HOW TO MAKE EXERCISE A HABIT

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If your exercise routine has not been regular over the last few months, you are probably not the only one. Anyone who has attempted to shed pounds, gain weight, or recommit to fitness recognizes that the struggle is more psychological than physical.

If you want to establish this as a routine, do 30 days of a Challenge. By the end of the 30-day challenge, your new habit should be fairly well-integrated. Here are some tips we have discovered throughout the process to help you make exercising a daily routine.

1. Mini-workout is a great way to start making exercise a habit 

The usual approach is to get going by scheduling workouts lasting an hour every few days. However, it is important to just start. It can merely be a small 5-minute exercise routine.

We suggest to our weight-loss clients who need to become more experienced in working out, to begin with, a short workout. It is a quick solution to every excuse to explain why you cannot exercise. After all, no one does not have the time to exercise for five minutes.

Some say: “I don’t have thirty minutes to exercise, and I’m unable to make it to the gym. How do I begin?’ So, begin by doing a short workout routine for 5 minutes.

It might grate while watching TV, squatting as you fold laundry, or even walking through the neighborhood. This fitness routine may sound like a lot of fun. However, these are the exercises you would like to get into to develop muscle memory. You might get inspired to continue for five minutes, and it will build and grow.

The mental trick is double-edged. First, it is much easier to convince yourself that you should perform something for 5 minutes instead of 30, particularly if you’ve gone off the treadmill for a time. Later, you begin to slowly train your brain to place fitness at the forefront and get your body accustomed to moving in a way that will increase confidence as time passes.

2. Further progression of making workout a habit

When your body is accustomed to regular exercise, you can gradually increase the frequency or intensity of your fitness routine. Give yourself at least two weeks prior to beginning to increase the intensity. This  two-week period is the minimum amount your body requires to adapt to the new workout routines.

When it feels like a breeze, it is time to increase the duration of your workouts up to 30, then 40 minutes, and even an hour. After this period, you will be able to gradually increase the intensity, such as doing faster or harder runs, for instance. Do not increase both distance and intensity simultaneously.

3. Create a schedule, and keep a reminder

Determine if you are more likely to stay with this in the early morning, later in the evening, or at lunch, and adhere to the same time. For example, our client Mike sets a time at 5:30 a.m. each day, and he is trying to stay away from that hour. 

If you do not establish an alarm, you will be more likely to delay it until you are in a better mood or have more energy. You will put it off till the following day. Then, it is no longer a habit.

In terms of the reminder, we suggest the Memo To Me. There are plenty of methods for you to email yourself a text message reminder so that you will remember. When you receive the reminder, take action immediately. Do not allow any delay.

4. Enjoy your workout habit. Remember to take time to rest.

If you are opposed to a habit because it is associated with pain, you will be reluctant to engage in it. If it is enjoyable, you will be looking at it with anticipation of doing it. So, in the initial stages of your new healthy lifestyle, you need to focus on enjoyment. 

Our suggestion is to take your time. You can enjoy the beauty of the landscape, the fresh air in the morning, the stunning sky as the sun rises, and the peace of quiet and reflection. An mp3 player that plays amazing music is helpful.

Also, take a rest day. Recovering is extremely crucial. Therefore, it is important to give your body a chance to relax. It is always good to take a day off for rest and perform lighter workout exercise than the other six days. It is not advisable to skip the day entirely. Since then, you need to be more conscientious with your schedule.

It is why I take each strength training day in which I do not utilize the same muscles for cycling, swimming, or running. Suppose you require more time to rest, walk for 20 minutes or do an hour of meditation. It is important to make time for something each day that helps you move (meditation is not the ideal example; however, at least you’d have something to do) and helps keep your habit-forming process going.

5. Set up your gears– how to make exercise a habit

The fewer obstacles and friction that you face when creating your new workout routine, the better chance you are likely to succeed. If you are forced to get up early and get all the gear you need even though you are half asleep, you may decide to get back to your bed. If you put on your gym clothes and footwear and listen to an MP3 player or any other device you require for fitness training, you will be prepared to go in no time.

And then head away from the house. Put sneakers on. You would not think about how long or challenging it will be. Get out there and start. Once you have accomplished this, it is an easy job to keep your training section.

6. Mix it up – Motivational way to make exercise a habit

Getting caught up in the hype surrounding healthy eating habits and exercises is easy. However, the truth is that health only comes in one size for some, and what can work for one person may yield different results for someone else.

Our client call us every day stating that they have been working out at training for weeks or months and still don’t see any improvement. If you’re not seeing results for you, consider trying something different. Consider the things your body really requires. It is fine to modify if you feel something is not effective for you. After four weeks, if you find no improvement, change to a different fitness routine.

A client of us was frustrated that the diet and workout program that helped her shed weight during her thirties did not work in her 50s. However, by the time she was in her 50s, she was sleeping less well, was experiencing menopausal changes, and was putting her weight in various places. In the end, she switched to yoga. And yoga helped her tone not only her body but also a lower level of stress. After a period, she lost 15 pounds.

CONCLUSION

Do not skip the day. Dropping your exercise routines will create a unhealthy habit that is more difficult to remove later.

However, if you fail, do not get angry, do not judge yourself, and do not be ashamed. Everybody makes mistakes at times, and habit formation is a skill that needs repetition. Start your 30-day challenge all over again. Then try to determine why your day is missed and prepare for it this time.

Source: https://zenhabits.net/how-to-make-exercise-a-daily-habit-with-a-may-challenge/

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/6-mental-tricks-tricks-help-make-exercise-habit-ncna914386
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