Tips to Start Exercising at Home

I don’t know about you, but I am a total creature of habit. I love my daily routines. I like when my days – especially weekdays – follow a pattern. I get up at the same time, I have the same amount of coffee, do the school run, do my workouts at the gym, groceries etc. You get the picture. I am not obsessive about it (I think), but to have the same daily routine makes me feel comfortable. I don’t deal well with last minute changes. Maybe that’s a sign of getting older as well? However, I don’t think it’s so strange to feel that way – the reason why children need a daily routine and set patterns is that it gives them a sense of security, comfort, reliability. Many of my friends confirm that their feeling is similar. Even though some of them lead lives that are more hectic, busy and full of commitments, they do like a routine wherever possible. It helps to keep things simple – or make them as simple as possible – since our conscious mind doesn’t need to make a decision, but instead our subconscious runs its programme and we follow along.

Now, you can imagine what this stay at home policy has done to my life. Suddenly, from one day to the next, everything was changed. I had to home school my kids, the gyms were closed, I had to cook lunch as well as dinner for my whole family and basically don’t even get 5 minutes to myself unless I lock the door to the toilet. I don’t know about you, but it took me a couple of weeks to get used to this “new routine”. I found it really hard to incorporate exercise as well into my new days at home. I am so used to go to the gym and catch up with my gym buddies there that working out at home required a real effort. If you’re looking for motivation and tips how to get started yourself at home with some exercise, then this is for you:

• The earlier in the day you do exercise, the more likely it is you stick to it. If I wait all day until the evening, my willpower is used up by dinner time. And I find a million excuses not to move. If I get it done as early as possible it’s done and I can forget about it and get on with my day. I also get this great energy flow for the whole day. The mood for the day is set in a good way. I try to do it now while my kids have live sessions with their teachers or when my son (he is only 9 years old) needs a break.
• Since all your gym buddies are at home, find someone in your family that can join you. In my case, it’s my son who is very happy to exercise along with me. That way we are getting to spend some quality time together, he loves to move and it’s great for his learning. Think of it like one long morning recess. If you don’t have kids or they don’t want to move along with you, maybe you have a partner? Even a house pet can keep you company. If you live alone, you could do an “online” session with a friend or sibling?
• Find a workout programme you love. Maybe you have some yoga dvds that are collecting dust somewhere? Maybe right now is the perfect time to get them out? Maybe you have been thinking about subscribing to a particular training programme online? There is more choice than ever, even celebrities like Chris Hemsworth run fitness programmes on apps (check it out online here). There are also plenty of free youtube videos by more or less well known people. FitnessBlender alone offers almost 900 videos on youtube. Just try to find someone you find inspiring, does the style of workout you like and has a level of instruction in line with your ability.
• If I don’t feel like jumping around I tell myself to do just 10 minutes. It’s still better than nothing, right? And usually, after 10 minutes I am right into it and just continue for as long as I feel like.
• It doesn’t have to be full on exercise every day. On some days I do restorative yoga and meditation. Breathing exercises, bends, twists, stretching and relaxation are very important not just for recovery, but our physical and mental wellbeing. Especially in times of stress and uncertainty.

This current period in our lives could be a chance to change for the better. It could be an opportunity to establish a new healthy routine. What are your thoughts on this? Have you established a new routine lately that helps you progress in your life? Please let me know, I would love to hear from you.