Shirley Archer: Integrative Health, Holistic Wellness, Rethinking health promotion

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WHAT TO DO IF YOU STRUGGLE TO STAY CONSISTENT WITH YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE

Nothing is more personal or more important than taking charge of your health and fitness.

Every fitness plan relies on one thing - YOU.

A hectic lifestyle may make putting exercise on top of your priority list tough.

You're not alone if you're having trouble starting or following through on a fitness plan. Even I—and other fitness pros—can face this challenge in our lives. Seriously!

An all-or-nothing attitude may get in your way. Research shows that a little exercise is better than none. It’s not necessary to spend hours in the gym or do endless monotonous routines.

Don’t beat yourself up because you think you lack willpower. Negative self-talk only demotivates you.

In Asian wisdom teachings, this is called the "second arrow" where through self-judgment you amplify harm from the "first arrow" - in this instance the fact that you're having a challenge finding time to be more active.

Maybe focus on consistency as your goal rather than something like weight which is far more difficult to predict and varies daily in all people.

Start with small, frequent, "exercise snacks" and build up! This approach can powerfully impact your mental and emotional health.

The invitation is to create a plan you will achieve—realistic and not too different from what you do already. Change is hard because our brains are hard-wired to use habitual activities as "shortcuts" to protect important mental resources. Check out my free e-guide, "How to Anchor New Habits for Lasting Success" to get help with creating habits that will stick.

Hook your "movement snacks" to something you already do, like take an extra lap around the aisle at the grocery store or add an extra staircase, walk up and down flights of stairs you already climb.

Or, incorporate something that gives you extra pleasure, like a walk in a favorite park or at sunset or sunrise.

Movement doesn’t have to be hard. It can be filled with joy and empowerment. It is completely up to you.

What motivates you to exercise?


Time to Anchor New Habits for Lasting Success!

In this guide, I give you tips and tools to identify and solidify habits so they stick!

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