Working out for the workout-averse

I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of the maintenance of life -- you know, doing dishes, getting the oil changed in the car, and most of all, exercise. In the last few months, exercise has become a bigger part of my life than it ever has before. Here is what I've learned in the process about how to help my anti-exercise self to work out:

1. Invest in something.

For some, this is a gym membership. For me, it was the 21-day fix plan. I spent the money, so I wanted to get the value out of my investment.

2. Get a partner.

This part was crucial for starting. There's no way I would have gotten up and worked out first thing in the morning alone. Since my husband did the plan with me, I felt obliged to get up and work out. Eventually, obligation became habit, and now we mostly workout separately.

3. Put your workout first.

I don't mean this figuratively. The only way I've been successful with continuing a workout plan is to do it immediately upon waking, that way I get it over with and I can move on with my day without thinking about it too much. This is not easy for a non-morning person like me, but it's proven to be the best for me.

4. Combine strength and cardio for the most effective workout.

Because I'm working out first thing in the morning and because I like to a) sleep and b) eat breakfast before I get famished,  I will not do a workout that is longer than 30 minutes. That means that whatever I do needs to combine strength and cardio for best results. The 21-day fix workouts are good for this. So are the Jillian Michaels 30-day-shred workouts.

5. The habit of the habit is more important than the habit itself.

This tip comes straight from the pages of Gretchen Rubin's Better Than Before. The idea is that it's more important to keep the habit of working out than it is to do an amazing workout every time. Why? Well, for me, it's because it is so, so easy to fall out of my habit that even missing one day will mess me up for the week. If I don't feel like working out or I oversleep a bit, it's better for me to put in a 10-minute workout or a quick yoga session than it is for me to skip it altogether. That makes it easier for me to get out of bed and try again the next day.

Don't get me wrong. I am still far from perfect in my workout habit. But I've never kept a workout habit for this long before, so I'm hoping that if I keep following these tips, I'll keep reaping the benefits.