As I have been reading about people getting started on their fitness journeys lately it got me thinking about my own experience. At this point fitness just feels like a part of who I am. I don’t need to think about “if” I am going to work out; its more about when and how. However, it wasn’t always that way! I used to have long stretches with no workouts and then force myself to get back into it after awhile. It definitely wasn’t enjoyable back then! After reading Shathiso’s post last week with some tips for Getting Off the Couch I thought I would share my experience with starting a sustainable (and enjoyable) workout routine. Here is my journey about how I stayed consistent with fitness for 15 years (and counting)!
High School
I’ve shared a little bit about my running journey before. I played sports and danced in high school, but hated running. It wasn’t until college when I started to run voluntarily, and actually liked it. I realized it was such an effective workout. I also liked that I didn’t need to go to the gym on days I ran outside.
Throughout high school I didn’t really feel like I needed to do my own workouts because of structured practices and classes. During my senior year and before college I sometimes tried to do my own workouts during the off-season. Typically, that lasted for a few days before I lost all motivation.
Here’s the thing- I really didn’t have any motivation. A small part of me knew that it was important to exercise for health reasons but at 16 or 17 I really didn’t care that much. I wasn’t concerned about body image because even when I put on a few pounds they came right off once I got back into sports or dance. I just felt like I had better ways to spend my time at that age.
The Beginning of College
When I started college I was all of a sudden eating junk every day, drinking all the time, and getting absolutely no real exercise. I would go through periods where I would work out for awhile, but that lasted maybe a few weeks (at best) each time. I remember so many weeks thinking “on Monday I am going to start going to the gym every day and start eating salads for meals” and that lasted until Thursday.
Here’s what I want to point out about this cycle. I don’t think its terrible to not be exercising consistently. I think we will all have some time periods where that happens. What I do think is that the feeling of failure can start to weigh on you when you plan to start a good habit and then fail at it over and over. I actually think I became less motivated to make good habits because I knew I wouldn’t stick with them.
Senior Year of College
I actually remember the day that I started a real fitness routine that I was able to maintain. It was the Sunday after my 21st birthday. (October 2004) After several days of partying pretty hard, I felt like I needed to get myself on track. I craved healthier foods and exercise. I started going to the gym and making some better foods choices, but I knew I wouldn’t stick with it.
I remember during my laps around the 1/10th of a mile indoor track at my gym thinking about how I was getting ready to enter the “real world”. I wanted to enjoy my senior year but I also wanted to feel good. I wasn’t about to give up drinking, or even the late night pizza, but I thought to myself “I can do those things and still exercise for 20 minutes every day”.
I committed to that and stuck with it. There were probably a few days that I missed but in general it became a part of my routine. Eventually I cut back to 5-6 workouts a week but initially the daily workout was what I needed to jump start my routine.
My Early 20s
Once I graduated I moved back home and joined a gym. I started taking workout classes that I really liked. I also began running outside more. At this point I also started eating “healthier” (in quotes for various reasons, but that’s a whole other post…) and overall I was feeling really good.
After living at home for a year I then moved back to Baltimore to start graduate school. I learned about the Baltimore half-marathon and decided I wanted to run it. I read some articles in Runners World, signed up, and ran my first half-marathon in October 2007.
3 Things that Helped me to Stay Consistent
This isn’t any sort of “special” story. It’s just an example of what worked for me. The most important part of becoming consistent with fitness was that I no longer felt like I failed every time I stopped working out. Here are 3 things that helped me to stay consistent:
- Made it a part of my routine- Some people would say that exercising every single day is an unreasonable expectation. In general, it may be. But initially this is what helped me to make it a part of my routine.
- Found something I enjoyed- Thanks to my free college gym membership I was able to try lots of different workouts. I learned that I liked running, using the elliptical, and lifting weights. Once I found what I enjoyed I stuck with it.
- Focus on one thing at a time- The “all or nothing” approach to a lifestyle change never worked for me. I felt like the times I tried to eat better, exercise, and cut back on drinking all at once I felt like I was missing out on the fun of being in college. That’s why I chose to start exercising because that fit the best into my lifestyle. I worked on the other things later.
“You make your habits, and then your habits make you.”
I remember hearing this quote in graduate school and it has stuck with me ever since. It can take a few weeks to form a habit. If you are going to work to make something a habit in your life, you might as well find something you enjoy.
I feel very lucky that I have come to truly enjoy exercise over the years. I know that not everyone has something they enjoy, or the access to the resources to try different things. I hope that anyone who is looking to make fitness a part of their daily routine can find the motivation to do so and can find something that they truly enjoy and look forward to every day.
You may also like:
Develop Your Fitness Routine to Stay Consistent and Motivated
Becoming a Runner: How Running Has Changed Me Over the Years
How long have you been consistent with your fitness routine for?
What helped you create a habit that you could sustain?
Were you active in high school/college?
Firstly, thank you so much for referencing my blog post! Secondly, I just LOVED reading your story. You hear someone has been consistent for 15 years and you think that will never be me, until you read how they started… and you realise wow, but I too can get to that level. What resonated with me the most is what you said about focusing on one thing at a time – I think that’s the most realistic way to go about it. I’ve kept running now for 3 years and struggled a bit with nutrition but I’m at the point where I want to tackle that as well, and I finally think I’m ready for that as running has become normal routine now.
Yes! I think it makes so much sense to just stick with one thing for a while until its a habit and something that can be sustained. Its awesome that you feel like you will keep up with your running now and can also focus on nutrition!
I loved reading about your fitness journey! I think a lot of us followed a similar path, realizing that the bad habit of our youth weren’t going to be sustainable. It’s definitely a work in progress for me, but I am so glad I’m on this path. So many of my friends have stopped exercising. I’m definitely one of the ‘older athletes’ at CrossFit and the numbers in my age group at races have definitely dwindled.
It seems pretty normal to go through different phases of life where we are more or less involved with fitness. But I think once you really get used to it, you can see how beneficial it is and you really don’t feel as great when you stop working out!
Very good points! Make exercise a habit, enjoy it and focus on one thing at time. You succeeded in making it a part of your life!
Strangely, I never made conscious decisions about my exercise routine – it just sort of happened. Perhaps because I always enjoyed running – even as a young teenager. I naturally gravitated to running regularly and training for races.
That’s interesting that you just kept up with it because its something you enjoyed! It makes alot of sense though!
I’ve been a consistent runner for almost 15 years, but I’ve only been consistent with fitness in general for about 10 years. I had a tough time finding something that I liked or could actually do (I’m horribly klutzy and not a naturally gifted athlete). Running filled that purpose, then distance running, then I discovered P90X, and learned to appreciate and enjoy strength-training. The rest is history 🙂
Its all about finding things you enjoy! And Ive learned that those things can change. I used to love taking step classes in my 20s. Now I dont think Im coordinated enough!
I really enjoyed reading about your fitness journey! It’s very similar to mine as I’ve found different things that bring me joy when it comes to fitness. First it was Zumba and then that dies off but I found my love of spinning and running and strength training entered the mix later.
Its great that you found so many things you enjoy! I also thinks it helps to have a few different type of workouts to keep things interesting.
Great post! That college picture though…💚
Thanks! I know, its a classic:)
If you can believe it , I was the girl who always tried to get out of gym class. Funny how things change! Finding something you truly enjoy doing is key for me
Haha I used to hide during runs at track and field hockey practice with a few friends and then join back in later! So funny to think back on that now!
I am much, much more active now than when I was in my 20s or even my 30s, probably. I’ve always loved to walk & swim; those have been fairly constant in my life. I came to running late in life.
All or nothing never works! I learned that the hard way when I lost weight for my wedding using slimfast. It worked, but of course it didn’t stay off long.
Totally agree about the all or nothing approach! I see so many people try it and it may work for awhile but I dont know anyone who can keep up with it long term. Besides, I want to be able to enjoy myself and not have to stick to a strict plan all the time.
What an awesome story and journey!
I danced and rode horses from childhood through high school. I was overweight, had an eating disorder and was not at all athletic. In college, I finally got some things under control and started power walking. I was able to drop quite a bit of weight, but I still wasn’t healthy from my EDs. I started running about 7 years ago, and I’ve been so consistent with it until recently. I can’t wait to get back to it!
I bet its so frustrating to be forced to stop running now after how far you’ve come! At least you are still staying active and can hopefully get back to it soon!
I love seeing your fitness story! I describe myself as having “adult-onset exercise syndrome.” :-). As a kid, I was acitve and played soccer through high school. In college I did nothing except a few failed attempts to “get toned” with — I’m not kidding — a Jande Fonda LP someone on my hall had. When we bought our first home (a condo) I started going to aerobics clases twice a week or doing home video workouts a few days a week. During law school my whole family tok Tae Kwon Do, and that was the first time exercise was really fun. After law school I took up running, and that’s when the passion kicked in, although now I love any/all activity. Now I’m where you are — being active is part of who I am, and it’s not a matter of if, but when/what/how.
Its so interesting to think about how fitness can change over the years! I tried so many things that just didnt feel right until I found running.
I loved hearing about how you stayed consistent…. it’s imperative to find something that you love. Nobody will stay consistent doing something that they hate.
I was active in highschool (tennis, softball) and studied physical education in college, which kept me engaged and interested. When I moved away after college (to the US) and had to leave my team sports behind, I struggled for a while to find a new routine. I always exercised, but for a few years, it was sporadic and unstructured. I tried different fitness classes and workouts, but nothing stuck. Running was always part of my exercise regiment, but I only found my groove with it when a friend challenged me to sign up for a race 5 years ago.
Sometimes it just takes finding the right motivation to get started! Glad you were able to find something you enjoy and can stick with.
I never ran in high school or college. I started running because I saw a man older than me running downtown. I told myself that if he could run, then so could I. This was in 2005. For the most part I’ve been consistent. I’ve run over 100 races, but have had my share of injuries and feeling burned out where I didn’t want to run anymore. I am happy I am still running and will continue to do so for as long as I can.
Thats kind of an interesting way to get started! But whatever motivates you, right? 100 races is awesome!!