The Roommate Effect

It’s April 5th and I’m three workouts in to my “Abs in April” challenge. I have committed to 10 minutes of abdominal exercise every other day in April. Why? Well, for one, I’m a sucker for alliteration so the phrase had an attractive ring to it. Also, with no access to fitness centers I, like all of you, am turning to at-home workouts. Stating that I would tack on an extra 10-minute workout was a specific plan that did not seem too lofty or overwhelming either.

If you are like me and have noticed an increase in snacking due to the shelter-in-place mandate, the need for burning calories and staying toned is vitally important. My workouts may not be as long or strenuous than in previous times, but they still help with maintaining an exercise consistency and a springboard to continue on a healthy path. The best way for me to avoid the prepackaged snack in the pantry is to drop and do a 10-minute workout. Whether it is a routine of core work or a series of stretches, I do not want to inhale an empty-calorie, sugar-filled food after the progress I just made.

A 10-minute commitment also works well in the small wins category. The other day I found myself outside with my kids and socially-distanced neighbor. She had just come back from a run. We fell into conversation and I told her about my “Abs in April” focus. She loved the idea and wanted to join the challenge. This day happened to be the first day that I was not wearing workout clothes but exercising for only 10 minutes would not cause too much of a hindrance with what I was wearing. I did a quick mental calculation. Was it worth the grass stains I would probably get on my white shorts if I dropped and did the workout now, or, should I tell my neighbor, who was literally dressed and ready, that I would have to exercise later? It took no time for me to decide. I clicked on my workout playlist at full volume, opened the Interval Timer app, which was preprogrammed to 10 minutes, and we started. Each minute my phone dinged and we would change the exercise. Ten minutes and done!

What is most important about healthy living is not the diet you are on, the amount of weight you lift or the hours or time you spend burning calories. The key to success is consistency. Making small healthy choices over a long period of time will provide positive results. Small choices are a key factor too. It’s really hard to say, “I will run a marathon this year” but isn’t it easy to state, “I will walk for ten minutes today”? We know we have to build up to accomplishing something as big as running a marathon, so we need what James Clear identifies in Atomic Habits as “gateway habits.” The desired outcome may be crossing the finish line at the NYC marathon but the gateway habits can go from walking for 10 minutes a day, to walking 10,000 steps daily to running a 5K and so on.

Another advantage from my Abs in April challenge is the ease at which to be held accountable. Since my kids are now at home with me around the clock, they have turned into my own personal accountability coaches. I will say having three coaches at the ready makes for no chance of getting out of it either. They know my plan of working on my abs every other day so they are ready to not only remind and encourage me, but also join in with me, that is, sometimes. These unplanned for round-the-clock roommates can lurk around every corner ready to help (or catch me, depending on how I want to look at it in the moment) whenever I need, so I encourage you to employ your roommates to help keep you on task.

So how can you create a small habit that will be consistent and influence you to make further healthy choices? Who will hold you accountable to it? What creative plans will you make while working from home? I would love to hear your small ideas that will inevitably lead to a big impact. Keep in touch!

To our health,

Angie