Get Fit – 30 Day Challenge

Get fit without getting overwhelmed! Our 30-day health and fitness challenge will help you improve your well-being in just a few minutes each day! Download and print our challenge calendar and get started today!

How to Get Fit

Last year I decided I was going to be a runner. This was a stupid big decision for me to make, seeing as though I have never run an entire mile without stopping. Running the mile in junior high and high school rank right up there with my least favorite memories of my youth! But I realized that all of my really fit friends ran miles each day- they loved it and they looked great. I wanted to look great so I was going to become a runner. And I was going to learn to love it. My first day as a runner went something like this:

• Get dressed in workout clothes. My workout clothes could double as pajamas.
• Put on running shoes. I think I have something other than flip flops lying around here somewhere. Maybe I should go shoe shopping first?
• Put baby in the stroller. This umbrella stroller will have to do! 
• Head out the door. I should probably stretch first, right? Like, do lunges or something?
• Start running. And when you feel like stopping “Push through it”, as my fellow running friends would tell me.

…annnnnd day one was not successful for me. I literally made it about 6 or 7 houses down my street before my 3-year-old needed help with his bike so I got had to stop. I was already so tired, and out of breath and my lungs hurt. Becoming a runner was going to take some practice I guess. So I decided I would start practicing that summer when I had more time.

I did eventually find the motivation to start running and I am happy to report that I can now run 2 whole miles without stopping! This is huge for me! 🙂

I’ll be honest, I do not LOVE exercising. I love being DONE with exercising ’cause I always feel better after burning calories, but finding the motivation to get up and get moving is hard! If you want to get fit but lack the motivation to get off the couch, here are a few simple tips that have helped me:

Fitness Motivation Tips

1. Never Miss a Monday.

There is something so mental about “MONDAY” that really is kinda strange. By working out on Monday, we sub conscientiously set the tone of our entire week. We are more likely to work out on other days of the week if we get a good work out in on Monday. And it works the other way too – by NOT working out on Monday it is easier for us to miss Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and so on until we then tell ourselves we will just “start over next Monday.” Make a goal to work out every Monday and try it for yourself!

2. Make it a goal to exercise for 5 minutes every day.

I know what you are thinking: “Five minutes? I will never get fit by only exercising for five minutes.” But I promise if you make the goal to exercise for only 5 minutes, you will not fail, and not failing is a great feeling! Five minutes of exercise a day is so easy to do. When I start to feel unmotivated, I just have to tell myself “It is only five minutes and then I am done for the day!” I usually end up exercising longer, but on the days I just want to whip out a few push-ups and sit-ups, I can be done in five minutes and not have any guilt because I still met my goal. It is refreshing and empowering!

3. Set a schedule

(This is one I am still trying to perfect.) Treating your workout like any other commitment will make you less likely to skip it because of something else that came up. Try to establish a plan and then stick to it. Set a time of day- even a ballpark range. “After lunch and before the kids get home from school” is better than “I will get to it sometime today.”

4. Find something you love

Doing something you don’t enjoy makes the task even harder to start and finish. I had a hard time running because I found no joy in it at all. I still don’t LOVE it, but I learned it isn’t so bad if you have music to listen to. And thinking about something other than “I’m going to get to that corner and then I will walk the rest of the way” has been helpful. Ask a friend for suggestions if you’re having trouble finding something you enjoy- you never know if you’ll love something until you try it!
…which brings me to my next tip-

5. Find a friend

While I do enjoy putting listening to music while I run, exercising with a friend is very motivating! I workout with my little sister and we chat the entire time! We laugh at each other’s inability to hold a certain yoga pose for longer than our unbalanced bodies will let us. I also enjoy running with my husband because he motivates me to keep going and it is nice to converse with him without kids taking over our conversation. Working out with a friend makes you less likely to skip out on a workout if you know someone is counting on you to show up and sweat!

6. Revamp your workout wardrobe

As I mentioned before, I didn’t own any “workout clothes”. I owned some yoga pants to lounge in when I was pregnant, but those didn’t count. But it is amazing how much better you feel with some cute workout attire! I’m not telling you to be that person at the gym with perfect makeup and hair. But you will feel better before and during your workout if you invest in some fun apparel!

7. Try our 30 Day Get Fit Challenge!

Sometimes the best way to get started is to take it slow and focus on 1 or 2 simple things at a time. Our 30 Day Get Fit Challenge Calendar is perfect for this! Download and print it and get started TODAY! Be sure to track your progress on social media using the hashtag #SomewhatSimpleChallenge so we can cheer you on!