5 Tips for Establishing a Workout Routine

Motivation to workout can be hard to come by. Most often we are so gung-ho to start something new, with that newly awakened sense of “I got this”, that we barge ahead only to burn out 3 weeks later. Establishing a workout routine is tough, and it can be hard to stick to it. Here are some tips that I use to establish a workout routine that lasts. 

PLAN AHEAD

It’s worth your time to plan your week out in advance for your workout routine. Most of the time I work out the same days each week. For me its Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I rarely have to think about it anymore since this has been long established for me. 

I plan out my workout routine for the week on Sunday. I know what I have to plan for during the week, and can determine if there are any days where I may need to deviate from my typical routine.  

Planning ahead also allows you to communicate with your household about it. If you know you want to work out on specific days, talk with whomever you live with to help make that happen. You’ll be able to plan around kids, fur babies, or anything else (Netflix?) that may take your attention at the last minute. 

Pick a time on that day where you have the most chance of being successful. Not a morning person? Don’t wake up at 5 am to workout. You’ll go back to bed, I promise you. Have a bunch of commitments in the afternoon? Workout during the day or on the days when you don’t have as much going on. 

If you need to remind yourself of the times you determined, set an alarm or reminder on your phone. Shut down Netflix, put your phone down, hand the kids over, whatever you gotta do to get ready. 

HAVE REST DAYS

If you have ever thought that you had to work out every day to be successful I want you to throw that thought in the trash bin. No shame here, seriously. I’ve thought that before. 

Over the past couple of years, I have found power in rest days. I love my rest days in my workout routine. Our bodies aren’t meant to be run into the ground every day. My rest days are Sunday and Wednesday. 

Rest days allow your body to heal. When you work out, your muscle fibers sustain damage from the movements you did. Your body will heal that damage, leading to stronger muscles. If you don’t give your body time to heal, you’ll be constantly damaging your muscles without giving them enough time to repair themselves. 

I feel like I have SO MUCH TIME on rest days. I love it. 

FIND A PROGRAM

Figuring out what to do during your workout is harder than it seems. Finding movements, how to combine them together, how long to work out, how many reps, the list goes on and on. 

Don’t make yourself have to worry about that. 

Find a program to follow for your workout routine. That may be attending a gym, or buying a workout plan online and using your own equipment. Either way, find a coach you trust and use their program. Sometimes you can find workouts for free, but they typically won’t be as good as a paid program. 

Most programs you buy online (or follow at a gym) are created specifically to help you be successful. For instance, a week with squat heavy workouts may be followed by a week where your legs get more of a break. That’s on purpose! Look for programs that have specific goals that match your own. 

SHOW YOURSELF GRACE

Some times you just have a bad day. Those days where you literally just can’t. I think you know what I’m talking about. 

It’s going to happen, and you need to be able to cut yourself some slack. 

There have been plenty of days where I had planned to work out, and I couldn’t get myself to do it. It’s days like this that I chose to make it a rest day instead. 

This is important to be able to do. If you are too strict with yourself, you will inevitably feel like any failure defeats the entire purpose. This is far from the truth. One key thing with establishing a workout routine is consistency. Taking an extra day off every couple of weeks is not going to ruin your progress. You just need to be careful that one day doesn’t turn into 5, or two weeks, etc. 

Don’t be afraid to give yourself a mental rest day, we all need it every so often. 

BE FLEXIBLE

This may seem counter to the previous points I’ve made. I did tell you to make a plan and stick with it. However, most things never go according to plan, and that includes your workout routine. Be prepared to be flexible.

By now maybe you noticed I was missing Fridays in my typical workout routine that I’ve described. I play it by ear on Fridays depending on how I am feeling. If I am feeling good and the workout wouldn’t overtire me, I chose to workout. If all I want to do is sit and/or sleep, I take it as a rest day. This is one of the ways I am flexible with my routine. 

Maybe you had a bad day and decided to switch your rest day. Do that! Then workout on your rest day. No one said that’s not allowed. Or take it off completely (see point #4 about showing yourself grace). 

Maybe something came up when you had planned to work out. Can you get it in now? Do it! 

If you are prepared to be flexible, you are more likely to be successful. Making too many of your own “rules” about when you’ll workout will make it mentally harder to keep trying when you break one of your “rules”. Recovering perfectionist here, I’m speaking from experience. 

In the end, it’s all about finding what works best for you. I hope these tips help you be more successful in your fitness journey.