How to Make Exercise a Habit: Actionable Tips
Making exercise a habit is an excellent idea. Regular physical activity offers multiple benefits to our health, including:
- Improving circulation
- Promoting brain health and improving cognitive function
- Facilitating weight management
- Reducing the risk of heart disease
- Strengthening bones and muscles
- Improving sleep quality
- Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression
Depending on your type of exercise, it can be beneficial to exercise a little regularly rather than for hours in one go. Moreover, doing small amounts frequently is a great way to build a habit, which can help you keep your commitment when the going gets tough.
Here is what you should know to develop a healthy, lifelong exercise habit.
1. Set SMART goals
A SMART goal is:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Actionable
- Realistic
- Time-Bound
Getting healthier by running more is a dream. Like a dream, it can feel powerful and inspiring at first, but chances are that you will gradually lose focus.
On the contrary, losing 5 pounds in June by running 30 mins three times a week is a clear, doable goal. It has a time limit and a way of knowing whether you have achieved the goal, which makes it more likely to happen.
2. Exercise in the morning
Many people find exercising in the morning useful because it negates the opportunity for life to interrupt their plans. If you’re a morning person or you can stand getting up earlier than usual, you might find that including exercise in your morning routine increases your success rate.
If you’re not a morning person, consider whether afternoons or evenings are best for you and follow the next tip to make your exercise time air-tight.
3. Make time
How do you get important things done every week? Most people find it easier to complete tasks they schedule.
Avoid vagueness about when you will exercise. Make an appointment with yourself and put it on your agenda. Treat your exercise time the way you would an appointment with an important business person. Turn your cell off, arrive on time, and be prepared. Give yourself 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour and make it count.
4. Keep it short
Keeping your exercise sessions short may help you stay motivated. The important thing is that you are exercising regularly, so it’s okay to do 15 minutes or half an hour. If you only have 5 minutes on a particular day, don’t be discouraged – exercise for 5 minutes.
A two-hour workout session can feel great afterward, but it can feel daunting beforehand. You may hear the call of the thousand other things you could be doing during those 120 minutes. Defeat resistance, therefore, by keeping your training session short.
Keeping an exercise session brief has the added benefit of leaving you wanting more, increasing your motivation for the next one.
5. Get professional help
It’s harder to bail on a training session when you’ve paid for a professional coach to get you into shape. Whether you go to them or they come to you, having a pro on your side (and on your back) can help you exercise regularly and stay focused on your exercise goals.
Don’t be afraid to pay for an excellent trainer. Skimping on the professionalism of your trainer is a false economy. Sort the wheat from the chaff via Leadar’s database of US professionals.
6. Avoid perfectionism
Trying to do things perfectly is a great way not to do anything. Remember that whatever exercise you take, you’re likely to be on a learning curve. Whether you’re running, working on the bag, or improving your strength and flexibility with yoga, there’s always more to learn. Take this as a positive, as it will keep you striving for more.
7. Vary your exercises
Mixing up your exercise routine can help you stay motivated. If you’re looking for overall fitness or weight loss, the important thing is to keep moving. Exercise that increases your heart rate and keeps your body moving may be beneficial.
Mix up sessions where you focus on martial arts practice, running, or weight training. Remember to work on different body parts to maintain your tone overall. And alternate speed and strength training to give your body and mind the best of both worlds.
A schedule can help you maintain a routine, but giving yourself flexibility regarding how you use your exercise time can keep things interesting. Allowing yourself to be flexible gives you the freedom to concentrate on what you need on any given day.
8. Forgive yourself
You might miss a training session. You might miss a few. The critical thing is not to beat yourself up about it.
Being down on yourself about skipping or otherwise missing an exercise session lowers self-esteem. It also increases the pressure to attend the next session, which is not always helpful. Whatever you do, don’t tell yourself that you’ll work twice as hard the following session.
You don’t need the added pressure. You need to draw a line under your missed session, forgive yourself, and move on. Ringfence your next training session, but note that your workout will be better if you don’t saddle yourself with a whole load of guilt beforehand.
9. Be patient
New habits require time to bed in. Visible results require patience, too. Remember to be patient as you develop your exercise habit and expect some ups and downs along the way. Celebrate your wins. Move on from any low points with your head up. The troughs make the peaks higher.
10. Know why you exercise
While forming a habit, and even after it’s established, it’s critical to remind yourself why you are doing it. Dig deep and look at the core reason you want this exercise habit.
You might want to achieve your ambition of participating in an iron man contest. You might be concerned about the muffin someone pointed out last time you were at the beach.
Whether you want to perform better in the ring or regulate your sleep so that you get more mental clarity, know precisely why exercise benefits you. Being honest and clear about your goals will help you keep coming back for more and will help you accurately measure your progress.
To Conclude
With these tips, you can develop a strong exercise habit that can give you a better quality of life and help you achieve your dreams.
A diamond can take millions of years to form. Take new habit-building one day at a time. Eventually, you’ll look back and see how well your exercise habit has taken shape.
