How to Get into the Habit of Regular Exercise

Exercise is something that we all need to do. It should form a key part of your life, and ideally you should make it a habit that is easy to undertake. Developing the habit of regular exercise can be easier than you might think. Here are some of the things you can do to get into the habit of regular exercise.

Find a Type of Exercise that You Like

The first thing that you need to do is actually find a type of exercise that you enjoy doing. One of the worst mistakes that you can make will be to assume that the only way to exercise is to go for a run or develop some complicated weightlifting routine. If this is how you want to exercise, great! There are many people who do exactly this, but it isn’t for everyone.

If you think that you want to try another type of exercise, you should make sure to explore some of the many possibilities out there. There are so many ways that you could try exercising, and you never know what you might discover that you like.

Some people like to go swimming, and enjoy relaxing and switching off their brains as they do lengths. Others view exercise as a social activity and will go along to a dance class or a walking group. Some might even choose to focus in on some of the wellness aspects of exercise by focusing on yoga or pilates. There is no wrong way to exercise. So long as you are moving and having a good time, you are doing it right.

Try to Make It Part of Your Routine

One of the easiest ways to take exercise from something you have to force yourself to do to just another of your habits is to make it part of a routine. If you are able to do so, your body will begin to react a certain way as you go through the routine. You could get through a whole workout without even really thinking about it some days.

For example, many people like exercising before bed. When you exercise, you release endorphins that help you to relax and feel good about yourself. Choosing to exercise before bed means that you can take advantage of this endorphin release before your head has to hit the pillow. You just have to sit back, relax, and focus on how good your body feels as you drift off to sleep.

Likewise, there are some people who like to use exercise as a way to wake up. You might feel very sluggish when you wake up in the mornings. How can you overcome this? Exercise can be a fantastic way to do it! You just need to commit to getting up and actually exercising, and you can soon be reaping the benefits of it.

Keep Track of Changes

Do you feel like nothing is happening, and your exercise is just going in circles? If you feel like your enthusiasm is petering out, it might be because you have no way of measuring your success. This will obviously mean that you will struggle to see changes, though they will definitely be happening. You need to come up with some way that you can monitor your progress.

It could be with improvement in your chosen activity. If you swim, you could commit to trying to swim a certain distance. How long will it be before you can do 50, or even 100 lengths of the swimming pool? If you want to try running, start with the Couch to 5K. It is a great way to see yourself building up a run over the weeks. If you do decide to try weightlifting, aim for a goal weight that you want to be able to squat or deadlift.

Consider keeping a training journal that you can track your progress in. Bullet journaling can be a fantastic resource here too. It can help you to keep track of other things like your water intake and your moods, and it can even be an outlet if you are stressed. Don’t focus just on exercise if you are trying to improve your wellbeing – you might need to address other aspects of your life too.

Find a Buddy

A workout buddy can be a fantastic motivator to help you get into the habit of exercising. It means that you are less likely to cop out as you know that there is going to be someone who will be let down if you exercise. It could be as simple as a New Years’ pact with your best friend to get out and start running together. You could even try to make some new friendships in a class or a group. There are always people searching for exercise buddies to help them along!

If you have a dog, they could also be all the workout buddy that you need. They are going to need exercising after all! Rather than just taking them for a casual walk around your local park, think about building them up to a hike or a run. This could be a great way for you to spend some time with your beloved pet while also ensuring that you can get out and enjoy some exercise.

Keep at It!

Habits are not built in a day, and this is definitely true when it comes to exercising. There will be some days when you can’t wait to start, and others where it seems like the biggest effort in the world. No matter what, you need to keep at it so it does become a habit. There are so many types of exercise out there that you should have no trouble finding something to do. If you want to start exercising more regularly, you need to find out the best time you can do so, and what you want to do. Before long, this might be a standard part of your everyday life!