3 Simple Steps to Stick to Your Healthy Routine
When you decide to get healthier and workout more, the most difficult part is staying on track. I researched and learned a lot during my own fitness journey and want to share with you my top tips to help you stick with your goals. If you struggle to be consistent with healthy habits and maintain a healthy lifestyle, these 3 strategies will be game changers (they were for me!). They’ll help you create a wellness and fitness routine you’ll love so that it’s easy to stick to it, and you’ll begin to look at living a healthy lifestyle as a form of self love and self care.
My “Before & After” Mindset
I can *finally* say that I've made healthy living my lifestyle now. It is by no means perfect but I'm pretty consistent with it. Making healthy choices everyday has become so natural, easy and effortless. I love eating well, moving my body, and I'm even a meditator now – yes yes yes! :)
If I did it, you can definitely do it too!
There was a time in my life when I really struggled sticking with a healthy routine. For some reason, I just couldn't find the time or motivation to workout or eat healthy. I clearly remember how I would feel so anxious about for skipping my workouts or having a "cheat" meal. Thank god I'm not in that mindset anymore.
I no longer obsess over food or how many times I work out. And I definitely don't feel bad about slipping for a day or two. Most importantly, I have a much more positive mindset about health and fitness now.
3 Simple Steps to Stick to Your Healthy Routine
1. Stop the shame & hate talk.
I work with a lot of women as a Pilates instructor/wellness blogger. It really makes me sad when a friend or a client gets into the shame talk for missing a workout, or not losing weight, or not being healthy enough. We can be so hard on ourselves and get stuck in those negative thoughts. If you ever catch yourself doing this, just stop and take a breath.
(Even if this talk is happening in your head, stop it.) You don't need that guilt or anxiety. Did it help you so far? Not really. How you talk to yourself matters A LOT.
Live a healthy lifestyle because it is a self love and self care practice. And you will feel so much better after. Not because you hate your thighs or that your arms are not "skinny enough" etc... You know what I mean?
This might sound a little cheesy but just forgive yourself and that behavior and choose to move on with kindness. What you need is to focus on finding a realistic and inspiring approach to health and wellness.
And you really should start from within, with your thoughts and words and mindset.
“The simple most important thing you can do to live a healthy lifestyle is to forgive a mistake and move on without beating yourself up.”
2. Set yourself up for success.
If your workouts are really inconvenient and unpleasant, of course you won't stick with it. And it's completely normal. I think it has nothing to do with you being weak or not having a strong will or discipline.
You don't want to spend hours going to a workout class, force yourself to do a HIIT session you don't even enjoy, take a shower, and drive back feeling completely tired woahh... Honestly, I get anxiety just thinking about it.
We want to feel inspired and empowered, not torn apart and tired after our workouts. So, we just have to be smart and make this healthy lifestyle sustainable, enjoyable and easy for ourselves.
Choose classes that are close to your house or work. Even better, find a program that you can do at home! This was a real game changer for me. Now that I follow my own Pilates flows at home, I have no excuse.
I just roll my mat out every morning and do it. I still take other fitness classes sometimes, but by having a routine at home I know I got my base covered. You can still do other kinds of trainings or take group classes if you want. But having an at-home practice gives you a strong base and is so so important for getting your daily movement in.
3. Make your workouts work for you.
If you hate the gym, don't *freaking* go to the gym. If you hate spinning but you do it just because some model or a random girl on IG is doing it... don't freaking do it JUST to look like her!
I can't explain to you how many times I felt terrible because I couldn't stick with the HIIT, bootcamp style workouts which I saw all the other girls do. Great if you feel great doing those types of workouts! But it just wasn't the right for my body. It gave me so much anxiety and unhealthy mindset around body image and food.
I used to think HIIT was the only way to create my best, dream body. But it's actually so simple. If a workout doesn't feel good, you just won't stick with it. And if you're not consistent, you won't see the results you want.
So, the key is to find what you really love and create a routine that works for your body and your schedule. Give yourself permission to do what FEELS GOOD for you.
Can you relate to any of this? Tell me what do you do to stay on track with your healthy routines? Would love to hear what you think in the comments!
Lots of love,
Hande xx
