Get fit! 4 tips to get you started.

You slept in because you hit the snooze button 4 times but you're still tired when you drag yourself out of bed. Since you have a busy day at work and looming deadlines you end up scarfing down a coffee and muffin at your desk for lunch. You feel so ragged that by the time you get home you change into PJs to "relax" in front of the TV. You go to bed early with the intention of getting up early but when the alarm goes off you are still so tired. All of a sudden the weekend hits and between running errands and hanging with friends Sunday evening rolls around and you realize you haven't exercised in a week. You say to yourself, "I'll start Monday." But then you just keep hitting that damn snooze button. Does this cycle sound familiar? You know you need to break the cycle and you know the only way to do it is to exercise. It’s funny the way exercise works. The more you do it the more you want it, the more confident you feel, the strong and better looking you become. Exercise is like medicine. You’re sick and the only way you’ll get better is by taking your medicine. Every. Day. Getting started is the challenge. Just get started. Simple, right? It’s a simple idea but not so simple in practice. If it were, you likely wouldn’t be reading this blog. Here’s 4 tips to help you get started: 1. Make a public pledge: Research shows that people who want to quit smoking are more likely to do it if they make a public pledge. Why? Maybe it’s because they are admitting it out loud, maybe they are afraid of failure. I like to think it’s because if you tell your friends and family your goals, they’ll support you and help you. Whatever type of behaviour you're trying to change, especially exercising daily, let people know that you sincerely want to do it. 2. Start small: My favourite quote is “You don’t have to be great to start but you have to start in order to be great.” BodyRock is perfect because even though each workout is about 12-min long, you can take it at your own pace and intensity. 3. Start now: Don’t wait for Monday. As soon as you are done reading this post rip out 5 pushups or 10 burpees. Go home tonight and go for a bike ride. Whatever it is, just act now. 4. Make exercise fun: Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore! There are a ton of different exercises that you can make into a social event. Ride your bike places instead of driving. Mow the lawn with a self-propelled lawn mower (okay, maybe that’s not fun but you get the idea). There are a lot of ways to turn your daily activities into exercise. Remember that if you have a slip up and miss a day, it’s okay. Try not to miss two days in a row and don't focus on the negative or feel like it means you can give up. You CAN do this and most importantly of all, you deserve it. Start with these tips and take your daily “medicine”. I promise, you won’t regret it.