How to Start the Exercise Routine You've Always Wanted

At least three times a week, my alarm goes off at 4:10 AM.

I push the snooze button exactly three times before I get out of bed. It is never a pleasant feeling. I put my gym clothes on, grab something small to eat, and head out for a 5 AM gym class. This seems a little crazy but sometimes it’s the only time I have to workout. And while getting out of bed is difficult, I never regret it when I get home.

Growing up, I had pretty intense exercise routine. But it's different now that I'm an adult.

I graduated from college after completing four years of Division I Swimming, meaning that I devoted over twenty hours a week to intense physical exercise. After graduation, developing a healthy relationship with exercise took some time and required some trial and error. Now I’ve found a way to workout that I enjoy enough to get out of bed before 5:00 AM.

The single most important aspect of fitness: a healthy mindset. Here's how to get it.

Having taken every unhealthy approach to fitness, I’ve learned that the most important thing is to have a healthy mindset. This requires two things.

First, that you don’t use or abuse exercise as means to end. Don’t get me wrong—it’s great to have goals. It’s necessary for success and self improvement. However, when we don’t reach our goals or don’t lose those extra fifteen pounds, it’s easy to resent exercising.

Our bodies ebb and flow, they adapt, they fluctuate. Know that this is OK. It’s important to find activities that we first and foremost enjoy, something that brings us pleasure. If those extra fifteen pounds slip off, then hey, great! If it not, at least you’re doing something healthy that you love.

The second part of a healthy mindset is to not invest your whole identity into your exercise program. I’m sure everyone has that friend who LOVES their exercise program. I can tell you I loved swimming so much that I became a swimmer. But it became who I was rather than something I did. When my career was over, I had to learn who I was without it. If you’re just starting to exercise, it’s great to be enthusiastic. However, letting it become all consuming or using it as a pseudo-religion is not healthy.

After you have a healthy mindset about exercise, you’re ready to embark on the journey.

Here are four tips to find and maintain a successful and healthy exercise regimen:

1. Start slow.

Find activities that are easy and fun to do. If you’re not currently exercising, you don’t want to over do it the first week or even the first day. Jumping in too fast can lead to a quick burnout. If you really want to run, start by taking walks every day. Then build up to a slow jog once or twice a week on top of your walks.

2. Get creative.

Once you feel like you’ve dipped your toes in the waters of exercise, expand your horizons. Start experimenting with activities that provide a challenge. If you stick with easy stuff, eventually it will get boring.

3. Shop around for the right program.

To find an activity or exercise program that you enjoy might require some shopping around, and that’s ok. I once heard a story of someone who bought new Groupon deals for different exercise programs every month. He got to try new things at a low cost and actually lost weight in the process.

4. Don’t be afraid of the pain.

If you’re making the jump from light activities to harder ones, know that it’s not always going to feel good. You know you’re doing something right when it doesn’t feel good. Pushing your body to new limits always hurts but is always fun.

Whether this finds you at the beginning or middle of your fitness journey, I hope you find these tips helpful.

Know that it may take some time, but that once you take the right approach it is quite a joyful experience. Our minds and bodies are sacred and we have to take care of them the best we can.