How to Become an Exercise Addict

We all know someone who’s crazed with exercise and green smoothies for breakfast. While they make it look easy, there definitely are a few insider tricks to making the gym your second home.

Get Up Earlier

There’s simply no avoiding it. The trick to staying dedicated to exercising is to get up early in the morning. There’s nothing stopping you from waking up earlier in the morning other than your desire for more sleep whereas errands and unexpected interruptions happen as the day unfolds. Struggling to wake up early is a common issue but there are a few tricks to easing your pain. Laying everything out the night before makes walking out the door (even if you’re still asleep) easy. Sleeping lay your clothes by your bed and your gear by the door for a grab and go morning. This time of year is perfect for creating early morning habits because of the longer daylight hours.

Find Your Niche

The trick to enjoying your daily workouts is to commit to a class or program that you actually enjoy. If you’re not into CrossFit or spin classes then don’t join them. Maybe taking a kickboxing class or yoga is more your style. You have to find what works for you and what’s going to make you excited to go to the gym. Not all of us get pumped to take a drive out of our way to workout so try to choose a gym that’s close to either your house or your work. If it’s easily accessible to the rest of your life you’ll have less excuses as you pass the gym to or from home every day.

Set Yourself Up For Success

The best way to set yourself up for success with a healthy life is to change your thoughts and actually make it something you want to do. There certainly are ways to force yourself to exercise and eat healthy but wouldn’t you rather enjoy your healthy lifestyle? The first step to achieving a long-term goal is not to overdo yourself in the first week. If you get in too deep too quickly you could end up with injuries that will set you back for an extended period of time. Another way to make the experience enjoyable is to reward yourself for your efforts. Though rewarding yourself with food isn’t optimal, there are plenty of other things you can reward yourself with. Other options include purchasing fitness clothing or gadgets to further your training, new clothes to fit your body as it transforms, and if you’re looking for something small you can reward yourself with watching the latest episode of your favorite TV show. Another way to set yourself up for long-term success is to have a long-term goal. Try getting specific with your goals and challenging yourself. Ever think that running in a tutu would be fun? Go do it! Don’t let your workouts get boring, signing up for a mud run or another fun race a few months out will help you. The last way to sustain your desire to exercise is to let yourself take a break. If you miss a day at the gym remind yourself it’s not the end of the world. Some days you deserve a break and if you’re not up to getting outdoors simply opt for a DVD training session. The idea is that this is your new life, so stick with it.

Give It Time

Though there are plenty of articles and programs that for a mere 3 weeks, the truth is that it takes double that amount of time to really make it a habit. It takes a full 6 weeks to see and feel a change in your body. Once you begin to see fitness results and feel the effects of a good workout or lack there of. The best way to kick off those first few weeks is to make the monetary commitment and purchase a few sessions with a personal trainer. Though your wallet may not be able to handle a long-term arrangement, having a personal trainer set up the first few months of workouts, nutrition plan, and watch your form will be worth the hefty price in the long run. Choosing to spend a $150-$200 could be just the ticket to setting you up to achieve the results you desire.

Half of the battle of exercising daily is getting over mental barriers. Once you overcome those obstacles, you’ll find yourself without any excuses and enjoying a healthier life. Build a life filled with fitness focused vacations, fruits and veggies, and more time outdoors being active.