I know I’m not alone in struggling to meet my goals for movement – especially during these weird times of COVID shutdowns! I know this is something everyone deals with in different ways and part of my practice is helping my patients find their consistency.

Why is consistency important? Because it is the cornerstone of health and change. But at the same time, being consistent is the most difficult part of exercise and movement.

Thankfully, I’ve gleaned some awesome tips from my patients over the years. Here are my favorite:

• “Magic Minute”: Having a hard time getting moving? Put your shoes on and step go outside for 1 minute. Walk for one minute. Run in place for one minute. Sit at the end of the driveway for 1 minute. Do 1 minute of stretching. This magic minute often breaks the barrier and gets you moving into a full session.
• Be Gentle with Yourself: I planned a workout this morning, but instead, I hit the snooze button, repeatedly (no surprise). So, I’ll try my workout again tomorrow. If you miss a planned activity, be easy on yourself and take advantage of the next opportunity. Don’t let a missed activity discourage you to the point of stopping all momentum.
• Do What You Enjoy: I’m asked all the time what the best exercises are, and my answer always is “the ones you love and will actually do.” You may have certain fitness goals, but at the end of the day the best way to keep consistently moving is to focus on the activities you enjoy.
• Find Community: Incorporating others into your movement goals, in ways that work for you, is a great way to keep consistent. This may be taking a class with a friend, texting with a buddy about workouts or progress, or tracking your activity on an app. Find someone that helps keep you motivated to stay moving.
• Remove Barriers, Especially the Little Ones: Ask yourself “what is the one little thing that’s stopping me from exercising?” Maybe it’s finding the energy to drive to the gym, so you put a stationary bike in your living room. Or you can’t find time for walks during the workday, so you wear tennis shoes on your commute and park farther away. The little things matter. I’ve been known to sleep in my workout clothes and put a kettlebell by the front door!
• Ask for Help: Don’t underestimate the power of asking a loved one or person you trust for support and help. Maybe your spouse can help rouse you out of bed. Maybe your neighbor can invite you on walks. We are often so insular in our focus that we forget we have people around us that can help.

So, good luck building a practice of consistency. And I look forward to being part of your support team—whether it’s through visits with me at ReVerve or tips like these.

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