We all want to reach that ideal build and avoid health problems, but it can be hard to fit exercise into our busy schedules. Often, we work out in short, ambitious bursts, but then stop again a week later.
It’s time to put an end to this pointless pattern. Here’s how to make exercise a habit that you won’t easily give up.
Build Up Slowly
As anxious as you may be to move towards some big goals you have, it’s often wiser to start small. Take the time to get used to exercising a few days each week, or even just one day a week.
Even though you may not see much physical progress at first, building this consistency first will make more intense exercise easier later down the road.
Even just allotting 30 minutes per week for exercise is better than nothing. By committing to an exercise routine that is relatively easy in the beginning, you can make sure that you never miss a day that you planned to exercise in.
Do It Right After Work
Don’t head home after work and then try to go back out to exercise. Instead, bring a change of clothes and work out immediately after work. By going straight to the gym, you can’t just settle in on your couch or distract yourself with the internet.
It may take some willpower to do this, but it takes even more if you start to relax, only to jolt back up to work out.
Follow Your Progress
When exercising starts to feel like an impossible chore and you just want to stop, following your progress can reinvigorate you and keep you going.
Note how much more you can lift, how much farther you can run, or how much weight you have lost. Seeing the changes over time can remind you of the positive difference your exercise is having on you, even if it isn’t obvious at first glance.
Join a Class
Despite desiring an active lifestyle, it can still be hard to sustain your efforts for an extended period. If your self-motivation fails, joining a class might be a useful solution.
A class can provide a framework and obligation for you to fulfill on specified days, keeping you more accountable to your fitness. Your instructor and other participants can become a community that you enjoy being with, and they can push you to further heights than you would have on your own.
Muay Thai, for example, is a martial art that’s all about challenging your mind and body in a healthy manner. By participating in a class atmosphere, you’ll be held accountable and will be more prone to attend week after week.
As you participate in your class more and more, you’ll come to a point where you don’t want to lose what you have gained in terms of physique and mentality, so you’ll be less likely to skip.
Image credit traineracademy.org
