Create an Exercise Streak

“You Need To Create Your Energy!” Rachel Hollis

“I need to start exercising.”  How many times have you said that to yourself?  For me, even though I did my daily yoga stretches in the dark on my bedroom floor in the morning while waking up, I had a hard time getting motivated for cardio.  Walking the dog when the weather is nice is also easy.  However, in the winter when that alarm goes off and you are all snug in your bed the self-talk you gave yourself that night before does not seem to talk as loud as the voice in the cold winter morning that says, “I am comfy and warm and don’t want to get up.  Hit snooze and fit it in later.”  That becomes the never-ending cycle.

Then you have a wake-up call.  You hear of a friend at 45 that had a heart attack.  Or suddenly you have put on extra pounds that make you have to buy a new wardrobe, or you find yourself in physical therapy after hurting yourself given you were not so physically fit.

If you are one of those people like me, I highly recommend finding an accountability group.  A friend of mine started a private Facebook group called “Streakers” and each day you do at least 20 minutes of exercise and post it to the private group page.  That small change in accountability makes a huge difference.  You also realize how you can make time to get in at least 20 minutes to work on that heart rate.  Also, I would highly recommend listening to a podcast at the same time as it makes the exercise go by quickly and you end up feeling proud of yourself and learn something at the same time.

You also realize that when you are being held accountable, no matter what roadblocks you have like traveling or family demands on you, you make getting it in a priority rather than developing excuses.  I’ve had days where my attitude needed an adjustment and I felt unmotivated for anything.  Still, because I didn’t want to be that person who quit, I got in my 20 minutes.  It cured any depression and totally turned around my attitude.  When you stop letting yourself down, it becomes a confidence booster too.

Some of you may be thinking, only 20 minutes?  Is that enough?  This article is not for those who are training for marathons, taking two cycling classes a day or just love to workout.  We all admire our friends who get up at 5AM or 5:30AM and have strong workout regimens.  Don’t compare yourself to those friends and let yourself feel bad for not measuring up.  Let them be your inspiration for the purpose of the exercise.  You may notice they always seem to have great energy and enthusiasm for life and seem filled with joy every time you see them.   This article is for those who may be suffering from winter depression, love the outdoor activities in the summer and hibernate in the winter.  Sometimes we need to take baby steps towards our goals.  Once you get in the 20 minutes and feel how it is easy to get that in and start feeling better about yourself, then you can progress and set higher goals from there.

Find some friends and go streaking!

Special note: Please see your Doctor before starting an exercise program.

Photograph taken Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio