and actually take control over your health and well-being.
5. Get Up Early
Everyone is different, but if you’re like most people, you struggle to go to the gym or exercise after work. By this point, you’re exhausted and want to lay on the sofa.
One way to counteract end-of-day fatigue is to get up an hour earlier and exercise while your mind and body are still fresh. Not only is this a convenient time to do it, but it’ll actually leave you feeling more energized and focused for the rest of the day.
6. User Triggers
If you want to make exercise and fitness a more convenient and natural part of your life, it needs to become a routine. And one of the best ways to make routines stick is to use a concept of triggers.
Triggers are basically small tasks that you do in a sequential order. And by doing them one after the other for a period of several days or weeks, the preceding task eventually triggers an automatic initiation of the following task.
For example: Pull into the driveway after work → triggers you to let the dog out → triggers you to get into workout clothes → triggers you to fix a quick snack → triggers you to put the dog in your truck → triggers you to go to the park → triggers you to run → etc.
Every habit should be connected to another one. This makes it easier to follow through and complete your goals.
7. Get a Workout Buddy (or Two)
It’s a lot easier to cancel a workout when you’re the only one that knows about it. If you have a workout buddy, however, you’re much less likely to procrastinate. Consider forming an accountability group of people that you know will push you to follow through on your commitments. And if you like the people, it gives you some added motivation to show up and share some good conversation while you sweat.
Finally Conquer Your Fitness Goals
By making your fitness routine more convenient, you can significantly increase your odds of realizing your exercise goals and living a happy and healthy life. While this article has provided you with some tangible suggestions, you’ll want to tailor them to your own personal preferences, personality, and goals. This will further elevate your chances for success.
