staying Consistent with Movement When You’re Exhausted
A lot of people claim motivation is the key to exercise consistency… but motivation can be very unreliable. The biggest struggles with staying consistent with exercise are time, energy and guilt around “not doing enough.” But real consistency with movement includes rest and self-compassion. Gentle movements, like stretching and flexibility training can be an accessible way to bring consistent movement back into your life without the risk of exercise burnout or running yourself into the ground.
The Motivation Myth: Why You Don’t Need to “Feel Like It”
Motivation is fleeting, and easily swayed by external and internal factors, making it a bad foundation for consistency. But habits and mindset shifts: those will help you create long-term success. Consistency isn’t about motivation, it’s a skill you can build. Sometimes we need a change of scenery with a new set of exercises, rewarding ourselves for taking that first step, or going smaller. Studies have shown that repetition, not intensity, creates habits by literally rewiring the neurons in our brains.
Movement doesn’t have to be intense or long to “count”. Doing a couple of stretches for 2-5 minutes, or as long as it takes for the credits to roll before the next episode, is still progress. The key isn’t finding motivation, it’s listening to your body. Some days will be for movement, and some days will be for intentional rest.
Overcoming Exercise Consistency Challenges: Time and Energy
When Time is the Issue:
- Keep the movement intentional, and short, only got 10 minutes? Perfect for a short routine
- Habit stack onto existing habits, like doing hip circles while you brush your teeth or goal post openers as you boil water for your tea
When Energy is the Issue:
- Movement gives you energy if it’s the right kind, research shows that gentle, low-intensity exercise is particularly effective at reducing fatigue. So gentle stretches for stress relief, deep belly breathing, or even just lying in a stretch position can help
- Try hyping yourself up with some fun music, or an ice-cold glass of water. Or pull up that podcast episode you’ve been meaning to listen to, and lace up your shoes and go for a walk
- Give yourself grace. If today feels like a rest day, take it. A break is never a failure
Small Shifts to Make Consistency Easier
- Make movement enjoyable: move in a way that feels good for you in the moment
- Track progress, without pressure, by just putting a checkmark on your calendar to build momentum
- Lower the barrier to entry: keep your yoga mat out for when the movement bug bites you, or have your gym clothes laid out the night before
- Remove decision fatigue: have a go-to routine ready to go so you don’t have to think about it, build a movement routine you’ll actually stick with
Finding Balance Between Consistency and Rest
One thing we have to constantly remind ourselves of, is that we’re not robots. We need rest. It is a fundamental part of consistency, not the opposite. Give your body some credit, it knows when it needs movement, and when it needs recovery.
Got muscle soreness, fatigue, having sleep problems or sick or injured? That is a green light for cozying up and giving your body some TLC. On the other hand, if you’re feeling restless, your joints feel stiff, you’re low energy or you’re finding once simple tasks putting you out of breath, it’s time to find some movement.
Whether your body is asking for movement or rest, we have to remember that an extra few days of rest is not “falling off the tracks”, it’s an essential part of your progress.
A Simple Challenge to Get Started
Pick one stretch to do today. That’s it. Just one, single stretch. Once you’ve done the stretch, set an intention for tomorrow, either a few minutes of movement of your choice OR intentional rest (both are winners). Once you get through those two days, take a minute to reflect on how it felt, and how easy it was to do. If you’re good to go, then set another intention the following day.
True consistency means trusting yourself to move when it feels good to, and rest when you need to. Small steps will lead to big changes, you just have to take that first step. If you’re looking for some accountability to help sty consistent without burnout, check out The Garden where you can grow at your own pace with on-demand videos of all different lengths so you can stretch and move when it feels right to.
