By Kevin Jones
You likely know that yoga can provide you with a variety of benefits, from helping you increase your flexibility to also reducing your stress and depression. However, knowing the various benefits doesn’t mean it’s easy to make yoga into a daily habit.
So, if you are looking to add yoga to your daily routine since you can engage in it even on designated rest days, here are some tips on how to start making yoga a daily habit.
Keep Your Expectations Realistic
Before you dive in headfirst into your yoga routine goal setting, remember to temper your expectations. Without realistic expectations, you can become disappointed and end up giving up altogether.
An example of an unrealistic goal is saying that you will do yoga every day. If you are already a trained athlete who has this kind of discipline, well, you may be able to pull off starting with doing yoga every day. Most people aren’t able to make that kind of taxing commitment, and it is best to set more realistic expectations for those who aren’t working out currently or only work out a few days a week.
Instead, try to commit to 3-4 days of yoga practice a week and set particular days as your exercise days. That way, if you do stick to this routine and want to add more workout days to your routine, you will have a firm routine to build off of.
Limit Your Yoga Equipment Buying
It can be tempting to “help yourself commit” by buying a bunch of yoga accessories, such as blocks, high-end yoga clothes, pay for expensive classes, and more. But in reality, all you need is your body, even a yoga mat is somewhat optional if you have a soft carpet, grass or your bed you can use instead.
But by convincing yourself that you need to buy all these things to make yoga a daily habit creates an artificial barrier between you and your yoga practice. Don’t make it harder for you to make yoga part of your routine.
Instead of buying a pricy Lululemon set of yoga gear, any comfy clothes you can move in can become your yoga workout clothes. And rather than attending an expensive yoga studio, you can use resources like YouTube to find yoga routines to follow along with as you establish your habit.
Commit To Just Two Poses At The Start
If you find following an entire yoga routine difficult, you don’t have to do a full routine to start developing your yoga habit. It can take time to build the strength and flexibility to follow along with a yoga routine, particularly if you choose a routine that was not designed for beginners. In fact, by pushing yourself too hard, you can strain yourself and be set back by your injury.
Instead of pushing yourself to memorize tons of different poses, just as you are beginning your yoga habit, commit to learning and doing two yoga poses to start. There are countless yoga poses you can choose from, and you can easily pick two poses that will address the areas you are concerned with, such as poses that help your posture and back.
Set A Regular Practice Time
A significant part of building a yoga routine is having a steady time when you workout. While a simple yoga routine can be added into your day at any point, if you want to be consistent with your workouts, it is best if you pick a set time for your workouts.
Personally, I like yoga first thing in the morning. It is an excellent way to wake your body up gently and ease any stiffness out of your body while helping you to start the day with a meditative and centered emphasis. Though, if you do miss your scheduled time, don’t stress. As long as you only occasionally need to reschedule your yoga routine, your habit should stay intact.
With happiness just workout away when you practice yoga regularly, you should do your best to embrace these tips and make yoga a permanent part of your life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kevin Jones is a health and fitness blogger and a regular contributor to a number of fitness websites. He writes for NordicTrack. During his free time, he likes to be very active and spend time with his wife and two children shredding the slopes of Park City, Utah or chasing down the Salt Lake City Korean food trucks. Connect with him online; LinkedIn– Twitter