Restarting An Exercise Routine
March 22nd, 2021
At least once a year I find myself frustrated and procrastinating because my workout routine has fallen apart and I am struggling to restart it. I am writing this to my future self as my way to navigate out of this space when it happens again.
First, accept where you are. Life has happened, and that is okay. It is not a reflection on you or your worth. To be able to move forward, here are some ideas to help set you up for success.
Mindset
Set low, low, low expectations
It’s about starting small and setting yourself up for progress. It doesn’t matter how many pushups you were doing before. Let go of the expectation that you will pick back up from where you left off. Set a goal so low it’s almost laughable. For example: if you have been doing 50 reps of an exercise before, set a goal to do 5. Even simpler, you can use the two minute rule to get started. The idea is to set your goal so small that it is easily achievable and that there is not a mental barrier to get started. If you are able to succeed with the starter goal: great. If you feel like you can do more: amazing. Listen to your body and love yourself along the way. You deserve to be loved and accepted. Especially by you.
Doing anything is better than doing nothing at all
It’s about progress, not perfection
It’s about putting in time and effort, not meeting a target. Sure, more reps or more weight is nice, but those will come naturally as you are getting back into your movement routine. Doing anything is better than doing nothing at all, so focus on doing something. It is better to do something simple and enjoy it that doing an intensive or exhausting activity. Once you get a small step forward, it is that much easier to do it again, and you can very quickly feel the momentum build.
Celebrate
I mean it. Celebrate the tiniest of achievements. Tell yourself “Good job, I’m really proud of you for doing that today. That is a step forward from yesterday”. Celebrate giving yourself permission to rest. Celebrate taking time for yourself. Celebrate stretching. Celebrate any moments of being present and conscious with yourself. Celebrate moments of self-care. Many of us were not taught how to care for ourselves. It can be a revolutionary act to love and care for yourself.
Foundational
Rest
Really give yourself permission to rest. If things have gone down, you probably need to recover. Also, since you are going to be moving and stressing your body, set it up for success by being well-rested when you start.
Orgasm
Solo or with a partner. If you’ve been stressed, set that aside and let yourself come back into your body. Orgasms can be a great way to relax and recover when things are out of balance. Pleasure and joy are as much a part of self-care as movement and rest. Be kind to yourself.
Stretch
If you have had to take a break from movement, your body is probably tight and holding onto something. Make time to just casually stretch and move within your body without any expectations or outcomes in mind. Be present and do what feels good.
Inching Forward
Dance
Play whatever music makes you feel most alive. 90s dance, melodic death metal, edm, soundtracks, whatever makes you feel the most like you. Then just move. Soft sweeping movements like tai chi, rhythmic dance moves that you would see in a club or hard whipping motions and turning your kitchen into your own private mosh pit. The idea is to focus on what it feels like to move your body. To move each limb, to bend and extend the places and let your anatomy flow. Listening to music you love will produce dopamine which will lighten your spirits.
Work Up a Sweat
When you move enough to break a sweat, it will boost your energy and boost your mood. It will also lighten your heart and help you to let go of emotions. The endorphins you get from 20-30 minutes of some kind of cardio will make each step that follows easier. My favorite is a good class on the stationary bike.
Glute Chain
If you're like me and you sit a lot, working the hamstrings and the glutes is a good counter balance to that (and my low back pain 😅).
Light weights
The intent here is to just move each muscle group. Doing the movements is more important than the number of times or the amount of weight. Moving your body is the goal. Even 5 reps of each exercise counts. Or 3 sets of 8 reps with two 3lbs hand weights.
- Shoulders: front raise, lateral raise, overhead press, reverse fly
- Arms: biceps & triceps
- Legs: deadlifts & squats
7 Minute Workout
I use this free app and start with the 7M Classic routine
Gaining Momentum
Pretend you're just starting out
If it's been more than a couple of weeks, I find it really hard to break the seal back into the strength routine. Inertia is like an invisible barrier that must be pierced before it will bend to your will. If you've been making repeated progress with the Inching Forward section above, then try going through the routine more casually. It will feel like the win you need, but with a more manageable effort.
- 1-2 sets of 5 reps with no or minimal weight
- 3 sets of 5 reps with half weight
- 1-2 sets of 5 reps with full weight
Return to Regular strength flow
Only after I have gotten a few easier workouts in, do I feel enough inertia to move forward and jump back into the full routine. This is the bodyweight routine that I can do at home and still get a full body workout.
Final thoughts
You will have setbacks. Plan for them - know how you are going to pick yourself and continue. Ups and downs are part of the process. The trick is to give yourself grace and kindness while moving through them.
Once you are able to build a little momentum, keep it small and light. Keep your expectations on the practice, not on the outcomes. It’s about flow, not winning. When people use the expression “I’ve fallen off the wagon” it makes me think that they were traveling along at a pace and something has caused them to stop. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing: there are more options than stopped or full wagon speed. Life is always happening. We have to adapt and adjust as circumstances dictate. The better you can start again, the more resilient you will become.