Maybe it’s the change in temperature, with a distinct chill to the air, maybe it’s the inner child in all of us, but the beginning of September always seems like "back to school” in many ways. Shifting gears and resetting feels intuitively right, whether it’s home, sport, nutrition or sleep-related. Early fall is an opportune time for creating (or returning to) more effective personal routines. Of course after the year we have all had, the summer was all about the exact opposite - wanting to get away and forget the daily, the routine, the mundane. And if you’re now left feeling a little unmotivated or unsure where to start, read on.

Book It In
When you plan on committing and pre-book your workouts ahead of time, updating your weekly planner, there is less temptation to skip out or to get distracted by something else, and it’s more likely that your routine will shape up naturally in the long run. And routines help us approach our wellbeing in a structured way.
Get An (Accountability) Buddy
You might be totally happy going for a jog or a class for some quality me-time. But for consistency’s sake, as research has shown time and time again, you’re more likely to keep at it if someone is counting on you to show up. Choosing someone you are at ease and have similar goals with, will add some sociability to the process, not to mention accountability!
Go For A Challenge Or A Program
Similarly to having company during workouts, having a challenge to structure and motivate you along the way can also make a big difference. New habits take 21 days to set in, and to get you back into a noticeably-effective pattern, having a challenge to immerse in and keep up with might be just the solution to encourage that new routine.
Start Small, Experiment & Most Crucially, Enjoy
While getting out of your comfort zone is often touted as the essential component to truly significant breakthroughs in any personal development, starting to experiment with movement again should be joyful and not stressful in any way. Our bodies and preferences are highly individual, so start small and gentle if you need to, as long as you’re having a good time, and slowly increase the intensity and the frequency. Or go for a variety of workout types - especially if you have not engaged your body much in a non-home setting since before lockdown, you’ll be surprised at what it may respond to.

And here are some more ideas as suggested by our team.

Gavin, RIDE Team Captain:

Manage your expectations. “Meaning that, after a long pause don't expect to go from 0-100, and try to focus on the progress over having the perfect end result. Try to approach it in a non-judgmental way, without expecting that you will be immediately going back to where you left off. If you would love to return to the Ride room, but not sure you can handle the 45min immediately, build up some endurance by going on a few runs first and/or get in touch with moving your body through a couple flow yoga classes. You can also initially opt for a 30min express Ride instead of the full 45min.”

Chase, HIIT and Mobility Coach:

Segmentation (small victories), visualization (reframing + positive thinking), emotional control (breathing), finding your tribe. “If a task seems daunting, but you desire to achieve it, then stop and take a few deep breaths, reframe from the fear by shining a positive light on it. Rethink it by breaking it up into smaller, more manageable pieces. Physical and mental fitness means exertion, which in turn means enduring some discomfort. Great, reframe this, internalise it. Getting started on a path to feeling fantastically-fit again means that you need to start from scratch. This is the best place to be and to start!

Visualise your achievement and the pleasure that comes from it, to move better with your body and mind through this thing called life. You can move forward by dipping your toes into our Refine room. If that’s still too much, then parcel your goal up into even smaller, pleasurable experiences by merely paying BECYCLE a visit in the studio. Come and say hello! Have some fun, grab a meal at the all-new Lucy's deli, crack a conversation with someone there, and get connected with the BECYCLE community. This way you move toward your goal in a holistic and healthy manner. Ask about the workouts on the schedule and start with one. One bite at a time.”

Kate, Yoga and Mindfulness Instructor:

Shift Your Mindset. “Try not to think of your attendance as something that’s tied to stringent rules and goals. If you feel like you need some motivation to stay on track, rather try imagining and bringing to mind how you feel at the end of a class and let that be your driving force! After all, coming to classes is something you do for yourself to feel good and be healthy, not to necessarily to ‘achieve’ something. Once you start building your practice back into your routine again, it will become second nature and you’ll find yourself craving those feel good sensations you get from class, and you won’t even have to think about ‘forcing’ yourself to attend.”

Written and compiled by BECYCLE marketing manager and health coach Katia Varfolomeeva.

Getting That Workout Routine Back