Spring is here, it’s getting brighter again and after work you just want to go outside and enjoy the weather. Eating an ice cream or enjoying a cool drink with friends sounds so tempting. This makes it even more difficult to get up to exercise instead. A jog or the gym doesn’t sound half as nice as a spring evening on the balcony or in the garden. There are so many reasons not to break a sweat and distract yourself in other ways – but that’s not how it works with the start of exercise. How do you manage to get back to sports after the Corona break or even start exercising? We’ll give you a few helpful tips.
The inner pig dog
Everyone has heard of him before. He often seems to sneak up unnoticed and has many faces. But the fact is: no one has ever seen him before and a cross between pig and dog also seems a bit absurd. So if the inner pig dog doesn’t really exist, why is it that we often find it so difficult to get up to exercise?
Humans are creatures of habit. Everything that is against our everyday routine is watched by the imaginary pig dog – he doesn’t like that at all. But if you manage to overcome this and establish a new habit, he will give rest. Nevertheless, it remains a difficult undertaking, we all agree on that. Why don’t you try to convince him with some unbeatable arguments?
Answer the question: Why?
Why do you want to do sports? Think about the advantage of being active. Is it appearance, health or a partner you want to keep up with? If you don’t know why you want to exercise, it will all be easier to find a suitable excuse. Instead of thinking about what you still have to do (to avoid exercising), think about the positive feeling afterwards. The feelings of happiness that are released during exercise give you a real energy boost. Fold the laundry just after training? No problem at all. Once you’ve done it, you’ll be glad you did it.
Set your goals
Think carefully about what you want to achieve and, above all, by when. Be realistic and set yourself several small goals on the way to your big overarching goal. Nothing is worse than an unrealistic goal which is too far away. Rather, be happy about every little stage you have reached. This motivates even more to stay on the ball and keep going. Nevertheless, it is important that you do not lose sight of the final goal. So focus on what’s ahead if you want to avoid the next session.
Perfectionism is out of place
Everyone knows the saying: “No master has fallen from heaven yet.” There is so much truth in this, even if we don’t believe, hear or want to know it. Instead of getting annoyed that you did not last 5km today or did not do a single pull-up, remember that you can learn anything. Give yourself time, take small steps and don’t try giant jumps. Those who work continuously on themselves achieve better and more sustainable results than someone who gives up too quickly after a sprint.
Seek support
If the pig dog still can’t be tamed, get support from outside. A sports buddy helps immensely when it’s time to say: “oh, today I don’t really feel like it.” Canceling an appointment with someone else is way harder than justifying to cancel the trainingsession for yourself. But even if you don’t dare to go to the gym or sports group alone for the first appointment – you’re sure to find someone to accompany you. Maybe the local sports club has an open day or a regular trial lesson? Such an event is ideal for getting started. At the same time, you have a fixed date and the advantage that even more newcomers will be on site.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself
If something doesn’t work out the way you thought it would, don’t be too hard on yourself. Maybe the meeting lasted longer or you were just too tired to exercise. Mentally tick it off and move on. It is important that you always plan in such a way that there is not enough time. A fixed day helps to establish a habit, especially at the beginning. Put it firmly in your calendar, preferably always a week in advance. Don’t let spontaneous appointments make you cancelling your training. The more you integrate sports into your everyday life, the easier it will be for you to train regularly.