**The content on Healthy Farmhouse is based on our family’s personal experiences and may not be the perfect fit for everyone. Prior to reading my ideas for how to start working out or any other health-related information on this site, I encourage you to read our full Health Disclosure to learn more.

Working Out on the Regular

If your main goal for this year is to start working out consistently again, you must first learn how to form new habits.

I’ve been working on this a lot lately, and it’s hard stuff, you guys!

That said, adding consistent workout routines to your day can become your new reality.

So, if you’re officially ready to work out, but not sure where to start, keep reading, my friend!

How to Start Working Out

As someone who has never been a fitness guru but always remained somewhat active during my mom-life years, learning how to start working out again after a long break felt overwhelming and darn near impossible.

10 years ago, our family life was simple, consistent, and I always knew what to expect.

Then, after a cross-country move, our lives got turned upside down.

From living in our RV for 3 1/2 years to finally settling in a new house.

Needless to say, I have had no real workout plan for the past 5 years, and I’m definitely out of practice.

So, here I am, learning how to start working out again, and this is how I’m doing it, you guys!

8 Ways to Start Working Out Again

Why is 8 the magic number?

Well, I’m not sure it really is, but these are the 8 things I’m currently doing to get myself back on track, so, 8 things it is!

While my main goal for the year has been to get more active, build up my endurance, and start working out regularly again, it’s definitely been harder than I expected, you guys!

My original plan was to lean on a new 30-day workout plan each month and share it with you as I went through it myself.

Well, guess what? That lasted all of 2 months, and here I am regrouping with the intention of finding what really works.

That said, I do hope to jump back on the 30-day workout challenges this summer, so I hope you will be patient with me and join me in those later!

For now, though, these are the things I’m doing to remain active and motivated.

• Focus on a low-impact

I’m going to be honest, I have never been good at cardio.

Not as a child, not as a teen, not as a young mom, and definitely not as a middle-aged adult.

So, starting this journey with physically exhausting cardio is just not my jam.

I have been focusing on low-impact and strength-building exercises instead.

This is 100% the way to go when you decide to start working out again.

Why low-impact? Simply because it’s easier.

Think about it. If you decided to start running every day and you have never been a runner in your life, you will likely give up within the first week (ask me how I know).

In my humble opinion, focusing on bigger things you aren’t physically ready for is a recipe for disaster!

So, when you’re ready to jump back on the workout wagon, focusing on low-impact workouts like pilates, chair exercises, or weight training is a great way to go.

Personally, I have been doing squats, arm circles, stretches, and lots of extra walking.

• Workout in Bursts

Yes, yes, yes!

This tip not only works for those who are first starting their workout journey, but also for those who are experienced and have recently found themselves struggling to fit workouts into their busy day.

I’ve been both.

Pick one of those low-impact exercises you’ve settled on and schedule multiple 1-5 minute workout bursts throughout your day.

Working out for only 1-5 minutes is still a start, you guys!

Don’t feel discouraged with your starting amount, because starting truly is the biggest challenge you will face.

Eventually, those 1-5 minute bursts go from happening twice a day to five times or more!

You can get there, just be patient with yourself and know that starting small is ok!

• Invest in SMALL Equipment

Ok, I’m gonna gonna get real for a minute — anyone can buy a treadmill with good intentions.

Heck, I could go out and buy one today, but I know in the back of my mind I likely wouldn’t use it for long.

Just like starting small and easy with the types and lengths of exercises you choose at the beginning of this journey, starting with small(er) equipment is just as important!

I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve bought something new, used it religiously for a week or 2, and then dropped it like it was never something I intended to use in the first place.

This is just a flaw of being human, I guess.

Before diving in headfirst and purchasing something huge, space-hogging, and intimidating, try focusing on simple workout aids instead.

Invest in a mat for your pilates routines, pick up some hand weights, or consider trying the thing I’ve found to be most effective lately, a vibration plate.

Starting small means you will be more likely to stick with it!

• Get Creative

From working out throughout your day to turning something you love into a workout, getting creative is one of the best (and easiest) ways to start working out after a long break!

When you aren’t sure how to get creative, simply think of everything you do during your day as a possible workout opportunity and roll with it, you guys!

This could mean working out while you do mundane tasks or by doing something active that you love.

For example, we live on a lake, and I thoroughly enjoy getting out on the water a couple of times each week. So, I take turns paddling and peddling in our peddle boat to help me build my strength while doing something I enjoy!

Maybe your love is dancing, or bike riding, and those things can totally be your main workout, you guys!

• Be Flexible

Being flexible in your workouts can mean many different things.

For example, I’ve already formed the habit of using my vibration plate every weekday morning.

So, I started doing my 30-day squat challenge as a part of that routine.

Now that my 30-day challenge is over, I randomly add squats to my morning workout routine.

Sometimes I do no squats; sometimes I do 10-20; and sometimes I glance at that old 30-day workout sheet to give myself a real challenge by doing the number of squats for the corresponding day (ie, if it’s the 17th of the month, I do however many squats the 17th day requires).

This is my version of being flexible.

I go off my mood and energy, making this an easy way to do what I can with little pressure.

Sometimes I make a point to do some low-impact exercise as I start my day, and other times I jog in place for 5 minutes midday or do 15 squats before I jump into bed.

Do what you can, when you can, and learn to be ok with it!

• Fix Your Mindset

I cannot stress this one enough.

As an awkward, introverted homeschool mom who has always struggled to fit in in every way imaginable, I’ve never quite felt comfortable in my own body.

Even at my thinnest, youngest, and best, it was easy for me to focus on the ways I didn’t look as good as someone else.

While I’d like to say fixing your mindset is easy, it’s totally not.

If I’m being honest, this will probably be something I’m working on my entire life.

That said, after striving for it for years, I actually have learned, and come to accept, that perfection will never happen.

So here I am, still learning to focus on progress over perfection, but also making it a priority!

So, if you, too, are stuck feeling bad about yourself or uncomfortable in the skin you’re in, be patient with yourself, celebrate small victories, focus on one day at a time, and remind yourself that perfection (while the world likes to make us believe it’s real) doesn’t actually exist!

Progress over perfection, you guys!

• Make Reachable Goals

While I don’t want to admit it, I think I just need to say it.

So, here goes…

I am an overachieving perfectionist.

Remember that whole progress over perfection thing? My overachieving perfectionist nature is the main reason I will always be learning and reminding myself constantly to focus on this.

I’ve been known for setting unrealistic goals for myself in every area of my life since as far back as I can remember.

However, it’s something I’m working on getting better at.

Making reachable goals is important because doing too much or creating unreachable goals can make things way too hard from the get-go.

This not only leaves you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, but you will likely give up, feeling like a failure in the end.

That said, I’m not saying you should only set ridiculously easy goals for yourself either, though.

I’m simply saying, focus more on slightly challenging, more realistic goals over those hard-to-reach or impossible ones.

• Skip the Scale

Last, but certainly not least, don’t focus on the numbers, you guys!

You know what kills motivation the most? Those pesky numbers on the scale.

Seriously though.

When it comes to changing your mindset and making actual progress, you mustn’t worry about the weight of it all.

My weight rarely seems to fluctuate in the direction I want it to, but I’ve noticed that when I put my focus on how I feel instead of how much I weigh, I make more progress.

When I start to notice I’m toning up, have more strength for certain activities, or can do more reps than the workout before, those are the things that motivate me to keep going.

Those are the things that matter.

So, if you truly want to make the biggest difference in your mindset, your motivation, and your workout routine, you must forget about the numbers.

Start Working Out TODAY

This is it, you guys! These are the things I’m doing to stay motivated, and I truly hope this post encourages you!

Now, get out there and start figuring out how to start working out again.

Don’t wait until tomorrow, do something today.