Kickstart Your Fitness: 5 Steps to Boost Mental & Physical Health

On Aug 21, 2025

Consistently Incorporate Exercise into Your Daily Routine

You know that being physically active is beneficial for your health, but squeezing workouts into your busy schedule can be challenging. Despite the well-known benefits of regular exercise, only 24% of Americans meet the physical activity guidelines recommended by the federal government.

Regular exercise can help you combat diseases, improve your fitness level, and enhance your mental health. So, how can you create and maintain a consistent fitness routine?

Setting Fitness Goals with Aubre Winters

Before embarking on your fitness journey, it’s crucial to understand why you wish to increase your physical activity level, advises Aubre Winters, a Chicago-based fitness instructor and the mastermind behind the Sweat Sessions studio and workout program.

Find Your Motivation to Exercise

Figuring out what motivates you to exercise is the first step towards forming a consistent routine. It’s essential to identify how you want to feel after your workout, and maintain that feeling throughout your exercise journey, recommends Aubre. Start with small, manageable goals and gradually build up to longer, more strenuous exercise sessions. These ‘micro moments’ of activity can help you feel better and inspire you to make more significant commitments to your fitness routine.

Choose a Workout You Enjoy

Finding a workout that you genuinely enjoy doing can make your fitness journey more exciting and sustainable. Setting unrealistic goals or committing to an exercise style that doesn’t suit you may set you up for failure. Instead, choose a workout regimen that feels natural and enjoyable. This approach can help you maintain consistency even when life gets busy.

Hold Yourself Accountable

Keeping yourself accountable is critical for fitness success. This might mean sharing your workout plans with a friend or scheduling your workout sessions just as you would any other important task. Having someone who checks in on your progress or even joining you for a workout can go a long way in keeping you motivated. Accountability can be a powerful driving force in your fitness journey.

Take Baby Steps

Starting slow and easy can help you maintain your workout routine without feeling overwhelmed. Ask yourself how you want to feel post-workout, and let that feeling guide your next steps. Even a 30-minute walk before work can be a great start. Remember, the choice to exercise is between you and you. Making the choice to exercise will not only make you feel stronger and healthier but also promote longevity and enhance your quality of life.

Every fitness journey starts with a single step. Let this guide inspire you to take that step and incorporate exercise into your daily routine in a way that’s enjoyable, manageable, and beneficial for your overall well-being.

This article was adapted from an interview produced and edited for broadcast by Samantha Raphelson with Catherine Welch. The interview was also produced for the web by Raphelson. The original article can be found on WBUR.org.