
5 WAYS TO MAKE EXERCISE A HABBIT
Proper nutrition through a balanced diet and appropriate food supplementation lays a great foundation for health. But it will only take you so far.
For optimal health, regular exercise is a must. Although "regular" is much easier said than done.
Even though most people recognize the need for exercise, making and keeping an exercise habit is challenging for a lot of us. Here are a few tips to help you develop this essential habit.
Make It Fun
There’s no one “right” way to get your
exercise, so don’t feel like you have to lift weights or run for miles
each day. Exercise can be anything from walking briskly around your
neighborhood to dancing in your living room.
If you don’t like doing certain
activities, calling it “exercise” won’t make it any easier. In fact,
you’ll be even less likely to keep at it. Find an activity that you
enjoy and stick with it.
Start Small
Most people jump right into their next
fitness routine and go full bore for 45 minutes to an hour, and then
within a week they’ve already given up because they’re too tired, sore
and miserable to want to do it again.
Don’t let this happen to you! Ideally,
you’ll want to exercise for 20-30 minutes a day. When you’re first
starting out, however, go for 10 minutes at a time. Set smaller,
near-term goals that you know you can reach to build your confidence and
your stamina. As you become more accustomed to regular activity,
increase you workload accordingly.
Reward Showing Up
Whether it’s a quiet soak in the tub, a
night out, or a sweet snack—don’t go overboard here—you’ll want to
incentivize your exercise routine by rewarding yourself with a special
treat. At first you might set rewards just for having exercised.
As you get into your habit, reward yourself for reaching certain milestones or achievements.
Schedule Exercise for Quiet Time:
Make exercise a priority by scheduling it
for times with minimal distractions. If you know your friend usually
calls around 6 p.m. and that they’ll talk for an hour while you work on
getting dinner ready and help the kids finish their homework, then don’t
schedule your exercise for 6:15.
Things will always come up—that’s just
part of life—but by limiting interruptions, you’ll greatly increase your
chances of sticking to your habit.
Get a Buddy:
We’ve all heard that misery loves
company. Well success does, too. Finding someone to exercise
with,
whether it’s your spouse, a friend, or even your kids, is a great way to
strengthen your commitment. Developing any good habit—not just exercise—can be a challenge, but
having a plan makes it
much easier to tackle.
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