Training

How to get into the habit of working out at home?

mibibiOct 2, 7:46 PM

Hi everyone, I'm sure everybody on this subreddit knows the importance of building good habits and getting into a routine. It's the key to long term success, after all. For context, I've had quite a lifestyle change in the past year. Before, I was extremely stagnant; under 1000 steps a day and I would consider it a win if I left the house once a week. I'm taking better care of myself now, a part time job means I have something to help me maintain routine. I walk to and from work and the work itself is somewhat active, so I'm not sitting at a desk all day (or like retail, where I'm standing in one spot for 8 hours). My stamina and energy levels have gotten so much better. I've managed to integrate walks into my life outside of work and I'm a lot happier for it. Another pleasant change is muscle definition! I wouldn't even consider myself toned. But I can somewhat see the outline of my muscles for the first time in my life and that makes me really happy. So, whilst these are good things, I've reached a plateau. There's only so much walking and light lifting can do. I've eyed the local pool and gym but I'm left feeling uninspired. So, I figured I could do stuff at home. But there are way too many distractions and I can't get into the habit of actually doing anything. There's always something else that needs doing, another hobby I'd rather indulge in, or I'm too tired from work. "Working out at set times" doesn't work but neither does "do it whenever you feel like it". I've considered getting a personal trainer to hold me accountable. But that's not a sustainable idea with my current pay check. I feel like I'm stuck so I'd like a bit of advice on how to get the ball rolling. One last thing: my aim is to get a little toned, improve my core and joint heath, make sure I don't get winded after going up a hill, *not pushing my body to the limit.* I don't want fitness to take over my life but I want to take a more active role in my physical health. Does that make sense??

8 replies

bright_energy_7417_5·Oct 2, 9:31 PM
I am used to rising early and so work out immediately after getting up at 6am. I get a drink, unroll my mat, and get on with it. Zero distractions to get in the way. Same pattern every day, alternating workout days with mobility days. Over time this became a habit and then an important part of who I am.
mandalorian_mag·Oct 2, 11:29 PM
I was struggling with this too. I had some weights and a jump rope that was sitting in the corner for almost a year before I started using them. But I wanted to create a space that inspires me and makes me feel good when I work out. I got a big mirror installed on a wall and refreshed the space a little bit. It got me to start wanting to be there, roll my mat and get on with it. Idk if it’s just me but that really motivated me. I always start with the same 10 mins stretching and tell myself I’ll do atleast that on the days I don’t feel like working out. The trick is to get started and I always end up following with more exercises and end with a cool down + meditation. Over time it’s become a habit and now I really enjoy working out at home. Give it time and show up as much as you can. All the best
mibibi_2·Oct 3, 2:09 AM
I feel like this would be a really productive way to start the day. I'm also an early riser (wasn't the always the case) and just the act of waking up early gives me a lot of energy. Though, I still fall into the trap of bedrotting/doomscrolling on my phone. Do you have any tips on getting out of bed and avoiding distractions?
own_response_1920·Oct 3, 6:17 PM
Make a plan for the week, with how many workouts, and which exercises, as well as which days are going to be rest days. This has worked pretty well for me. I started doing it because I got a new work schedule which meant multiple 12 hour shifts in a row, and I frankly had real difficulty motivating myself to do any exercise when I came home.
u_4dpeterpan·Oct 5, 12:44 AM
Gotta talk shit to your tv man. Heavily underdeveloped aspect of pre work outs. You look at the tv in its fat stupid screen and you say “NOT TODAY TELEVISION!.. NOT. To. DAY.” And you kinda hop back and forth on your feet like a boxer would… then you do a couple will Ferrell punches at the screen while you let out a big “WOH! YEEAHH!”.. Shakin your head all mad dog like. “You ain’t gonna get me today tv! Your body countin days are Over! You ain gon gyet this one!” (Accents at the end are super important for the heart) Then you begin your workout in front of that tv. So it knows who’s boss.
u_85years·Oct 5, 5:35 PM
My 2c is that you should start with an extremely trivial routine (laughably easy) and build your habit first. One press up you wake up. Or a single body weight squat. Track it for a while and keep it really simple until you have several weeks under your belt. By then you will be itching to add more, and you have a habit to build on. (This idea shamelessly plagiarised from Atomic Habits. A good book if you haven’t read it).
mr_proper·Oct 6, 10:43 AM
Choose something that you can theoretically do every day, something that takes little time, something that is scalable and something that you can ideally do at home, even if your motivation is not at its best. And then do it regularly to create a routine like brushing your teeth. Don't make excuses. It's better to do an easier workout than none at all. The biggest enemy is your inner bastard, who kills your initial motivation. If it's difficult for me, then I say “ok, just do a few pull-ups or push-ups and then it's ok”. In fact, I often end up doing one, two or three more sets without really wanting to. It may not be a “real” workout, but the routine remains. I do my exercises every day after getting up. The later in the day, the more likely I am to find excuses. Sudden appointment, work was already exhausting anyway, etc. And my training only takes about 25 minutes. That's so little that there are few excuses. In the meantime, if I skip a day (e.g. because I need a rest day or am
bright_energy_7417_6·Oct 7, 6:45 PM
I started avoiding my phone completely and I honestly just leave it be until I breakfast after my workout. It’s in a flip case and I use my watch alarm to get up, so it’s not something I have to reach for first thing. Breakfast is my me-time for the news and Reddit and the like until I need to go get ready for work. It might be easier for me because I have my work e-mails and appointments on mine and that gives me a certain avoidance factor, or it might be because it’s become a ‘breakfast thing’ in my head.

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