Several years ago, I took a trip to Florida with my husband and our two boys. We were there for a business meeting, but we also had the opportunity to take the boys to the beach.
We arrived on the earlier side — around 8AM — and what I saw during that hour absolutely amazed me.
The beach was crowded with people exercising. Some were walking slowly along the shore. Others were running. Some were doing bodyweight exercises or stretching. There were people swimming for exercise, while others were doing strength training in the water.
Now here is the part that was amazing. The average age of everyone exercising on the beach was between 60 and 80 years old. Now you may say, "Well, Isabel, Florida does have a lot of retirement communities. What’s so amazing about older people exercising at the beach?"
Well, there were two thoughts that immediately came to me as I watched these wonderful people exercise...
#1: Many of these people most likely started this routine many years back — like in their 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s. I don’t know that for sure, but by the look of many of them, this was their lifestyle.
#2: On that particular morning, these people could have chosen to do any number of things, but they chose to be on that beach working out. I think seeing these people struck me because at that exact time I was struggling with my own choice to exercise.
That experience really stayed with me because, at the time, I was struggling with my own consistency.
Healthy Eating Had Become a Lifestyle. Exercise Was Different.
Eating healthy had become second nature to me.
I love healthy food. I love cooking. And over the years, I had truly made healthy eating a lifestyle.
But I couldn’t say the same thing about exercise.
Since my first son was born, I had been on a bit of a workout roller coaster.
The demands of being a busy mom to two young children could easily take over my day. And if I’m being honest, there always seemed to be something that felt more important than getting my workout in.
I know I’m not alone in this...
Maybe you’re a parent. Maybe you work long hours. Maybe you’re caring for aging parents. Maybe your schedule is simply packed from morning until night. Whatever your circumstances, it can be incredibly easy for exercise to become the thing that gets pushed to tomorrow.
So what can we do about it?
Over the years, I’ve learned a few things that have helped me make movement a more consistent part of my life.
1. Make Your Workout Fit Your Life—Not the Other Way Around
Here’s a big mistake I see people make all the time. They get their heart set on one — and only one — way to exercise, and then, when that doesn’t fit into their day or their current life, they give up and don’t do anything at all. I will admit there were two specific times when this happened to me.
The first time was when my first son was born. I wanted to go to the gym early in the morning the way I did before I had kids, but that just wasn’t possible. Instead of finding alternatives, I surrendered to "I just can’t work out right now." How wrong I was! Once I started finding exercise routines I could easily do at home with my baby, I was back on track.
The same thing happened when I began traveling more. If the hotel didn’t have a gym or the weather wasn’t cooperating, I would use travel as an excuse not to exercise. But the truth is, there are so many workouts that require very little space and virtually no equipment.
Your workout routine needs to work with the season of life you’re actually living—not the life you wish you had.
2. Find Someone Who Will Hold You Accountable
You may have heard this advice a million times, but have you actually tried it?
I know that I personally do better when I’m accountable to someone.
For me, having someone who knows whether I completed my workout makes a difference.
At one point, my walking partner was my husband, and my best friend was my accountability partner. I would send her a quick text when I finished my workout, and she would respond with something encouraging. Sometimes all I needed was a simple "I’m proud of you!" or "Nice work!" It made me feel accomplished and put a smile on my face.
And your accountability partner doesn't even have to live nearby. You can text, call, or message each other after your workouts. You can walk together in person or simply encourage each other from across the country, or even across the world.
A little accountability can go a long way.
3. Make Exercise Something You Actually Enjoy
After my second son was born, I decided not to do anything related to exercising that I didn’t think was fun. I know this is where some people may say, "Well, Isabel, no pain, no gain." But I don’t believe that. I don't believe exercise has to be miserable to be effective.
If I set up some cones (or plastic cups) outside and run relay races with my kids, that is just as good as — or even better than — running sprints at a track or in a parking lot. If I go to the park and watch my kids play while I do lunges and pushups, that is much more entertaining than doing those same exercises in a dark gym.
Your version of fun might look completely different. Maybe you enjoy walking through different parks in your area. Maybe you like biking with friends. Maybe you enjoy dancing. Maybe you prefer strength training. Maybe you love exercising outdoors. Maybe you need a workout that can be completed in 20 minutes at home.
The best workout isn't necessarily the one that's hardest. It's the one you enjoy enough to keep doing.
4. Stop Thinking Every Workout Has to Be Long
One of the reasons people struggle to exercise consistently is that they believe they need a huge block of time to dedicate to their workout.
But something is almost always better than nothing.
You don't need to spend an hour at the gym every day to benefit from movement. A shorter workout can still help you build strength, improve your fitness, and create the habit of showing up.
If you have 20 minutes, use 20 minutes. If you have 15 minutes, use 15 minutes. And if you only have a few minutes today, do what you can.
The goal is not to win some imaginary award for having the longest workout. The goal is to keep moving.
5. Remember That Consistency Matters More Than Perfection
Think back to those people I saw exercising on the beach.
I doubt every single one of them had exercised perfectly for their entire lives. They probably had vacations. They had busy seasons. They got sick. They had days when they didn't feel like exercising.
But they kept coming back. And that is the lesson I took away from watching them.
A healthy lifestyle isn't built from a handful of perfect workouts. It's built from thousands of ordinary decisions to keep moving.
Some days will be easier than others. Some workouts will be fantastic, others will feel like a struggle. Some weeks you'll exercise several times, other weeks will be more challenging.
That's okay. Don't let an imperfect week turn into an abandoned goal. Just start again.
What If You Need a Little More Structure?
Sometimes we don't need more motivation. We simply need a plan.
If you know you want to exercise but aren't sure what to do, BodyFIT Foundations was created to give you that structure.
BodyFIT Foundations includes four approximately 25-minute workouts, along with additional stretching and exercise videos, so you can build strength and fitness without needing to spend hours in a gym.
And because the workouts are designed to be practical and approachable, they can fit much more easily into a busy lifestyle.
You don't have to figure out every workout yourself. You don't have to wonder what exercises to do next. You just need to press play and get moving.
Keep Moving
That morning on the Florida beach taught me something I'll never forget.
The people I saw weren't necessarily doing complicated workouts. They were simply moving. And they had made movement part of their lives.
That's what I want for you, too.
Not a temporary burst of motivation. Not an exercise routine you can only maintain when life is perfect. But a way of moving your body that fits your life, brings you some joy, and becomes a normal part of your day.
You don't have to wait until you have more time. Start with the time you have.
Put on your shoes. Take a walk. Do a quick workout. Stretch. Play with your kids.
Move your body in whatever way works for you today.
Then do it again tomorrow.
That's how a workout becomes a lifestyle.