Building a consistent fitness routine isn’t a walk in the park. It requires consistency intentional efforts and dedication. 

Some people have cracked the fitness routine code, while others are still caught in the web of developing a fitness routine. 

Help is finally here because, in this article, we will share practical tips on how to build a consistent fitness routine by defining your goals, rewarding yourself, tracking your progress, etc.

This article offers inspiring insights on the importance of fitness and why fitness should be a part of your health and wellness routine.

Also Read: How To Avoid Burnout

How To Build A Consistent Fitness Routine

Some think fitness is a chore or a heavy-lifting task requiring special attention. Just as you build consistency in other areas of your life, the same can be achievable with fitness.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to build a consistent fitness routine without feeling overwhelmed:

Define Your Goals

Just like every project, it’s important to define your fitness goals to get clear objectives.

Defining your fitness goals is very key to helping you build consistency. Your fitness goals will help you to understand your “why” and ultimately the “how”.

This is one of the best ways to build consistency with your fitness routine.

However, it’s important to make your goals SMART instead of setting generic goals. For your fitness goals to be considered SMART, they must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

You should be able to state categorically what you want to achieve, how you want to achieve, and when. This will motivate you to remain consistent even on days you don’t feel like.

Start Slow

Staring slowly to build momentum as you go is one of the best ways to build a consistent fitness routine that doesn’t feel like a chore.

Don’t just begin your fitness routine by carrying 1000 weights a day or stretching for 1hr, you will get exhausted by doing so. Instead, begin by doing 15mins stretches a day and carrying at least 20 weights.

By doing this, you are gradually training the body to make way for some changes. This is also a great way to get accustomed and set the tone for other fitness activities.

Schedule Your Workout

Another way to build a consistent fitness routine is by scheduling your workout sessions. Fitness isn’t one of those activities that thrive on vibes and random moments.

It demands specific time and sessions for it to be enjoyable and rewarding. Hence, to make the most of your fitness routine and build consistency, it is important to have a dedicated fitness time.

This can be scheduled either for early mornings of the day or dawn depending on your work and family schedules.

This is the best way to create systems around your fitness routine to help you achieve the desired results.

Don’t just wake up at random and any time of the day to carry out fitness activities. Not only it isn’t sustainable but will not help you build consistency.

Choose Enjoyable Activities

There are a range of fitness activities to indulge in depending on your goals, however, the recommended ones are the ones that are exciting, fun, and enjoyable.

To be able to master how to build a consistent fitness routine without feeling overwhelmed, you should choose the ones that you find exciting and fun.

For example, walking, running, yoga, jogging, and other simple activities can be considered enjoyable. These activities can be done without a fitness trainer nor do they involve heavy lifting and strenuous activities.

They are beginner-friendly and easy to execute without waiting for the help of a third party.

Find A Partner

While there are solo fitness routines to indulge in, it’s advisable to get a partner to maximize the full potential of fitness.

This partner can also serve not just as a fitness buddy but also as an accountability partner to keep you on track.

This is also recommended if you want to build a consistent fitness routine that helps you stay on track.

Not a general rule, but it’ll be wise if your partner enjoys the same fitness activities as you. This will help you both to find new ways to make the fitness routine enjoyable and less boring.

Track Progress

By tracking your progress, you will understand if you’re on up to your fitness goals or not. This is why it’s important to set measurable goals and not generic goals.

You can download fitness apps to track your progress. Alternatively, you can also journal your routine and keep track of them weekly, biweekly, or monthly.

For example, you can use the health app on your phone to track your steps if the goal is to walk xyz steps in a day.

The health app on your iPhone can track your step count including walks, climbs, running, jogging, etc. To help you measure your progress and make adjustments where necessary.

Reward Yourself

Another way to build a consistent fitness routine is by creating a system to reward yourself. Celebrate your little fitness milestone no matter how insignificant it may seem.

For example, if your fitness goal was to work 10,000 steps in a day and you did 9,000 steps. It won’t be out of place to celebrate that milestone.

By rewarding yourself, you are motivating yourself to achieve more. This will help you to build consistency and achieve more in less than no time.

Create Your Gym

One of the things that can derail you from building a consistent fitness routine is the thought of going to a gym. Even worse if there is no gym nearest to you.

In order not to be caught in the web of perfection, it’s advisable to think outside the gym or create your own gym.

Choose a space in your apartment to create a personal gym. Or turn your veranda into a mini gym. The goal is to think outside the gym by indulging in activities that may not necessarily require going to the gym.

This can also work best if you’re not a fan of the crowd or enjoy your me time.

Make Adjustments

Remember that life is full of unexpected and unpleasant surprises. To build consistency in your fitness routine, it’s important to make room for life’s unexpected changes.

This could be changes in the environment, workplace, family, pregnancy, illness, loss of a loved one, etc. These changes have the potential to derail your fitness plans.

On the other hand, it may not be about life’s unexpected changes. It can also be that the choice of fitness isn’t fitting.

For example, if you no longer enjoy walking or yoga, it is necessary to make adjustments by switching to activities you find interesting.

It’s okay to make adjustments if the activity doesn’t match your goals.

Pair With Other Activity

Another way to enjoy working out is to pair it with an enjoyable activity. You can pair it with listening to a podcast, music, and other audio.

You can create a workout playlist to keep you motivated while you work out.

Conclusion

Building a consistent fitness routine can be very challenging for beginners, However, by creating a schedule, rewarding yourself, setting defined goals, starting slow, etc. You can magical steps closer to achieving your goals.