5 Easy Steps to a More Active You

It’s simpler than you think, and it doesn’t require an expensive gym membership.

A friend of mine recently told me how impressed she was that I still manage to find time to stay active despite my busy schedule.

“I could never do it,” she said. “I’m just not an active person,” she added with resignation.

It amazes me how often I have had conversations like this. Many people still have this notion that being active requires so much more from them than it does. No, you don’t need to sign up for expensive gym memberships, spend hours lifting weights, or run for miles on end. Just because you don’t look and feel the part, it doesn’t mean you can’t.

“But yes, you can,” I said emphatically.

Anyone can. All you need to do is start.

Here are my five simple tips for anyone just starting on their journey to a more active lifestyle.

Find an activity you enjoy.

Be it running, yoga, sports, or CrossFit…your options are endless! Try different activities until you find one you like doing. When you enjoy what you’re doing, time passes by quickly, doing it won’t feel like a chore, and you’re more likely to stay motivated.

Surround yourself with like-minded people.

There’s nothing like having someone to share your fitness goals and struggles with. Oftentimes, all we need is that little push to keep us going and that’s how having a fitness buddy comes in. Having someone to offer us support and keep us accountable helps us stay on track.

Set goals.

And with goals, I don’t mean “I want to be fitter.” That might be your main goal but how exactly are you planning to get there? Be specific and think of something achievable. Break it down into bite-sized pieces that are measurable, realistic, and time-bound. Rather than say “I want to be fitter,” something like “I will skip 100x in the morning this week from Monday to Friday” will give you more direction to achieve the big goal.

Start small.

A reason why some people have a hard time getting new habits to stick is that they tend to bite off more than they can chew. If you want to take up running but have previously led a pretty sedentary lifestyle, it won’t make sense to start aiming to run 10k straight away. Not only will it leave you frustrated when you don’t achieve it, but it will also put you at risk for injuries. Start small and build your way up.

Find your why.

Like with pretty much everything in our life, what we do daily is governed by a purpose that we value. If the reason you want to get fit is for a beach holiday you’re going on in a couple of weeks, what’s going to happen after that trip? My guess is you’ll probably keep your active lifestyle for a week, skip a few days, then eventually let it go completely, up until the next beach holiday comes up again. I challenge you to think long and hard. Ask yourself why keeping active and staying fit is important to you. Next time you feel unmotivated to go for that run or to get on your yoga mat, go back to your why and remind yourself why it matters.