The 4 Simple Reasons Behind Your Skipped Workouts
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I have been working out for a long time....and I have also skipped a ton of workouts.
Over the years, I’ve learned that the real reasons most people skip a workout are actually very simple (and really easy to fix). While skipping training can certainly be a result of an overall lack of self-discipline or mental toughness, most of the time it can be improved with just a few simple house hacks.
Here are some of the simple "mistakes" I've learned over the years that can be fixed with very little effort:
1. Your Phone Is In Your Room
If I can reach my phone from my bed, I will hit snooze. Simply putting my phone a few feet farther away in the bathroom forces me to get up to turn off the alarm. Getting up and moving is 90% of the battle for us who workout in the mornings.
2. Your Clothes Are In Your Closet
Once moving, the trick is to eliminate as many steps as possible between you and your workout. Even the simple decision of what to wear can be enough to throw you off track. Lay out your clothes the night before- I even like to place them in the hallway so I'm forced to literally step over them on my way downstairs.
3. Your Workout Plan Is On Your Phone
This is a subtle "snowball" mistake for me. If you're forced to open an app on your phone to check your workout of the day....you can very easily be tempted to also check social media and email. Before you know it, you're laying on the couch watching YouTube. I like to print out (yes, on paper) my weekly training plan and put it by the coffee maker.
4. Your Mentality Is All Or Nothing
Maybe your morning has been slightly thrown off and you only have 15 minutes to workout instead of 45 minutes. Modify your plan and do the 15 minute workout. You will maintain your weekly momentum and the habit of getting up and moving in the morning. 15 minutes is way better than zero.
Conclusion: Set up your environment for the least amount of resistance between you and your workout. Something is better than nothing.