In addition to the great support and ideas your readers have shared, I’m reminded of a little pattern that started in childhood for me…

At around age 12, I’d be just about to empty the dishwasher (on my own accord because I wanted to help out, not because I was asked) and then my mom would say, “Honey, can you unload the dishes for me?”

Gah!

Suddenly what I had once wanted to do just to be nice and help out, turned into a “have to” and I totally didn’t want to do it anymore. It was only because she hadn’t asked me to do it, that I felt willing and free enough to move toward it on my own.

So when it comes to exercise, I’ve noticed the same thing.

Sometimes I need to give myself some space (by not making exercise a “have to” or a “should”) so that I can naturally move toward it on my own when I’m feeling ready to.

Without the space and permission to NOT exercise, we’re not free *to* exercise.

At that point, we’re exercising out of force and “have to” and that’s what we often rebel against – which can lead to not exercising at all.

So my suggestion is to see if you can be at peace with and make friends with the fact that you haven’t exercised for 6 months.

Can you be okay with it?

Your inner self probably needs some reassurance that you love it even if it doesn’t exercise. Know what I mean? That you love yourself unconditionally even if you haven’t done what you thought you should.

It needs permission and to know that it’s okay to be the way it has been and the way it currently is. (Hint: Your less-toned body needs to know this also.)

This can seem kind of a daring, scary thing to do – because people worry that if they give themselves permission NOT to exercise, then they’ll never exercise.

But if we go back to the dishwasher connection…

The only reason I wanted to unload the dishes without being asked is *because* I wasn’t asked. It wasn’t a “have to” in that moment. So I had the freedom to move toward it on my own without my ego getting in the way.

As soon as my mom asked me to do it and brought it up, my rebellious ways came back and I didn’t want to do it anymore.

So see if you can give yourself some inner permission to not exercise.

make a list: 10 Reasons It’s Great I Haven’t Been Exercising For The Last 6 Months.

Most people don’t like being bossed around – and our ego, our inner selves, our inner children, our spirits – all the parts you believe to be inside of you – usually aren’t into being bossed around either.

This doesn’t mean we can’t still set up conditions so that it’s easy to exercise when we choose to, but can we be okay if it happens and okay if it doesn’t? Can we love ourselves all the way no matter what?

Out of that love, can come the freedom and inspired action to exercise.

Love and thank you for being you –

~Mona

Also agree with some of the other comments, a buddy system is great. Maybe you can get your fiancee to join in and have “couple” time and workout at the same time. It supposedly will help build the relationship bond as well.

Oh my gosh! I can really relate to you! My successful actions for keeping in an exercise program are things I learned from Harv Eker and from you!

1) Always chart myself. I designed a personal habits calendar with a list of all of the things I have to DO in order to HAVE the results I want in my life. One of them is to have a great, in shape body. So one of the habits I have to follow every day is to exercise. If I don’t do it, I have a big open space on my chart that reminds me that I am not working on that goal.

2) You said once that if you really want to get through a diet program you need a coach or an accountability twin. I made my neighbor my twin and so we both take a 3 mile walk together everyday. It really HELPS!

Between both of those I am able to keep my exercise program going. Before that I was not doing so well. I also have an emergency program that I follow when I am traveling.

BTW, if you would like to SEE my the “Habits Calendar” that I designed, send me your e-mail address and I will send you a PDF of it. Maybe you and I can partner to help others create their own personalized chart with a downloadable template like this to help them chart their successful habits.

Let me know if you are interested.

It’s synchronistic that you posted your message now. I just sent an email out to my subscribers about the INNER GAME of health and fitness.

It’s all about “How to RECLAIM your INNER AUTHORITY, stop self-sabotage and achieve your health and fitness goals”

I use special techniques and train my clients on how to quickly and easily uncover, uproot and replace the UNconscious, hidden beliefs and patterns that cause self-sabotage like not exercising, not following a meal plan, overeating, etc.

I would love to talk privately with you about doing a free teleseminar for your subscribers on the “INNER GAME” of health and fitness. This is what I specialize in.

Now more than ever there are plenty of exercise regimes, diet plans, programs, products, coaches, etc. but society is fatter and less active than ever. Partly due to the food industry and poor health education and partly due to the fact that most people have NO IDEA why they can’t get and stay motivated and stick to healthy habits.

Based on my experience as a coach and facilitator, even the best of us have hidden, unconscious beliefs and patterns that cause us to sabotage ourselves. This is because the unconscious mind (I call it the inner child) has formed ‘limiting beliefs’ and bad habits based on mis-perceptions and conditioning from early child hood.

These limiting beliefs are like viruses in your computer. The are extremely deceptive and destructive. We all have them. The real challenge is in understanding that since these beliefs and patterns are un-conscious then we have no way to be aware of them

It’s further compounded by the fact that these false-ideas and limiting beliefs stored in the unconscious mind were formed in early childhood. This means, that they’ve been part of us for a LONG time. And we even end up being convinced of ideas like “this is just the way I am”.

So, what I do is provide a structure, tools and a roadmap for people to systematically and effectively identify and replace those old, wornout patterns and self-sabotage. My private sessions are super powerful and effective. I’ve had doctors, psychiatrists and other highly successful people tell me that they accomplished more with me in one hour than in years of psychotherapy.

Like I said, I’d love to talk with you about doing a free teleseminar for your subscribers. I’m very passionate about empowering people with knowledge and tools to step into their true power.

Just let me know.

steph@highvibehealth.com

I always love your transparency, and this is news to me, I just saw you a few days ago, and you looked totally awesome to me, but hey you always do!

So here’s the scoop, and my two cents since I’m full steam ahead on a very consistent workout/conditioning/training regiment as well as my high raw living foods intake and natural diet that keeps me feeling totally awesome with energy off the charts.

Right now I’m in the best shape that I’ve ever been in and have the highest energy of my entire life…(and I’m also the oldest I’ve ever been, go figure.)

It comes down to a few things.

First, I made a very committed decision that I wanted to do this. I’ve been working out pretty much all of my life, but I like you have gotten on and off the consistent wagon.

One of the greatest things that you can do is to create a “daily ritual” list to do. I start every day with meditation, morning pages (journal writing), and then off to exercise.

Like our friend Eben talks about in wake up productive, I think that starting your day off on this self care fix with tapping into your Spirit, Mind, and then rocking the body, is the only way to start a day.

So I set a routine on a one sheet that’s in front of me every day. These are the big rocks that are most important to me. Without health and energy, I think everything else falls into trouble.

So you know as much as I do, it starts with discipline, then becomes a habit, and because you feel so good once you get over the hump, you never want to stop, then you’re off to the races literally.

I also wrote down an 8 week plan, including intensive cardio days, regular cardio days, weights, yoga, core etc.

I’m up to about 4-5 hours of cardio a week now, soon to be 6-7 hours a week.

I have literally never felt so good, and I’m on my 5 straight month.

The other thing (also from Eben, thank you sir!) is the accountability and making it inevitable.

You can either hire a trainer, coach, or get a workout partner, committed work out friend etc.

You can always put your money where your mouth is, make it public, get your community to hold you accountable, make a public statement that you will work out consistently x amount of days per week, whatever that routine is, and if you don’t get it done, money goes to charity, or you have to run naked through the ice tundras.
(On You Tube)

We can get really lazy and comfortable, but my belief is that we are born to move and to feel awesome.

And since we’re such great friends and working together, maybe we should create a group coaching or product around this idea, I was talking to a friend of mine today, and was thinking about doing that.

We need to get the population to move and be healthy, all it takes is a choice and some dedication, doesn’t have to super hard…but all good things do take a little work.

Anyway, I’m rambling, and I think I gave you 3 cents, and maybe even 5.

Let me know how I can support you, and if I have to meet you and get your moving, I know where you live ha ha!

Peace my friend..
Scott

PS: If anyone wants to find me, you can get me here:

http://LivingInAHumanSuit.com

In loving support
Jessica

One tip is to buy a treadmill–it’s turned out to be one of my best investments for my home. I hop on it first thing most mornings, set at a steep incline and walk at a fast pace for up to an hour, time permitting. What is most helpful is that I have a TV/DVR and DVD player in front of the treadmill, so I catch up on all of my favorite Netflix movies, shows that I’ve taped, or watch the morning news & weather. This helps tremendously, otherwise my treadmill would be collecting dust!

I also squeeze in group yoga and BodyPump at the local community center a couple of other days. Group workouts are fun and full of great energy. If you’ve never tried BodyPump, it’s really fun–the music is full of energy and always makes me happy, plus the workouts are never dull.

Another suggestion is to get a dog. Having dogs to walk 1-2x/day really helps! And as an added bonus, you’ll get to meet all of your neighbors better who also walk their pets.

Best of luck to you, Rose. The hardest part is starting up again, but Nike’s got it right when they say “Just Do It!”

And to get me really motivated I give my buddy 5 $20 bills in the beginning of the week and every day I exercise I get one back. If I miss one day the $20 get donated to a good cause of my choice – but they are gone for good… That means I “earn” $20 through exercising each day or $100 a week. That really keeps you going especially, if you are on a tight budget. If $20 doesn’t hurt you and is not enough of a motivator you might wanna try $50 or $100… You can also just find a accountability partner if you don’t want or can’t find an exercise buddy. Just ask somebody (you trust) if they would be willing to do that for you. They just need to stay firm and really donate the money and not give in and make exceptions when you miss your exercise days. Then after you went exercising that day you just give them a call or email, to confirm you did it…