Forcing a fitness habit: 30/30/30

I’ve been flirting with getting in shape for well over a year now and it’s time to take some serious action to make this a true lifestyle habit. So for February I have made the goal to complete 30 thirty minute workouts in thirty days. Y’all know I don’t have the best track record with consistently blogging a project. Remember when I was going to post one picture every day for a year? That lasted something like a record-breaking 8 days.

Please pray (or send positive vibrations or whatever you do) for me to meet this goal. It is so important to me to meet this goal for a couple reasons:

1. Finish a project completely (exhibit B: I have done “31 Days to Build a Better Blog” twice and never gotten past day 19).

2. I believe that when I complete this goal I will be more fit and more likely to continue to exercise regularly.

 Suit up and show up!

My neighbor runs every day. She doesn’t always put on fancy running clothes. In fact, sometimes she runs in jeans. But she goes. With her dog. With her son. It doesn’t matter if it’s cold or hot. She runs. These aren’t long runs that I can tell. Maybe two miles? But it’s like she does it out of habit. There’s no major planning involved. She just goes.

If I take the “big deal” out of exercise I am certain I’ll do it more.

By big deal I mean this common objections that run through my head:

• It’s too cold
• I’ll get sweaty and then have to shower, which means another hour of my life will be gone
• It’s hard
• It’s dark
• Charlie needs a nap and I obviously can’t leave her at home while I go run
• The gym is far away (who am I kidding here?)
• Steve doesn’t exercise
• I need to (fill in the blank) first/instead
• There isn’t time
• It’s hot
• I’m tired
• People will see me and I look like a fool when I exercise
• My fat bounces. How mortifying
• I’ll have to redo my hair

So I need to change the tape (yep, tape because I’m a child of the 80s) that plays in my head. It needs to say instead:

• Just go
• Baby, you’re a firework!
• Suit up and show up
• You LOVE LOVE LOVE working out
• This is going to be so much fun
• GO Stephanie! GO! (My friend Emily taught me this trick. She repeats it over-and-over in her head while she’s running).
• I’d rather spend 30 minutes being active than 30 minutes sitting on my ass.
• You are gorgeous!

FYI, I do know that there aren’t 30 days in February. There are no rules for this project. Ideally, I will have one or more days when I work out more than once or for a full hour. A complete hour equals two 30-minute workouts here.

I could really use your support and feedback. Please tell me what has worked for you in the past. Or leave me any words of encouragement that keep you going.

Thanks!

- Stephanie