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Raise your hand if you know exercise is good for you but you still don’t do it. If that’s you, you’re not alone. Almost 80 percent of people don’t exercise as much as the U. S. government recommends.1
Making exercise a habit can be more than half the battle. Newton’s first law of motion states that a body at rest wants to stay at rest. A body in motion tends to stay in motion. So it can be hard to get off the couch when that’s your habit. But once your body is used to working out, exercise can feel easy and enjoyable!
Do you want to get your body in motion but don’t know where to start? Here are some tips:
Small changes can add up to big impacts. Did you know that doing four push-ups a day will lead to over 1,000 push-ups a year? Or going from two sodas a day to one can save up to 4,200 calories a month?
Sometimes we set our expectations so high that just getting started takes a lot of effort. Choose a workout that’s so easy and small that you’re still likely to do it, even when your willpower is low.
It’s easy to put off exercise until tomorrow or next week. But using Newton’s law, we just have to get you started – even if it’s only for two minutes. Because once you’ve started, it’s a lot easier to keep going.
So for two minutes, get moving. Put on your shoes and go for a walk. Make yourself do two minutes of weight-lifting or running or dancing or whatever activity you like. Chances are that two minutes will turn into more.
When you make a habit, you do the same action over and over. That means you have to get started over and over. And like we said, it’s the getting started that’s the hardest part. Routines and rituals help this feel more natural.
Chances are, you already have some routines and habits in place. And it can be easier to start a new habit by linking it to an old one. For example, “Before I wash my hair, I will go to the gym.” Or you could say, “During my favorite show, I will walk on the treadmill.” Want to stack exercise into your habits? Try this formula:
“Before/During/After [CURRENT HABIT] , I will now [NEW HABIT].”
Take a moment to think about the things that prevent you from exercising. Do you have too little time? Do you need support? Are you lacking self-confidence? What hasn’t worked for you in the past?
When you recognize your barriers to health, you can make a plan to overcome them. For example:
It’s normal to want results right here, right now. And when you’re starting a new habit, the need for immediate gratification can be pretty strong. But this can lead to frustration and giving up. It helps to focus more on what you can control: your actions.
Instead of thinking about results right now, focus on creating your new exercise habit.
Developing an exercise habit is a huge accomplishment in and of itself. You can do it. And the other benefits will come on their own.
1 CBS News. CDC: 80 percent of American adults don’t get recommended exercise. Accessed March 2022.
2 James Clear. Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on How to Stop Procrastinating. Accessed March 2022.
3 James Clear. How to Build New Habits by Taking Advantage of Old Ones. Accessed March 2022.
