Read about fitness, new exercises, great ideas or new programs. That’s all great, but none of that is YOU DOING fitness.
I write about fitness weekly, but nothing I write matters unless you get out there and do something!! Fitness is about focus. How long can you stick with something? But sometimes just getting started is half the battle.
It’s all baby steps. Take one small step, a little progress. Take another small step, a little more progress.
In the end you will have achieved all your goals…so long as you keep moving froward. Here are a few small steps you can do today, to get yourself ready for a fit-tomorrow. If you do some of these things, let me know by adding to the comments. If you have your own ideas or suggestions for others, add that to the comments too. I would love to hear about it!
Action #1: Join a Crew (60 seconds)
This one is pretty easy. Join a crew that will hold you accountable and keep you motivated.
- Join the End of Three Fit Crew for a daily workout delivered to your inbox (FREE), and an ever-growing community of people bettering themselves while helping out each other.
- Make your own crew. Get a workout partner (friend, spouse, neighbor) that will commit to a specific set of time, i.e. 6-8 weeks.
- If you didn’t already receive this post via emailyou should join the mailing list. We are nearing a 2,000 person community of those who want to be better than they were yesterday; members get access to free resources for you to take advantage of.
Action #2: Start a Workout Journal (5 minutes)
I am not talking about some over-complicated write down everything I ate, every calorie burned workout journal.
Just track your fitness. Plain and simple.
See that you are getting better. For me, it is as simple as writing my workout down on a whiteboard, snapping a picture with my phone and shooting it to Evernote – Here are detailed instructions on “How To Use Evernote to Dominate Your Fitnessâ€.
Action #3: Eat and Drink (Throughout the day)
If you are hungry, dehydrated or have been eating poorlyyou generally don’t want to workout. Your motivation will be zapped and you won’t feel you are prepared for the next day’s workout.
Drink enough water today, and eat as healthy as you can.
Action #4: Set an Alarm (10 seconds)
You can show your commitment for tomorrow by setting an alarm on your phone right now.
Let’s face it, pushing your fitness to the end of the day doesn’t always work. Start you day off tomorrow with fitness. Set your alarm for about an hour earlier than you would normally workoutand actually GET UP when the alarm goes off.
Action #5: Get Your Workout Clothes Ready (5 minutes)
This goes with setting your alarm. I’ve been therealarm goes offyou think, “Ah man I don’t know where my favorite socks are, I think my workout clothes are in the laundry, [insert excuse here]back to bedâ€.
Not today.
Set out your workout clothes in your room today, and be ready for tomorrow.
Action #6: Write a Workout Down (5 minutes)
This goes with setting your alarm and setting out your clothes (trying to eliminate all excuses here, if you can’t tell).
Remember that workout journal? Write down the workout you want to do tomorrow, today. Now, things get pretty simple
- Alarm goes off, you get up.
- Put on your already prepared clothes.
- And go do you pre-planned workout.
Action #7: Find a Program (30 minutes)
Writing one workout down is great and that will get you ready for tomorrow, but what about the next day?
Take some time to find a program that works for you and you find interesting. Currently, End of Three Fitness only offers one program (more to come) called One Man One Barbell, and you can check it out here.
But you don’t have to do my program. Do something that will help you achieve your goals and make you a better human.
Find a program. Research it. Commit to it.
Action #8: Weekly Fitness Planning (15 minutes)
So if you do not want to find a program, and are capable of programming a week (or more) of fitness for yourself, go for it!
Plan out a full week of what you are going to do and when you are going to do it.
Action #9: Tell Someone Your Plans to Workout Tomorrow (60 seconds)
If you are married, like me, I like to occasionally let me wife know I plan to workout in the morning. So when I don’t, and she says “Hey, weren’t you going to workout this morning?†I feel a little like crap and it motivates me to do so the next time.
It doesn’t have to be a spouse or significant other; we could go with friend or neighbor. Or if you like posting workout stuff to Facebook (you know who you are), maybe try it there.
Action #10: Find Your Fitness Resources (30 minutes)
You need to find a place where you can pull information that you trust. It can be a book, a PDF or a website.
Hint, hintMaybe End of Three Fitness can be one of your resources. It is always good to have more than one, but I would love to be one of them (if it isn’t already, shout out to my loyal readers!!)
At Eo3 we are always striving to get better, for you.
Action #11: Write Down Your “Why?†(5 minutes)
Back to that trusty workout journalthis should be your first page.
Why are YOU doing it? Why do you want to be fit? Why do you want to be healthy. For me, I have a picture of my son, William, in my evernote journal. That’s about the only why I need.
You can put down reasons like “six-pack†or “lose 20 lbsâ€, but those never last…You need a big picture why, like I want to live a better life, or be alive for a long time. Then after you set your big picture why, then go to the small goals.
Action #12: Quick and Dirty Education (Start today, continue forever)
If you are rather new to fitness, you need to start with education. This is similar to finding a resource, but you need to start with a foundation of knowledge.
Few places offer this, and even fewer for free. There is not a one size fits all place for this.
Action #13: Get Your Mind Right (Time Unknown)
Your body doesn’t care what you do, really. It’s that melon on top of your neck that makes the call to quit, back down or not give it your max effort.
Decide you are going to be a mental toughness practitioner. Every time your mind says “no†or “stopâ€, you respond, “just one more minute†or “just 5 more repsâ€.
Then do it!
Action #14: Write Down Your Biggest Excuse (2 minutes)
Your reason for not working out is no better than anyone else’s.
Write down your biggest excuse. Then write down the solution to your excuse. Don’t be a baby, you will not be catered to.
Action #15: Recognize your weaknesses (5 minutes)
You’ve got ‘em. I’ve got ‘em. We’ve all got ‘em.
Weaknesses.
Why is that the hardest question for people to answer during a job interview is “What is your biggest weakness?â€; maybe because we don’t like to think of ourselves being capable of any weaknesses, when we are all full of them.
Work on recognizing your biggest weakness when it comes to fitness.
Did you find it?
Now kill it!
Action #16 (optional): Watch Something Inspirational (60ish minutes)
There has got to be a YouTube video, movie or documentary that gets your heart pumping and makes you want to workout.
The Rocky movies do it for a lot of people, but I tried to break it down for you a little bit more specifically.
Some suggestions:
- Maybe a quick one – How Bad Do You Want It? (Success)
- For you lifter/bodybuilder types out there – Pumping Iron
- For you runner/endurance types – Running The Sahara
- For you CrossFitters – SISU
Action #17 (optional): Build or Buy Something (Depends)
You know, as well as I do, getting a new toy always has a certain level of motivation attached to it. Typically this motivation, achieved through a purchase, has a shelf life of about 24-48 hours, but nonetheless it will get you started.
Get a new toy.
What I have found comes with a greater sense of accomplishment and has a much longer motivation shelf life, is building something.
Build something that will help you achieve your fitness goals – Learn how to here at the DIY Corner.
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Now go do something that will make you better tomorrow.
PS – If you liked this post, or think it will help someone you know, please share it. I would be forever grateful.
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