Here’s the thing. If you are reading this, you probably like riding your bike.
I mean, one of the big things we talk about a lot here at Sascy Cycling is how much FUN it is to ride!
Still, there are times where all of us lack the motivation and desire to move our bodies.
If you have ever been there, I know you know exactly what I mean.
You feel like it’s a huge effort to fit in a ride. The schedule is packed. Maybe the weather sucks.
Then, you skip the ride, and the next, and the next, and before you know it, it’s been a week or a month, or even LONGER before you get back on the bike.
It can feel so hard to get back on the bike when you have been off for a bit, or to get more consistent with your bike riding goals and plans.
If this sounds familiar to you, or if you have ever found yourself in a bit of a biking rut, read on for my five simple hacks to get off your couch with that cozy, warm blanket and ride!
# 1: Decide in advance when you are going to ride.
If you don’t make a plan to ride, you aren’t going to ride.
It’s that simple. If you are already out of the habit of riding your brain is going to come up with all of the excuses to NOT ride right now.
Decide in advance when you are going to ride. My favorite way to do this is to plan my rides weekly.
Every Sunday or Monday, sit down and plan out your movement. The days you are going to ride, the days you are going to strength train, etc.
This takes all of the thinking and the drama out of the equation each day. You know what days you are going to ride, now all you have to do is do it.
#2: Make it EASY to get on the bike.
If you were just laughing a bit when I said “all you have to do is do it,” trust me, I get it.
Sometimes you make that plan, but then LIFE gets in the way, the day rolls around, and you just don’t FEEL like getting on your bike.
On days like this you need to make it easy.
Think “baby steps.”
For example, just commit to putting on your workout clothes.
Sometimes getting changed, getting on the bike, doing the ride, it’s all just too much.
Instead, what if you just put your workout clothes in a VERY visible place the day before?
And, when it comes time to ride, just tell yourself “all I need to do is put on the clothes.”
Then, once you’re dressed, you’ve already made it easier to get on.
Some days I don’t have time to actually ride until AFTER DINNER. Who the heck wants to ride after dinner? Not this girl!
So I put my workout clothes on right when I get home, before I do anything else. This way, when dinner is over, I have made it that much easier to go ride instead of hunkering down on the couch.
#3: Keep the length and frequency short to start.
This hack is all about continuing to keep things easy.
Remember, baby steps!
Once you have your workout clothes on, tell yourself you are just going to ride 5-10 min or 5 miles.
That after 5-10 min you are giving yourself permission to stop.
Once you are actually on the bike you might want to do more, and that’s fine! BUT, you don’t want to go crazy. If you haven’t been in the habit of riding for a bit, your body is NOT going to appreciate a super long/hard effort.
Keep the length and duration on the shorter side and just focus on being consistent with getting on the bike when you plan to.
Also, sometimes the weather is just terrible. It can make it so tempting to skip.
It’s cold, it’s rainy. Having an indoor riding option can make this SO much easier to deal with.
I love being able to just hop on the peloton for 20 minutes in the basement. I don’t even need to put on bike shorts for a ride that short, so I can actually just wear whatever leggings I wore to work that day.
#4: Stop waiting for motivation.
How many times have you sat around waiting for the motivation that never comes?
Motivation is a totally fickle thing, and it is NOT something that you want to hope finds you when it’s time to ride your bike.
When you are trying to get back into the habit of riding your bike, instead of waiting for motivation, try focusing on discipline and consistency.
In other words, if you don’t want to ride? That’s fine. Say something like, “I know you don’t feel like getting on the bike right now, but you are going to do it anyway. You only have to ride for 5 minutes. It’s important to be consistent and build the habit.”
You have to give yourself a little win! We get such a nice little boost by making a plan and following through. It makes us that much more likely to do the thing the next time that we plan to. And the next. And the next!
#5: Tell someone.
This is one of the most useful hacks around when it comes to getting in the habit of riding your bike regularly.
Tell someone that you are planning to ride. It doesn’t matter WHO you tell. Even if it’s someone that you see out and about that you are never going to see again!
Tell the barista. Tell the checkout clerk. Say “I’m planning to ride my bike after work today” to a coworker.
Just knowing that there is someone else out there in the world who knows your plan makes it that much more likely that you will follow through.
If I really, really want to ride? I always tell my husband. I absolutely KNOW he will notice if I don’t, and will probably say “I thought you were going to ride today?”
Often this is all you need to get yourself on the bike. Not sure who to tell? Email me at [email protected]. Let me help keep you accountable!
A Final Note
It can be so hard to get in the habit of riding your bike when the circumstances make it feel impossible.
It’s a whole lot easier when you have the time. When the weather is nice! Or when you are motivated.
When the weather is cold or rainy, and you have just a short window, it might seem like it’s not worth it.
It is worth it though. Every single ride counts. No matter how short. No matter what the intensity is.
Each and every single ride keeps you in the habit of getting on the bike consistently.
So, my friend, what are you waiting for? Go ride that bike!
Ride on!
xoxo
Stacy
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