I wanted to share with you something I've been doing recently.
Instead of dedicating myself to 40 minutes of exercise every day. I commit to 1 minute per day...
And of course, I end up doing 30-40 minutes. Because I've already got that momentum going. I know this little mind trick probably sounds kind of corny, but it works for me!
Getting started is the hardest part. So if I just commit to 1 minute, then it's not so daunting, and then once I've started, it's much easier to just keep going.
I also use a similar trick for when that demon on my shoulder is whispering "It's OK, you can skip today, it won't matter." I say OK, I'll only do half my routine today--but when I reach that halfway point, I always keep going, and feel so satisfied with myself when I do!
I do this, sort of. I will say "Just ten minutes."
At ten minutes, I will say "Just, imagine, I already went ten minutes, and that went SO FAST, I'll just go twenty."
At twenty, I'll say "This is a good workout, but 30 would be GREAT."
At 30, I usually take it in 5 minute spurts. If my knee is hurting, I stop and cool down. If it's not...5 more minutes, 5 more minutes...
It really works!
I do this too. Its so much easier to get my butt moving if I think I only have to do 20 mins or less. Then I usually end up doing at least 40 mins. and I'm always glad I kept going.
Heck, I go one step further on down days - just go to the gym, once there figure out what you'll do but you must go to the gym.
When doing crunches (trainer has me up to 100 at a time) I pump myself up by telling myself that I've already done it in the past so don't listen to the little voice that says I can't then I go with the ok, I'll get to 20, now another 20, and another... next thing I know, I've counted to 20, 5 times - no pauses or breaks, just resetting the number to 20.
My trainer often has me doing sets of 25, but she'll count out 10, then 5, then the last 10. If I am struggling she'll break the last 10 into chunks of 5. I guess it is easy for us to tell ourselves (and actually do it) when we know there are only a few more to do - at least this works for me.
Too funny - I didn't know anyone else had to play these mental games! Since I run on a dirt path, mine is always, just get your running shoes on and walk to the path, if you don't feel like it then you can always turn around and go home. Of course I never do : ) Thanks for making me feel less crazy!!
I love motivational mind games. Mine is to put on my workout clothes AND sneakers first thing in the morning, before I even have my coffee. During coffee while I'm thinking "ugh I don't feel like going to the tennis court now" I get sparked just knowing that I'm ready and all I have to do is walk out the door. I'm too ashamed to take off my sneakers and veg out.
wow thats a great way to look at it. i never thought of it that way. i only think ok i have to do at least 30 mins today...then might get to it. but i find once i am working out, i always push myself to go further than i planned its just starting that gets me stuck!
i will just get my work out clothes and sneaks on and vow to do one minute! (and not just do one minute hopefully lol) thanks for the suggestions!
I do that too. I give myself permission to quit after X if I'm not feeling it. Sometimes it's distance (1 mile, 2 miles) or time (20 minutes, 30 minutes). I've never quit, and I usually end up adding time or distance. "I'm close to 3 miles, may just keep going" "It's almost to the next 5 minute mark, I might as well not stop". Definitely works for me!!
I like the "I know I've done this before, it won't kill me" approach too. I've been taking more classes at the gym, and that will come in handy. I've been telling myself "you can do anything for an hour without dying" to get me through trying something new.
The first step is always the hardest, once you get that out of the way you're more inclined to keep going. So many of us have lived with self-defeating behaviors for so long it's nice to see others turning those thoughts around too.
The 1-minute Trick
