The best thing for fitness, particularly for those getting started, is to find a class with a regular schedule and that you must pay to take.
Paying for something, and having an expected time to show up and participate is _powerful_.
Some people have the drive and motivation to actually make themselves stick with an exercise plan. For the rest of us, having peers involved, and paying money is the equivalent motivation as a grade on an assignment in school... you do the assignment because of the grade, not because you just wanted to.
Find a local FleetFeet or favorite exercise store and sign up for a summer run class for 4 weeks, and see your improvement and motivation increase.
Perhaps. My way to fitness was Parkrun, a fantastic initiative that organises free 5km runs every Saturday in a local park. You just turn up and run. If you register and download a barcode, volunteers record your finish time each week and you get your time, and other statistics e-mailed to you.
They are great community events, and the organisers are proud that average finish time is gradually creeping up as more slower runners (and walkers) get involved. I started several years ago aged 52 and am now coming in at about 26 minutes, 10 minutes faster than my first run. Obviously they aren't running at the moment, apart from New Zealand, but check-out your nearest one. www.parkrun.com
You didn't pay for it, but the motivation is the community in this case. You've probably met some people there, and everyone shares in the experience. That's powerful as well.
Although, I still think paying for the classes to get started is a better way for most people. "Skin in the game" sort of thing, and can be a good mental excuse to leave the office and go to the class, instead of pushing it off to "tomorrow".
> Obviously they aren't running at the moment
That's sad... I can't see why people can't exercise with masks or whatever during Covid. A lot of people will lose all their progress and motivation.
Perhaps. For me it’s very much the opposite: gym settings and classes make me extremely anxious. The last thing I want is to subject other people to the view of my gross, sweaty body, or having to be surrounded by beautifully-toned people that remind me of what I’ll never be.
This said, I probably won’t buy a Mirror (or a Peloton, or any other fitness-gadget) because I know that my issues with regularity and noncompliance to routine cannot be fixed with “mind hacks” or gamification. Whenever I have a “come to fitness-Jesus” moment, I just need a pair of shoes and shorts to go for a run, and a food scale, and I’m ok for a few months.
Paying for something, and having an expected time to show up and participate is _powerful_.
Some people have the drive and motivation to actually make themselves stick with an exercise plan. For the rest of us, having peers involved, and paying money is the equivalent motivation as a grade on an assignment in school... you do the assignment because of the grade, not because you just wanted to.
Find a local FleetFeet or favorite exercise store and sign up for a summer run class for 4 weeks, and see your improvement and motivation increase.