How to Start Working Out & Find a Routine that Sticks

How many times have you thought to yourself, "I need to start working out," without doing anything about it? There are just too many tempting excuses out there—the couch beckons, you just washed your hair, its dark outside so early now or you just don't feel like it. And it's challenging to know where or how to even start, especially if you've never really had a workout plan or have let physical activity fall by the wayside. But you're far from alone—and it's never too late to begin!

The struggle is real! To start working out and really stick with exercise, make it a habit instead of relying on motivation. Motivation changes over time, but a habit will never let you down: Habits help you push forward even when you have low motivation.

Another big mental barrier for people is that it takes a little patience to get going. Getting to a point where working out is as much a part of your routine as combing your hair can take about two months. The secret is repetition plus consistent timing and cues. Here’s why: The brain creates neural connections when you do something, and with each repetition, the connections get stronger and the action takes less effort.

The trickiest part, of course, is taking that first step. To get you finally up and moving, here is my best-ever advice on how to start (and keep) working out, whether you're just beginning or getting back into it after a lull. With a little patience and determination, you'll be working out in no time. Your body and mind will thank you.

01. Start Small

So you haven't lifted a weight since last year, or maybe ever? Give yourself a break. The first week or so that you're easing back into exercising, start small. At Quench, we start with 3 1/2 hour one on one personal training sessions because we want you to see you aren’t as out of shape as you think and get you comfortable in the gym. Any movement is good movement.

The smaller and more realistic the goal, the more likely you are to be successful at it; and the more successful you are, the more like you are to keep doing it

The first week you intend to exercise, look ahead at your schedule and establish modest changes to it. On Sunday night, commit to getting your exercise clothes out for the next day and then setting your alarm to wake up 30 minutes earlier on Monday. Set the bar low with new behavior modifications in order to make changes that'll last.

02. Make New Habits

If you can nail down a few fitness habits—whether that's getting up a few mornings a week or even showing up to the gym when you don't feel like it—you're more likely to be successful. Habit is 75 percent of the challenge with exercise. Once your mental game is on point and established, the physical aspect of following through with your intentions will be easier. Tell yourself that to change your life, you have to make a change. Today is the day to start because there is never going to be the perfect time.

03. The Gym is Scary

The gym can be an intimidating place for anyone, and if you're out of shape or just inexperienced it's natural to worry that others are judging you. Fear not! At Quench, we have the best community of women - all working towards better versions of themselves.

04. Expect Imperfection

Here's the reality of any journey, whether it's business, relationships, or fitness—you're going to make mistakes and stumble along the way. Instead of using it as an excuse to give up, the most important thing you can do is forgive yourself for slipups.

There's evidence to suggest that if we can be kind and compassionate to ourselves when we fall off the wagon, we're more likely to get back on the wagon faster. Don’t ruminate or self-flagellate; just identify the issue, find a way to prevent it in the future, move on, and get back to work.

05. Internalize the Many Health Benefits

Exercise for the health benefits that aren't related to the scale, such as feeling more energized, stronger, happier, and calmer, and experiencing better sleep. I think it can become punishing when you think of exercise in terms of weight loss, especially when you're starting out. I would suggest divorcing the terms 'weight loss' and 'exercise' from one another.

When you don't feel like exercising, remind yourself of how good you'll feel during or after exercise. If you can begin to associate being active with pleasure and how good you feel as a result of it, you'll be more inclined to stick to your exercise routine.

06. Build in a Reward

The combination of a cue (say, a morning alarm) and a reward (a post-workout Recovery Shake) helps exercise become and stay a habit, according to a study in the journal Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. Over time, creating an unbreakable workout habit will become a reward in itself. If exercise is intrinsically rewarding—you like the way it feels or it reduces stress—you will respond automatically to your cue and not have to convince yourself to work out. You’ll want to exercise

07. Do it for Yourself

If you made a promise to anyone else in your life—your partner, child, boss, or friend—you might want to stick to it, but because it's you and because you can somehow always negotiate with yourself, you might not stick to your commitment.  If you hit snooze a few times one morning and skipped your early workout, find time to get those 30 minutes in later in the day.

Hold yourself accountable. Treat the fitness and health commitments you make for yourself like you would your job, family, and friendships. You wouldn't let important people in your life who are counting on you down, so why do it to

yourself?