13. "I Cannot Stick To An Exercise Routine"

Committing to a regular exercise routine can be daunting if exercise isn’t something you’ve prioritized your whole life. You might feel like you cannot stick to any routines you set. I’m here today to tell you that you can.   The Chief Complaint: I Cannot Stick to an Exercise Routine Did you exercise when you were a child? Teen? Young Adult? If you didn’t have any kind of regular movement during these formative years, it’s probably difficult for you to set and stick to a routine now. But that doesn’t mean you can’t.  In fact, I encourage you to think about why you exercise. If your sole reason for working out is to look good, I can nearly guarantee you’re not going to stick to it. Instead, try approaching exercise from a health point of view. Exercise is vital for our body’s longevity and health. It’s important for you. Please, ladies, don’t ignore the role exercise has in your life. Think again about why you exercise: it’s that ‘why’ that you need to focus on. Once you’ve figured out why you’re working out, you can set realistic expectations for yourself. I want you to create an exercise action plan. What does that look like for you? It could be as little as committing to exercise three times a week for ten minutes. However you approach your new plan, make sure it’s something manageable that you know you can do each week. When you settle into your new routine, you’ll start to see how your body feels - notice I didn’t say looks! Exercise improves our health and our body’s functions. I guarantee that you’ll start to notice these changes and more after your workouts!   Homework Think about why you exercise. Was exercise an important part of childhood for you? Is exercise something you can commit to doing? What makes you excited to get out for a walk? Let me know in the comments on the episode page how that was for you!   In This Episode  Your unconscious thoughts about exercise started in your early years What happens when we approach exercise from a health point of view How to create an exercise action plan  What exercise can do for our health and our function How to set realistic expectations based on your why What happens after a workout   Quotes  “[Exercise] is very necessary for your health. I’m pulling out the card today to tell you that exercise is important for you. Please don’t ignore it.” (7:10) “If you’re not getting a certain result, it’s because the thought you’re having to get you to that result is not the right thought.” (11:58) “I’d rather you have the honest conversation and say, ‘I have the tools and resources, I know I could take action, but I’m not ready to take action.’ Because if you’re in that space, the best thing you can do for yourself is just giving yourself compassion and acceptance.” (21:46) “Exercise doesn’t have to be to change your body. Exercise can be something that brings peace in your life, it makes you feel connected.” (27:05)   Resources Mentioned Learn how to Become Brave Enough to Love Yourself - Use Promo Code BE100 for $100 off Join the Waitlist for the Life Coaching Society! Which Body Type are You? Find out with this free quiz! Find Life Coaching for Women Physicians Online Follow Dr. Ali Novitsky on Facebook | Instagram  Subscribe to Life Coaching for Women Physicians on Apple Podcasts Podcast production by the team at Counterweight Creative