How To Get back Into A Workout Program

and We all fall off the wagon once in a while by forgetting how important it is to maintain a regular exercise or workout program once we start one. The problem is that stopping can actually do your body more damage than you think. Your body gets used to a certain amount of exercise or physical exertion and when you suddenly stop, it effects your overall health. A good example of this is what I saw when I was younger.

When I was a teenager I worked out at a gym owned by the father of a friend of mine. His father was a fairly well known professional wrestler and his gym was filled with state of the art equipment for that time. It was also filled with other Pro-Wrestling luminaries who appreciated having that kind of a fitness facility available to them. The one thing that surprised me was to see older pros who were long retired still in there working out all the time. When I asked my friend about it, he told me that a lot of guys in the wrestling business die from heart attacks after they retire. Their bodies have a tough time dealing with the sudden lack of physical activity.

It is a sad fact that many people either cut back on or quit an exercise program that they have been doing for two months or more for all the wrong reasons. In most cases it’s more about boredom or lifestyle changes than it is about daily physical exertion. The greatest danger to your daily workout is complacency. You need to diversify and commit yourself to a regular set of programs that can be diversified to keep things interesting. Life throws us all an occasional curve ball in the form of some temporary crisis, but that is exactly the time when your exercise program should be the one stable thing you can count on and the thing you should never give up on.

If you have jumped ship and want to get back on board with a regular daily workout, you will need to refocus yourself and remember the reasons why you wanted to work out in the first place. Set a new and very achievable daily exercise goal based on your present circumstances and state of health. Focus on your goal and do not allow other considerations to get in the way. We can all easily find a million reasons to not do something each day, but it is a lot easier just to go ahead and do the things we need to do without taking the time to over-think the process in advance. Never over-think your workout plan or allow some physical discomfort to stop you in your tracks if you have been out of action for a while. Just think of how good you will feel after you get back into the fold and have a few workouts under your belt.

Part of not over-thinking your daily exercise or workout plan is keeping it daily. Don’t think in terms of a week or month down the line, just get through each day and let tomorrow take care of itself. Establish a set time for your daily workout and stick to it as best as you can. The longer you continue to follow a daily exercise plan, the easier it gets to keep that commitment without falling away. Begin with baby steps the way you did when you first started working out. If you run, run a mile for the first few days. If you lift weights, limit the number of reps you do until you feel comfortable and confident again. When it comes to getting back into a workout routine, your mental attitude and willingness to follow through is as important as your physical ability to do so.

Misery loves company. If you have someone or a group of people that you go to the gym or fitness center with, or that run along with you, that’s another excellent way to get back into and stick with a daily fitness program. Find some serious and committed workout partners that will be able to help you maintain your commitment and motivation. You will probably be able to encourage them as much as they encourage you at some point. A team effort is always easier and often more productive than trying to do it all on your own.