My workout routine for the better part of the last year has been nonexistent, to say the least. However, a week or so ago I’ve decided that I wanted to end my long procrastination. I used to have a really strict workout schedule but this has fallen apart. I got too comfortable with the weight that I lost and slowly strayed away from a healthy lifestyle. I recently read an article (and I cannot find it – did I imagine reading it) outlining an “easier” way to jump back into a workout habit. In my honest opinion, I think the hardest part of working out is getting back into the habit. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit so how am I going to go about doing it?
The Bare Minimum & An App
The Method
The article that I mentioned in the prior paragraph spoke of a method that requires doing the bare minimum but consistently. The thought behind this is that having the requirement be doing the bare minimum, at least in the beginning, will make the act of working out seem a lot less intimidating. I will eventually build upon this as time goes on and as the habit takes ahold.
The Tools
I found the perfect app for deploying this method – Nike Training Club. This app has free workouts starting at just 15 minutes! I am a huge fan of the Nike Running Club app, so this was a no brainer. I downloaded the app and got to work. Every day at around noon I download a different 15-minute workout and crush it to my best ability. The app also integrates with Apple Heath and my Watch, so it is easy to track exercise minutes as well as calories burned. I have to mention that having a fitness tracker like the Apple Watch is a huge help when it comes to gauging how active I was during a given day.
Accountability
If you follow me on Facebook you may notice that I always post my workouts immediately after i do them. This may be annoying and you may think I am vain but there is a method for my madness. I always post my workouts because since I am showcasing my workouts for the world to see it creates this pseudo self-accountability effect. My friends and family start to see these posts so often that they start to expect them. Oftentimes they will ask me why they have not seen these types of posts in awhile if I go on a hiatus from working out making this method pretty effective.
My Pal Penny
The first week of this method was a success so I wanted to add a little more onto this routine (if you can call it that). A cardio routine would be ideal to add on to my full body workouts, right? I will get to this but first I must give a little background.
My girlfriend Becca had come to Connecticut this past weekend for my youngest brother’s birthday bash and she brought her little dog Penny with her. I mentioned how lonely it was during the day whilst working from home so she suggested that I take her dog for the week. I gladly accepted her invitation and I then had an idea.
Taking care of a dog is a great excuse to go outdoors so I decided that each day after my Nike Training Club exercise I would take Penny for a long walk. The weather this week has been spectacular so the timing couldn’t have been better. This time also allows me to listen to the audiobook I recently downloaded. I know that I will not always have Penny to take on a walk but this week has allowed me to build the mental foundation to start more rigorous cardio routines.
Other Areas of Health Improvement
Since that I am getting into mindset, I have altered my diet slightly as well. In the past few I have been really lazy in the kitchen. This means I opted for quick and processed meals and this obviously is not conducive to losing weight or getting into shape. I went about this the same way I went about my workout practice – slow and steady. I did not dive into kale salads right away because I know that would not be sustainable. Instead, I opted to start with some easy recipes. This week I made chicken fajitas!
Welp, lets see if I can keep this habit up. Until next time – Richie out!