Set Your Routine Up for Success
Do you ever wake up feeling not quite like yourself? Maybe you’re a little groggy or feeling “out of it” because you went to bed a bit later than normal or ate something different than you normally would. This definitely happens to me if I stray from my routine.
I’m a creature of habit. Whether it’s what I’m eating, the workouts I’m doing, or my bedtime (which is early), I love a good routine because it makes me feel strong, energized, and most importantly, like myself. Now that’s not to say I don’t stray from my routine now and then - I’m only human after all. It’s 100% ok to stray from your routine and definitely not something to beat yourself up over. The key is simply to maintain consistency and to not stray so far from the path that it becomes really challenging to bring yourself back into your routine.
We’ve all got lots going on in our lives and it can be really challenging to fit everything in that you want to. Between work, personal lives, and extra curriculars somehow we also have to find time to cook, get our workouts in, and sleep. So how do we make it work?
I’ve put together a few tips that I’ve used over the years to help keep myself accountable to my routine.
Start your day with movement.
Getting some physical activity in first thing in the morning always puts me in a good mood and sets the tone for my day. For me this looks like a 20-30 minute walk followed by 30-40 minutes of high intensity interval training or some sort of circuit. For you it might look different though. Maybe going for a jog is how you want to start the day or maybe it’s yoga or a bike ride. Any movement in the morning will help get your body kick-started to rock the day. The other thing I like about morning workouts is it helps me feel accomplished early on in the day, and this way if something comes up and I don’t do much physical activity later on in the day, I don’t feel disappointed.
Pro tip: If you set your workout clothes out the night before you can go from your bed to working out in just a couple of minutes rather than spending time picking an outfit.
Set short-term achievable goals.
I am a big fan of month-long goals and programs that help keep me accountable. Whether it’s a step challenge, a workout program, or a workout plan I’ve put together, it really helps keep me accountable by having a plan and knowing what my workout will be. Sometimes I’ve set goals for the month overall, for example wanting to run or bike a certain number of kilometers, while other times my goals are focused more on completing a three or four week exercise program, such as a Jillian Michaels or Beachbody on Demand program.
Plan ahead.
Planning ahead is important for both healthy eating and working out. Has anyone else told themselves they were going to get a workout in but didn’t have a plan of what to do so ended up not doing it? Or didn’t know what to have for supper so ended up ordering takeout? Don’t get me wrong it’s absolutely ok to have rest days and order food sometimes but I like to think of those things as the exception not the rule. By planning ahead and knowing what workouts you’ll be doing and meals you’re going to have, you save time and energy later. As I said above, I like to set myself up on workout programs where I’m doing a multi week challenge. That way the workouts are already planned and I don’t have to think about it. As for meals, I always plan those in advance too and grocery shop on the weekend to get ingredients to last the entire week. Check out my blog on grocery shopping tips for more info on how to best plan a successful shopping trip.
Set yourself a bedtime goal.
It sounds silly but I’m telling you it helps. Getting a good sleep is a game changer and having a consistent bedtime helps with that. In the winter I try to be in bed lights off by 10pm and in the summer (weeknights) I aim for 10:30. Weekends can sometimes be a different story depending on what I’m doing that night but for the most part on weekends I still aim to be in bed by 11. I’m an early riser and the internal clock goes off at about 6:30am so that earlier bedtime makes such a difference in terms of the energy I have the next day. Try going to bed at the same time for a week or so and see if it makes a difference to your energy level. Trust me, your body will thank you.
Rally a support team.
What better way to help you stay on track with maintaining a consistent routine to achieve your goals than getting others onboard? This could be planning a meal prepping day with a friend to help you eat healthier, starting a workout program or attending workout classes with someone who motivates you, trying a Whole 30 or similar healthy eating plan with family, or anything else that you want to try. Everything is better with a buddy and sometimes that’s just the motivation you need to create a more positive, consistent routine for yourself.
Always remember, it’s ok to stray from the routine, but it also feels pretty awesome when you are able to (fairly) consistently stick to it. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to determine what works best for your routine, everyone is different. I hope these tips help fuel your routine and help you crush your goals.