In the past, I have had my share of ups and downs in terms of staying on a regular exercise schedule. I have had moments where I’ve worked out for a week straight and then gave up the next week. However, now I’m on a good schedule of working out 5 to 6 days per week and it doesn’t feel like a chore. It has become a part of my routine. Maybe you are experiencing a similar situation where you workout consistently for a week or so and then go back to your old habits of lounging around.

Here are some ways to help you stay focused and consistent with your exercise routines.

1. Find your motivation – You have to have a reason for working out. We hear all the time why it’s good for us but if that were enough of a reason, then everyone would do it. Find your purpose for doing it whether it is to look better, feel better, or just to improve your overall health. Find your why and keep it in mind when you exercise.

2. Take the pressure off – The last thing you want to do is exercise out of guilt. That takes the fun out of it. Exercise because you want to and because you are focused on your goal. If you feel like taking a day off from it, then do it and get back on track the next day. You are not in competition with anyone.

3. Always keep exercise fun – A lot of people view exercise as boring, a chore, and just a waste of time. We naturally do things that are fun and make us happy. Exercise can be this way if you choose activities that make it interesting. This may mean joining a fit club, taking up a sport, or working out with buddies. Add various activities you enjoy to your workout routine and keep things fresh and interesting.

4. Find a program that teaches you what to do – When people get into workout slumps it is often due to not knowing how to exercise. Sometimes we all just need some guidance. I am one of those people who didn’t know what to do on a regular basis. If you are in the same situation, then I recommend getting on a good fitness program that tells you what to do each day. For example, I don’t have to guess what workout I’m going to do when I use P90X. It’s already planned out. I auto schedule the workouts into WOWY and I’m all set for 90 days.

I understand that it is difficult to stick to a workout program, particular one that you do on your own like P90X. Not everyone has someone to workout with so motivation can be high one day and very low another day. I am currently doing P90X (lean) and so far, I have had no problem pushing play.

The first Beachbody® program I completed was Power 90 and by the time I made it to around day 60, there were plenty of times that I wanted to sit it out and not exercise.

Below are some tips that may help you to keep pushing play and complete whatever workout program you are using.

1. Auto-schedule workouts with WOWY – Take advantage of WOWY inside of Team Beachbody. The new auto-schedule feature lets you choose the program you are using and automatically schedule your workouts. If you miss a workout, edit that day, and your remaining workouts shift into place. Click here to get your free Team Beachbody account.

2. Workout in the morning – If you are able to, workout first thing in the morning. Waiting too late in the day gives you more reasons not to exercise. You may be too tired or friends may persuade you to join them on a night out. Exercising in the morning gets it done and you can get on with the rest of your day.

3. Follow a nutrition plan – Beachbody programs come with their own nutrition plans. This takes the guesswork out of what you should be eating. If you want more variety, you can get custom meal plans when you become a paid member of the Team Beachbody Club.

4. Stay Accountable – Logging your workouts into WOWY and participating in the member forums are good ways to stay accountable. Other ways include contacting your own Beachbody Coach and getting support or telling someone whose opinion means a lot to you about your fitness goals. Having someone or other people to report to will force you to stay on track.

5. Notice your results – Physical results will come in time and will get you excited. However, also take note of your energy levels, moods, and overall confidence. Regular exercise makes you feel good as well as getting fit.

Working out at home has a lot of benefits. I have been exercising at home since June of last year when I became involved with Beachbody®. The first workout video I used was P90 with Tony Horton. After that I began switching up programs for variety but I do continue to to exercise 5 to 6 days a week. My favorite thing about exercising at home is that I can do it when I want.

It’s much easier to fit into my schedule because when I’m home, it is easier to make the time. I used to belong to my local gym which I credit for helping to turn my attitude around about fitness. However, after awhile, I was becoming bored with going and found myself doing the same routines over and over. Not only that, I was tired of competing for equipment and machines.

Benefits of At Home Workout Videos

• Convenient – workout when you want.
• Travel – Take them everywhere and use with your laptop or other dvd player.
• Variety – Build your video library over time.
• Low Cost – No monthly or yearly gym membership fees.
• Minimal equipment – No fancy gym machines required.
• It’s like having your own personal trainers on call.

Beachbody® offers a wide variety of in-home fitness programs that are fun, challenging, and effective. If you want an extreme workout, consider P90X or Insanity. Want to focus on abs or your back side? Try RevAbs or Brazil Butt Lift. There is something for almost everyone.

The key to any of these workouts is to be consistent. The programs will work if you work them. Check out more of Beachbody’s fitness programs on my Beachbody products page.

Stretching is one of those things that is often forgotten about during a workout. This is especially true if you are working out on your own and not following a class or fitness program on dvd. I have even been guilty of not stretching or stretching cold muscles. When I did stretch I would do a few arm and leg stretches before working out. Over time I learned that wasn’t the best way to stretch.

Stretching while your muscles are cold could lead to tearing and muscle strain. Cold muscles do not have sufficient blood supply and are not as flexible. A better time to stretch is after a warm-up of light exercises. A warm-up increases blood flow to your muscles making them more pliable. It’s also important to keep your stretching light to moderate as over stretching may cause injury as well.

Dynamic stretching is one way to stretch while warming-up at the same time. This type of stretching consists of controlled leg and arm swings that take you to a comfortable limit of your range of motion. Examples would be walking lunges, arm circles, walking high knees, and side bends.

Good warm-up exercises before stretching could include alternating knee raises, jumping jacks, and squats. It’s important to stretch so remember to warm-up beforehand and avoid stretching cold muscles.

Burning calories is essential for those who are seeking to lose excess weight. You have probably heard before that losing weight is a matter of burning more calories than you take in. This is why many people change their eating habits in order to eat less calories so that when they exercise, they end up burning more in the process. Over time, what is burned results in weight loss.

When I exercise I like to make the most of it by doing what will burn the most calories possible. One way to be sure you are burning a lot is by increasing your intensity. For example, walking around your neighborhood will burn some, but a brisk walk where you are actually pumping your arms and going at a fast pace will burn even more. Adding intensity will cause your body to work harder.

The more you move, the more you can burn. Even little things throughout your day can help. If you spend your lunch hour eating and sitting the entire time, change it up and go for a walk after eating your lunch. You can spend 30 minutes eating and 30 minutes walking around the block.

Good Calorie Burning Workouts

Some of the best workouts require nothing more than your own body weight. As long as there is intensity, you don’t need to spend money on fancy gym equipment. Good workouts to consider are:

• Plyometrics
• Calisthenics
• HIIT (high intensity interval training)

All of the above use your own body weight as resistance. They also involve doing exercises back-to-back at a moderate to high intensity. You can mix and match body weight exercises to create full-body workouts. When done right, your body will be pouring out sweat. If you have no idea how to start, you can check out some local personal fitness trainers. Many of them specialize in these types of workouts. Do a search for “boot camp” style training as they are the type of classes that focus on high intensity workouts.

If classes aren’t what you are looking for, you can still do it on your own. Sample body weight routines include push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, squats, jumping jacks, burpees, and mountain climbers. There are many more that you can learn to create different workouts. You can even use free-weights like dumbbells for added resistance and more fat burning. The great thing is there really are no limits to the types of workouts you can do.

Start burning a ton of calories using cardio and plyometric drills with the Insanity workout program. Transform your body in 60 days using this intense in-home fitness program.

One of the hardest parts about working out is getting started. Sometimes we need a little push in the right direction. I remember working 8 or more hours at my previous job, then having to commute for another hour in rush hour traffic. The last thing I felt like doing was exercising. Needless to say, my attitude was lousy, I was always sluggish, and I gained extra weight.

For some of us, we have to constantly look for ways to keep our motivation level up. Below are some ideas that may help you to find the inspiration you need to stay active.

1. Get fitness minded – Even if you are out of shape, it doesn’t mean you can’t be into health and fitness. Begin acting as if you are fitness fanatic. The more you get enthused about fitness, the more you will want to do it.

2. Subscribe to top fitness magazines – You need to surround your home with fitness material. When you have health related magazines around that you can read in your spare time, not only will you learn a thing or two, you may even become inspired by the people featured in the magazines.

3. Join communities online – There are so many different fitness communities online from bodybuilders to runners, there is a forum that will match your interests. Participate and communicate with other fitness-minded people. The Team Beachbody Club is a great place to start!

4. Find a cause – There are many good causes that you can participate in throughout the year. Many are fitness related such as walking or running for 3k’s or 5k’s. Train and participate. You’ll be motivated to help out.

5. Start a group – Do you know others who are struggling with motivation? Start a walking, running, biking or other fitness related club. Schedule meet-ups and workout together to help motivate each other.

6. Buy workout clothes – Clothes can change our moods and when you put on workout clothes, it can get you in the mood to workout even if it’s for a short walk.

7. Set small goals – Set simple goals such as working out 3 times per week. When you meet that goal, reward yourself with something cool like going to a movie or a new pair of shoes.

8. Blog it – Many people find tons of motivation from starting a blog about their fitness. It helps keep you accountable and you meet other people who are in the same situation.

9. Create playlists – Nothing gets me pumped up to exercise like good music. I make various playlists and upload to my mp3 player. Music can be a great motivator.

10. Beachbody programs – Of course, you can get a ton of motivation from any of the Beachbody products. The trainers on these programs make the workouts fun and if you become a member of the Beachbody Club, you can get access to the forums and videos where you can get more tips and advice to stay motivated.

What keeps you motivated to stay fit?

It’s common practice for many people who are in the process of losing weight to “weigh in” every day. This is probably not the best idea for two main reasons. Our weight will fluctuate due to water retention. Our bodies go through a process at night during sleep and one of those processes is losing water. During sleep our bodies will lose water through transpiration (sweating) and respiration (breathing.)

We also often retain water so you may find that you weigh 2 – 3 pounds more than you did yesterday and wonder what is going on. Very often this is due to water weight. Retaining water can happen by consuming too much salt and oddly enough, not drinking enough water. I have read before that staying hydrated will help reduce water retention.

Another reason you may notice a shift in weight is because if you are working out regularly, chances are you are also putting on more lean muscle. Therefore you are adding muscle which adds weight. You may think all of your effort is wasted because of the number on the scale, when it is just a combination of water weight and muscle gain.

While weighing yourself is important, don’t let the scale determine what you do in order to stay fit. Continue to eat right and workout. Pay more attention to how you feel physically and how your clothes fit rather than what the number on the scale says.

Here are some helpful articles about water retention:

What causes me to gain 2 or 3 pounds during the day and then lose 2 or 3 pounds while I sleep?

8 Home Remedies for Water Retention

I have been using P90 since the middle of June and have dedicated myself to hitting 90 days in order to get into better shape and lose some pounds. So far I have lost 6 pounds. If you are deciding whether or not to work out at home using fitness dvd’s, here are some of my tips for sticking with it.

Find Good Programs

For the most part, the exercise dvd’s out there are not bad. You definitely want to choose ones that have variety in the workouts and include both cardio and resistance training. I also recommend finding ones that have a timeframe. Having a goal to work towards helps such as 90 days, 6 weeks, etc. Of course, you can always set your own time frame as well.

Use a Calendar

Exercising regularly needs to become a habit or else you will give up too soon. Use a calendar to track the days that you work out. As you check off days and stay persistent, you can look back on your progress and feel good about yourself. It will also help to keep track of how long you have been on a particular program as well as when to take your rest days. Time flies fast when you stick to a program so a calendar will help a lot.

Make it Fun

The music on most fitness dvd’s is really bad. Turn down the volume on the dvd player and turn up the volume on your stereo. Play music that you like and you will be more pumped up to do the workout.

Make it a Habit

Pick your programs and stick to them for at least 21 days. It has been said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. You will be creating a workout habit and no matter what you choose to do for exercise, it will hopefully become a part of your daily routine.

Chart Your Progress

Before you start your workout program, take your current stats: weight, measurements, and before photos. Take them all again when you hit 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, and so on. You will be amazed at your progress if you do this and will have something to look back on to compare yourself before and after.

If you want to follow my exact plan that I have been using, check out the below:

Program: Power 90 (P90)
Supplement: Shakeology
Tracking progress: Team Beachbody Club (free version), WOWY SuperGym™ to log workouts (plus all other features in paid version)

photo credit: bernardoh

Making something a habit can be difficult, particularly if it is something that you don’t really like to do in the first place. Healthy habits can include eating better, getting enough sleep, and exercising. Yet, most of us do the bare minimum due to busy lifestyles or simply making excuses. I have learned that making anything into a habit requires consistency.

I remember when I was younger, every time I’d go to get my teeth cleaned, my dentist would ask me how often I flossed. I would answer, very embarrassed, not every day. Flossing was something I knew I had to do, yet, I would just brush my teeth and move on. Finally, I told myself that the health of my teeth was important. I had to make flossing a habit. So, I made a commitment to floss daily for 30 days.

After 30 days, flossing naturally became a part of brushing my teeth. When it was time for my 6-month dental appointment, my dentist said, “This is the first cleaning where your gums didn’t bleed.” I felt so proud and now I floss without fail, every day. It is a habit (a good one at that) that I’m glad I’ve made.

Making Exercise a Habit

The point of my little story is that it took the same type of commitment to make exercise a habit in my life. Like flossing used to be, I would exercise very little or not at all. I just didn’t see the importance of it. Unlike my flossing habit, I didn’t commit a full 30-days to exercise in order to make it a habit. However, I did join a gym and the thought of paying my membership fee, helped to keep me exercising regularly.

Eventually, the gym became boring and I wasn’t getting any results in terms of weight loss and fitness. Along came Beachbody® and P90®. I purposely started with P90 because I wasn’t in good enough shape to jump into P90X®. What I love about this program is that you dedicate yourself for 90 days.

What an easy way to make exercise into a habit. I hit the 30 day mark in no time. I am now on day 38 and can tell you that exercising 6 days a week comes as naturally to me as brushing my teeth. I just know that I msut and will exercise unless I am under the weather or just unable to fit it in that day.

How You Can Start Your Exercise Habit

I know everyone is different and some people loathe exercise. However, if you are desperate and truly want to get into the exercise habit, there are some things you may want to consider:

• Stop the excuses – You don’t need a gym membership, you don’t need fancy equipment, and you have the time (you just need to fit it in just like everything else.)
• Pick something you like – If working out at home is boring, exercise in a park. Take classes in something fun (tennis, martial arts, dancing, etc.)
• Start easy – Walk 30 minutes a day but stick to it.

Whatever you choose, do it for 30 days straight. This will form a habit and you will give yourself a chance to reap the benefits of regular exercise such as feeling good physically, being more alert, and even weight loss.

If structure and guidance is something that you need, I suggest trying out programs that are set for a specific time frame such as P90 or P90X (90 days.) Slim in 6 (6 weeks) is another good one. The time frames give you less to worry about and the time goes by fast once you commit to the programs.

Years ago when I decided to take an interest in health and fitness, I started my journey by creating a fitness blog. Three years later and my fitness blog is going strong. Starting that blog as well as this weight loss blog has done a lot for me in terms of motivation.

The one thing I do different on this blog is that I post videos of myself. I never had the courage to do that with my first fitness blog. However, now that I have been doing it for almost a month, it is starting to feel more comfortable.

I suggest that anyone who is starting a weight loss journey or attempting to get into better shape, start a blog to document the journey. It helps out in multiple ways:

• It helps to keep you accountable to yourself and your readers.
• You can document your progress much easier.
• It’s fun and you connect with others who are doing the same.
• It’s a great way to cope with the ups and downs.
• It can be lucrative (promote products, run ads, etc.)
• Perks – many companies will send you free stuff to review.

How to Start a Free Blog

Starting a blog today is so fast and easy. You don’t need to hire a web developer unless you want something unique or want to host it on your own server. Technical stuff aside, you can have your fitness blog up and running in a matter of minutes. Here are two great places to start:

WordPress.com
Blogger.com

Either of those two places will have your blog up in literally minutes from now. As far as writing on your blog goes, my best advice is, just be yourself! People who are trying to lose weight and get into shape want to read what others like themselves are going through. People like to know how others deal with the challenges.

If you aren’t too shy, video blogging is a great option too. You would be surprised at how much fun running a fitness blog can be, especially when you begin receiving positive feedback in your comments.

If you are becoming a Beachbody® Coach, a blog also makes a great marketing tool. It helps to generate traffic naturally. Get started today and when you do, leave your new blog in the commments here or send me an email so that I can be your first subscriber.