The time has come friends.
Today is the day I will write part four of my Self-Care Routine Series.
Let’s talk more about working out… and doing so with a plan each time we intend to exercise.
As a refresher, let me remind you of how I’ve defined what a self-care routine is.
Self-Care Routine: the habits that we tend to daily, for the benefit of no one but ourselves.
The first piece I wrote in my self-care routine series was: Double-Clicking on Anki. [[Reviewing Anki Terms]]
The second piece I wrote in this series was: Why you should write everyday. [[Writing in Personal Journal]]
The third piece I wrote in this series was: Now entering… this cheat code for happiness. [[Meditating]]
Now onto the final piece: Working Out With A Plan. [[Workout Plan]]
“I-I-I work out” when it’s easier to do
Here’s a simple hypothesis: we stick to habits once they become easier to do.
The most challenging thing about going to the gym is the act of getting ready to go and then actually leaving for the gym.
How to solve for this? Nudge yourself into going to the gym.
When you are planning on going to the gym, lay out your gym clothes in a spot in which they’ll be hard to ignore. Find a way to put on your gym shoes before you are even ready.. nudging yourself to perform the action (going to the gym) that you may have a mental resistance to.
The more micro actions you can take towards your goal of going to the gym and working out, the better and the more likely you’ll actually follow through with it.
Stepping outside to embark on your travels to the gym is the true point in which you are 99.9% more likely to go versus if you keep yourself indoors with no workout shoes on. Lace those bad boys up.
Anything you can do to provoke yourself to get closer to leave for the gym is a step in the right direction.
Just showing up really is the main battle in getting in the habit of going to the gym.
Once you show up to the gym.. a majority of the work has already been done.
By exercising today, you will be more fit tomorrow.
By exercising this week, you will be more in shape next week.
By exercising this month, you will be more muscular next month.
- Delay your gratification (Originally published on June 17th, 2021)
HOW TO TRACK WORKOUTS?
It’s simple. Open up your notes app that you use on your phone. List the workouts you would like to do for the day. Abs? Chest? Back? Cardio?
Track the weights that you are lifting, as well as the amount of reps, always increasing this amount per time… but not overdoing it.
Refer to this note as you progress from one exercise to the next. Update your workout tracking note as much that it is needed to serve as a reminder for the next exercise you will plan on attacking at the gym.
My advice is to then compile these initial numbers into a separate document. And to continually update this at the end of each day you workout.
This will make it easier to have a clue of your progress, as well as gamify your workouts. (Woohoo I leveled up ✅)
Compiling this separate workout document (I call mine Workout Plan) gives you a guiding compass as to how to attack your workout (i.e.,) what weights, exercises and rep amounts are going to give me a good workout tomorrow?
Planning ahead
The key to really getting into the swing of things workout related, rests in having a plan laid out for the next time.
Always plan your next workout, especially after you finish your day’s workout.
The reason that you should plan a workout after is simple: you already took care of this habit today and can envision that since you have done this already, tomorrow will be easier.
Keep a detailed list of planned workouts handy on your phone for your next workout. This way when you accomplish showing up to the gym (the hardest part), the workout becomes relatively easy because your whole workout is already laid out for you :)
Planning and tracking your workouts overtime builds up a continuous narrative and acts as a message of reinforcement stating “wow, I truly do workout, look at the amount of times I have already gone this year”.
Increasing the weights for your next workout and having no problem hitting that additional rep is an incredibly gratifying feeling.
When tracking your workouts overtime.. the real wizardry comes in on how you decide to increase weights/intensify your workouts.
Let’s use the example of how I update and track an individual workout, focusing on the MTS Shoulder Press machine for example.
According to my notes, on October 13th, 2021, I used the MTS Shoulder Press lifting 90 pounds on each side. I divided this workout into 3 sets of reps (9,8,9) respectively. As a result of this going well and running as planned, I will increase the amount of reps I do by 1 individual rep.
So the next time I workout I will lift 90 pounds using the MTS Shoulder Press and will add 1 rep to my total amount of reps… instilling the new workout plan of 3 sets of 9 reps.
With each workout, especially weight-related, I adopt a similar approach. This constantly creates a sense of progression within my workouts. Whereas, it also reminds me of the vast amount of progress I have made/will continue to make in exercising.
A rep more is a rep more, increased weight lifted is increased weight lifted and it has a cumulative effect not only for your muscles (get those gains fam), but it also has a cumulative effect for your mentality on working out. (I LOVE IT HERE).
When you track something, you improve at it.
I am of the belief that once you begin to track progress towards a goal (doesn’t matter what it is).. that your commitment to that goal enhances. Having a strong commitment to something is the first step towards becoming an expert (think crafted legitimacy).
Since I started tracking my goal of working out on a more regular basis, especially when my gym reopened after the COVID-19 outbreak, my engagement in working out has been at an all-time high,
Just today, October 13th, 2021.. I worked out my 200th day in the past year. I began tracking this habit of mine close to a year ago.
This is a moment in which I am incredibly proud.
Since I have been tracking my workouts over the past year I can look back to see how my workouts have evolved overtime. Diving into the weight increases, additional workouts I have learned, as well as overall progress I have made in getting more comfortable working out.
Naturally, my mind progresses onto wondering how soon I can reach 500 days working out? Could I make this happen by next year?
Questioning if I can get others to join and set the goal of working out 200 days before this time next year? (Would you be game with that, reader?)
What if we all were radically transparent about the fitness goals we have and challenged others to do the same?
Taking the time to reflect on how working out has changed my life: I can say it has vastly improved my confidence, not only mentally but physically.
Days in which I feel stressed about a looming project (lol like a newsletter) I find that simply switching into my gym clothes, and getting a nice 45 minute workout in, is sometimes all I need. Working out for me enables focus, instills energy, and brings me back to the present moment, as I no longer sweat the small things.
Working out proves that if I can get this activity done, who’s to say I cannot get this newsletter finished on time for example.
The crazy part is that now you can easily get a gym membership relatively cheap. At Planet Fitness (my gym) a membership is literally $10 a month… Time to get your $10 worth. No don’t splurge your $10 on a Big Mac combo despite how delicious McDiesel’s may sound to you.
Plan your next workout.
Lace up those gym shoes.
Show up to the gym.
Do what you can to break a sweat in less than 45 minutes.
Leave.
Be proud of your progress, while tracking how far you’ve come.
Plan your next workout.
Repeat.
That’s all it really takes to get fit.
And last but not least ask yourself the question what’s your self-care routine?
Cheers to lifelong learning,
Adam Bartley
PARTING NOTE
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