You know that exercise is good for your muscles, heart, lungs, bones and brain. You know that it protects you from chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, dementia and diabetes. So why can’t you get yourself to do it consistently enough to reap all of the amazing benefits?

The hardest part of working out is getting started. If you can ignore the reluctance and fear you can get started. If you can get started, chances are you can get a decent workout in. Which is great! Now it’s time to take the leap into consistent action.

Building a habit is the art of starting and starting and starting again. An exercise habit allows you to ignore the pre-workout excuses and negative self-talk and just press “go”. Working out becomes an automatic and pleasurable part of your day because you don't delay the starting of it. Developing an exercise habit will improve your health and wellbeing. It will allow you to move freely without pain, remain independent, be there for your loved ones and do the things you love to do.

Top Ten Ways to Develop Your New Exercise Habit

1. Make the time. Don’t wait until you have the time. Prioritize your health because it’s the foundation for everything else you want. If you don’t make the time for your wellness, you will likely need to make time for your illness somewhere down the line. Schedule your workouts in your calendar along with all of your other commitments. Then commit to it like your life depends on it because it does!
2. Start small. Big plans and expectations are great. But they can lead to overwhelm and burnout. In Zen Habits, Leo Babauta suggests starting with something so easy that you can’t say no. That way you will be able to accomplish it even when you don’t feel motivated. This is the opposite of the “all in or all out” mentality many begin with. Rather than starting with a five mile run on day one, take a walk around the block. Climbing your staircase a couple of times could also do the trick. The key is to lower your expectations at the beginning of your fitness journey. Once you get used to your starting point, you can increase your intensity and volume. This will help to get you motivated to start and keep you injury-free.
3. Mentally prepare. Plan your workouts ahead of time. If you write down what you commit to do the night before, you are more likely to execute the plan. When the time comes to work out, focus on how good you’ll feel afterwards.  Take note of your mood before and after exercising. Record yourself on your phone describing your thoughts pre and post workout, or write them down. This will provide you with undeniable evidence of the mood enhancing powers of exercise!
4. Physically prepare. Make it convenient. Have your breakfast, workout clothes and airpods at the ready. It’s much easier to execute your plan if you have everything ready to go the day before. Having to search for items, gives your mind way too much time to back out.
5. Rethink your markers of success. Focus on your long-term health and wellbeing, rather than on an end result like washboard abs. Consider how much more energy you have rather than fixating on the number on the scale. Celebrate your ability to blow off steam and focus better. Preventing disease, injury and pain are way more important than superficial markers.
6. Reward yourself. Celebrate the small victories, as well as the big ones. Each workout, each active week and each goal reached is an achievement to be proud of. Treat yourself to a massage, new book, workout attire, accessory, smoothie, bubble bath, power nap or picnic. At the very least some positive self-talk will go a long way to help keep you motivated!
7. Make it fun and switch it up. Find workout styles you enjoy, and vary them. Learning new exercises, techniques and formats is exciting. This will make it easier for your exercise habit to stick.
8. Set short and long term goals. James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, suggests using the two minute rule. Begin with a simple activity that takes about two minutes, like lacing up your sneakers. That will be your marker of success at the beginning. Once you have gotten used to your new starting point, you can expand on your exercise habit from there. Clear also suggests using implementation intentions. An example of this is: “This week I will exercise on ____ at _____ am/pm at/in _______.” People who use this technique are two to three times more likely to execute their plans.
9. Track your progress. Keep a simple or extensive log of your workouts. This gives you proof that you are keeping the promises you make to yourself. Tracking your progress is a very motivating visual reward.
10. Enlist the support of a Golden Home Fitness Personal Trainer. You don’t have to deal with germ-y, crowded gyms or fight traffic. You can train in our state-of-the-art studio or in the comfort of your own home. We will devise a training plan, show you proper form, address any muscle imbalances and hold you accountable. How awesome would it be to have someone in your corner? Your Golden Home Fitness Personal Trainer will support you and track your progress every step of the way!

The Takeaway

Building an exercise habit is one of the best things you can do.  It enables you to live a healthier, longer and happier life. Start with a small action you repeat consistently and build upon it. Find a workout you enjoy and vary your workouts. Prepare mentally and physically ahead of time. Reward yourself for exercising, tracking your progress as you gain momentum. Set both short and long-term goals.

Establishing an exercise habit takes time but it is well within your grasp. Once you achieve it, working out will be an automatic and pleasurable part of your life. The benefits of establishing an exercise habit are truly immeasurable!

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Jamesclear.com; health.usnews.com; acefitness.org; www.npr.org; wholelifechallenge.com; nbcnews.com; webmd.com; www.theguardian.com; Zen Habits: Handbook for Life