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By Susan Rappaport
Maybe you’ve been there. You find yourself overwhelmed by sticking to a fitness routine. You deeply want to succeed, but it’s so challenging at the start, that you can’t wrap your head around doing it on a regular basis.
And as if that’s not enough, when you go to a gym you’re surrounded by people who are already fit, making the entire experience more uncomfortable and intimidating. For these reasons, many join gyms for a year, go for a week and then never return, blaming themselves for failing.
But this DOES NOT mean that fitness is unattainable for you.
It just means fitness delivered in this way, doesn’t resonate with you. If you didn’t feel comfortable, and didn’t know what to do while you were there, then why would you go?
Luckily, all approaches to fitness are not created equally. Seek out an environment that offers the right combo of warmth, encouragement, a variety of classes and knowledgeable instructors. The odds of you succeeding will grow exponentially.
Then, quiet the inner naysayer. The mind can ramble endless lists of reasons why not to work out, before every workout. Expect it and be ready, so when you hear it reminding you how little you like to exercise and that you have no time for it, you’ll hear it, but won’t listen to it. Don’t allow that voice the power to stop you. You actually don’t even have to like exercise to do it regularly! Commit to just showing up and let the workout be secondary. If you can just get there, regularly, the cycle of exercise will begin.
Building a foundation for a relationship with exercise is a process that requires self-care, time and support. Move through the work mindfully caring for your body, at a pace that feels harmonious to you. Working too hard, too fast shocks the body, and can be a turn off to exercise. So, slow down because if you go, you’re going to get fit anyway.
Honor the rhythm of your own true self. Be mindful, take classes and learn what it is that you like. Stay active, walk, dance, move and keep on keeping on. We gain strength in life when we make time to strengthen our bodies. Keep it simple. Find a friend or a place that will help you stay accountable. Don’t push so hard. Applaud the little things, and remember that fitness comes in all different shapes, sizes, moods, levels, and speeds!
Follow these 10 tips to help bring ongoing fitness into your life:
- Embrace being a beginner.
- Strive for a routine that is attainable.
- Create a realistic fitness plan you can live by and commit to.
- Find a workout partner or class to help hold you accountable.
- Just show up! Especially when you want to skip it.
- Make it a habit, like brushing teeth.
- Do something fitness related daily, even if it is only 5 minutes
- Stick with it, building a habit takes 66 days.
- Give yourself permission to work at 1% effort, if that’s all you got.
- Let fitness meet you where you are and grow from there.
Susan Rappaport is the founder of NuYu Revolution, a holistic, mindful and compassionate exercise studio. Newly expanded studios will be opening, May 21st at Broadway and 100th St.
Contact, Jake@NuYuRevolution.com or call (212) 663-1114 to become eligible for the Pre-Opening Special*, which includes a complimentary 15-minute fitness consultation and more than 60% off of an 8-pack of classes which includes Posture Cycle®, Yoga, Mat Pilates, Spine Align, Dance, Conditioning & more
*offer available through May 20, 2018
