Episode #81: 5 tips to get out of an exercise rut
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In this episode Rhonda shares 5 practical tips to help you get out of an exercise rut - whether you’ve been sick, injured, busy with summer, or simply feeling unmotivated.
This episode is packed with compassionate, doable strategies to remove barriers, reframe your mindset, and rebuild consistency without relying on fleeting motivation. Rhonda shows you how to stack habits, use “temptation bundling” for momentum, and keep workouts short and simple, all while reminding you that life ebbs and flows, and self-compassion is always part of the process.
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🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned:
Spotify Playlists: Strong at Home Throwbacks + other workout mixes
Follow Sohee Carpenter on Instagram (resource on “temptation bundling”)
🌐 More Ways to Connect:
📝 Episode Talking Points:
Why September often feels like a “reset” season
Why motivation is overrated (and what to lean on instead)
Tip 1: Remove barriers (clothing, equipment, scheduling)
Tip 2: Use music to get pumped up
Tip 3: Habit stack workouts with existing routines
Tip 4: Temptation bundling (pairing exercise with something you enjoy)
Tip 5: Keep it short + simple (5 minute workouts really do count)
Encouragement to embrace life’s ebbs + flows with compassion
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Episode #81: 5 tips to get out of an exercise rut
Welcome to Pelvic Health and Fitness, a podcast for moms who want real honest conversations about their body, their health movement, and everything in between. I'm Rhonda Chamberlain, orthopedic physiotherapist, pre postnatal fitness coach, and mom of two. I'm here to share practical tips, informed insights, and the kind of support I wish more women had access to.
Whether you're navigating pregnancy, postpartum recovery, perimenopause, menopause, returning to exercise, or just trying to stay strong through the chaos of everyday life, this space is for you. We'll talk pelvic health, fitness, and the emotional ups and downs of motherhood with zero focus on weight loss, and a strong focus on realistic sustainable movement that fits into your real life.
No, all or nothing mindset. No gimmicks, no quick fix. Is no bs. Just small, consistent steps that support your long-term health. A quick reminder, this podcast is for education and general information only. It's not medical advice, so please be sure to connect with your healthcare provider if you have specific concerns.
I'm so glad you're here. Let's do this.
Hey friends, and welcome back to another episode of the Pelvic Health and Fitness Podcast. Today I'm going to be chatting about. Five tips to get out of an exercise rut or to get back into it after time away for whatever reason. This is a very timely episode for me because I am coming off of being sick.
So I was supposed to record this podcast episode last week, but came down with a cold. Um, lots of coughing, lots of being stuffed up, and. Semi lost my voice, so had to put it off. Um, so my voice is still a tad bit scratchy, but we're making do, and so this is an episode that I'm going to be talking to myself as well as all of you.
So first of all, if you're listening to this podcast episode live, it's beginning of September. Depending on where you're at in your journey, your life journey, um, if you are a parent, if you are a mom, getting back into swing of things in the SE in September. Um, if you have kids in school, it always is a bit of a chaotic time to try to get back into that structure again.
And for me, always serves as a reminder that. I'm always very excited and, um, I always look forward to getting back into routine of fall, but inevitably there's always something that might go awry, um, before I get back into that structure and schedule again. This year for me it was getting sick. So yeah, dealing with this head cold, I personally was so excited to get back to the gym once or twice a week.
Um, get back to my home workout. And get back into posting on Instagram and just being more consistent with those things, and that completely got derailed because of this sickness. So just serves as a reminder for myself and for all of you. Life is always going to be ebbing and flowing, so it's definitely important to have a fluid outlook on our exercise and let it ebb and flow with our life instead of being very rigid and feeling anxious anytime we have.
Uh, break in our exercise routine. So this is a very excellent episode to kind of go along with that. Um, so summer for me was also very tricky to be consistent with exercise, just with the kids being home and just having a busier schedule. Um, lots of fun things happening, but definitely not a lot of extra time to get those workouts in.
So, um, yes, again, in the fall I look forward to getting back into it. So now that I'm feeling better. Hopefully that will be the case for me. And depending on where you're at in your life, um, maybe you're feeling ready to get back into a bit structured, um, exercise again. So I'm hopeful that this e exercise, sorry, I'm hopeful that this episode will help you with that, getting back into exercise routine.
So main message today is I. Don't recommend relying on motivation to get back into fitness and exercise because motivation is so fleeting. Even for someone like myself that does fitness for a living, very rarely I will say, am I like. Super excited and motivated to work out. Um, definitely occasionally I'll have that where I'm just feeling ready to just get moving and lift some heavy weights.
I definitely feel that more so when I go to my weightlifting classes. But day to day when I have a home workout that I know is gonna help me feel that much better, I'm not super jazzed to do it. That's just the truth. So for me, I more rely on skills and habits that I've learned over the years. To get that workout in.
And a lot of it is just reminding myself of my goals and my why, of why I enjoy working out regularly. And for me, it's to feel good, to have energy, to keep up with my kids for the long haul, to be strong and to. My fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, uh, God willing if I get to those ages. So always reminding yourself of why we're doing it.
That's a definitely a big thing. So now to get into sort of more practical tips, so that's sort of like the overarching. You know, having a bigger reason to continue moving, um, is wonderful, but also to have the skills and, um, habits we can go back to, to get those exercise routines going again. Okay, so let's chat today about five tips to get out of a workout rut and get back into the swing of it again.
So number one, I want you all to think about removing barriers. So this might look like for you, um, this is something I talk about often is do your workout in whatever you're wearing that day. Sometimes the barrier of getting changed. So, for example, if you're on the main floor with your kids and you know you wanna get a workout in, but it's a matter of going all the way upstairs, getting changed, putting on a sports bra, sometimes that's enough to just be like, yeah, I just don't wanna do it.
So this is something I still continue to this day. Mind you, I wear, um, athleisure most of my days, so this helps. But I have been known to do a workout in jeans, um, or in like a nicer, um, outfit that I'm wearing that day just to make sure I get it done. To check off that box to feel better. Make sure to also have your workout equipment in plain sight.
So same thing here if you want to get a workout done, but the thought of looking around your house and trying to find where your equipment has ended up sometimes might be enough to just not do it. So if you're able to have maybe a yoga mat somewhere accessible, have a pair of dumbbells, easily accessible, have some bands, whatever it is that you're gonna get that workout done with.
Try to keep them out in plain sight. And then another one is try to schedule your workout into your calendar to remove the barrier of canceling on yourself. So this is one that takes definite practice, um, but similar to how you would book an appointment to get a massage or go for physio. Try to book yourself an appointment for your workout.
And the trick is here, try not to cancel on yourself. So book it in and try to get it done when you can. Obviously there might be things that come up that you have to move it, but if something comes up, try to shift that workout into a different day in your schedule and try to commit to it to make sure that you're honoring your commitments to yourself.
The more you do that, the more you gain trust in yourself to continue fulfilling that habit. Okay. Number two of how to get out of an exercise rut. Try to put on a playlist to get you pumped up. So this for sure helps me when I'm feeling in kind of a blah mood, but I know I wanna get a workout done. I come downstairs to my basement, I put on Spotify.
Um, I have a strong at home throwbacks playlist that I love that has a lot of, um, pop and hip hop, um, songs from the nineties and like the early two thousands, which I love. So that really helps get me pumped up. It gets me dancing and dancing is definitely part of working out, definitely counts as a workout.
Um, and it gets me in the mood to get a workout done. So don't underestimate that one. Number three, try to habit stack your workout with something that you're already doing. So this, you know, might depend on where you're at in your journey if you're a mom. This really worked well for me when my kiddos were napping two to three times a day for the most part.
Both of my daughters were really great in that first morning nap. So I'd put them down around 9, 9 30, and that would be my cue to get my workout done. So as soon as I put them down, I would come back downstairs. Um, even in the beginning, if they didn't nap for very long, I would set a timer for say 10 minutes.
And I would get done what I could in that time. So even if it was something as simple as, you know, 10 squats, 10 pushups on the stairs, um, and then a 22nd plank. And I would repeat that, um, four or five times. That would take me, um, a little bit less than 10 minutes, maybe do a bit of stretching, and that would be my workout.
I check it off for the day. And I'd feel so much better going into the rest of my day, having put myself first in that moment. So I hear from moms a lot that. You know, during nap time is a great time to rest and chill out, which is wonderful. So definitely do that too. And a lot of moms put a lot of stress and pressure on themselves to get the laundry done, do the dishes, you know, clean the house, whatever that might be, which again, is all well and great if that is something that's going to help you feel better to accomplish.
However, I would challenge you all to again, remind yourself that you are important, that your needs matter. And that I want you to put yourself first on your priority list. So if that works for your schedule to get a movement session done right away in the morning, then you can use the other nap times or the rest of your day to get things done around the house or chill out and veg.
But if you know what's gonna help you feel that much better, and you can prove this to yourself time and time again. To get a little bit of a workout in during that first nap. That's such a great way to start your day and to continue to remind yourself that you matter. So, other ways to Habit Stack is you can habit stack it with, you know, after breakfast.
So as soon as you have breakfast, that's your cue to go. Do a little bit of something. Maybe not super close if you're having a big meal, but you know what I mean. Um, you can use it, have it stack right after you're done your workday. So if you're. Um, back to work as a mom. As soon as you get home. If you have support, then maybe go down to your basement or wherever it is that you do a workout.
Get that movement session done if you have support with the kids or bring the kids with you. Uh, one that a lot of my clients use because it's the biggest time of the day that they have free time is as soon as you put your kids down for bed. That's your cue to do a little bit of movement. And again, I know I can't speak to everybody here.
Um, I know that that strategy doesn't work the best for me personally because usually by the end of the day I am completely wiped. I have no energy left. Um, so I'm more of a workout in the morning person. I try to get it done early, but I know some clients thrive with those nighttime workouts and it works for their schedule.
So just again, remind yourself of what your priority is and why it is that you want to get moving. If it's to continue moving for the long haul, to feel good, to have energy, it is important to try to figure out how you're gonna fit that into your life. So sometimes it's not optimal. Sometimes those evening workouts don't, it's not your first choice, but sometimes it might have to be a thing, um, to get it done during this busy season.
So that's another way to have it stack. Okay. Tip number four, to get back into a workout routine after some time away would be try temptation bundling. And I'm pretty sure I heard this term initially from Sohi Fit on, um, Instagram. Great account. If you don't follow her already, I'm mean, I'll link her in the show notes below.
Um, basically what this means is you're going to pair. Um, something that's less than favorable with something that is enjoyable. So maybe for you, exercising is not the most enjoyable task, but if you pair it with something that is enjoyable, it might help you get that thing done. So. One of the examples I like to use is when sometimes if I'm not in the mood to do a workout, I'll come to the basement and I'll put on like a guilty pleasure show.
I don't even like to call them guilty pleasures 'cause I have no guilt associated with some of the shows that I watch. Um, but I'll put on like Jersey Shore or the Kardashians, and, uh. Get my workout done during that show, which just helps to, you know, distract myself from the workout that I'm not enjoying doing and putting something enjoyable on in the background.
Um, another thing that really helps me is I always make an electrolyte drink to have after my workouts, which just tastes really good. So I just look forward to that. So I kind of have that in the back of my mind. Okay. If I get my workout done, I get to have my yummy drink. Or maybe something else that you might look forward to, like a long shower after your workout or a yummy snack, that type of thing.
So just pairing something that you do enjoy with something that you don't enjoy as much. Um, another example would be going for a walk with an excellent podcast or a good playlist again, um, just helps you to get through that task that maybe you don't love as much by pairing it with something that you do love.
And number five tip to get back into exercising after a bit of a rut would be try to keep it short and simple. This is something I keep repeating and I will keep repeating till the end of time. Remind yourself it doesn't need to be all or nothing. So even if you can commit to a warmup, for example. So commit to five minutes.
This is something I tell a lot of my clients that work with me that have maybe fallen out of it a bit and want, um, some guidance to get back in. I tell them just start with a warmup. So just start with some glute bridges, some side bridges, some bird dogs, maybe some squats, and if you feel good from there to keep going.
Awesome. Keep going. If you wanna stop at five minutes. Remind yourself the five minute workout you did do is better than the one hour workout you didn't do right. So something is always going to be better than nothing. Um, and then also just keep it simple. So again, this is something that I really utilized when I was early postpartum and I didn't have a lot of time.
Or the bandwidth to think about what to do. I would just keep it simple. Again, I would think of maybe like 10 squats, 10 lunges, 10 incline pushups like I mentioned earlier, and repeat that. Um, you know, two to five rounds type of thing. Um, this is what I love to help people with. Just teaching you how to strength train in a way that's very realistic and doable.
Um, so if this still sounds overwhelming to you of like, I don't even know what to pick. I definitely recommend working with someone like myself or a trainer to help give you tools in your toolbox, movements and exercises to add into your life that you can keep doing for the long haul. Those movements never get old.
Squats will always be a very functional, useful exercise. So do things that you know are gonna feel good for your body and just keep doing them. Keep it simple. Keep it short when you're just starting out to remove that barrier. Of trying to create these big, overwhelming, complicated workouts. Okay, so just to review five tips to get out of an exercise rut or to get back into exercise after time away.
Number one, try to remove barriers. So do your workout in whatever you're in. Have your workout equipment easily accessible. Mark it into your calendar. Number two, use music to get you pumped up. So I'll post some awesome playlist below that I, um, have created on Spotify, or if you have one that you love, use that playlist to get you pumped up and in the mood to work out.
Number three, habit. Stack your workout with something you're already doing in your day. So example, after you put baby down for a nap, after you put your kids down for bed. After lunch, after work, that type of thing. Number four, temptation bundling. So pair your workout with something that you do enjoy to make it more likely that you're going to get that workout done.
And then number five, keep it short and keep it simple. Alright, friends, that is it for today. I hope that helps you if you have been feeling a little bit stuck in your life in terms of movement and exercise. Try some of these skills, try some of these tips to see if it can help you get back into the swing of things.
And again, always practice self-compassion, self-kindness. If you're anything like me, I want to be back into a very structured routine with exercise this fall, but life has been lifeing and that hasn't been happening. So if that's you as well, you're not alone. September. As much as we want it to be this beautiful, chill time, it can be a little bit chaotic and kids can get sick, and all these things can happen as parents as we know.
So, you know, lots of grace, lots of compassion for yourself. And when you're ready to get back into it, I hope some of these tips help you get back into the swing of things. All right, friends. That's it from me today. I'll talk to you soon.
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