Until physical activity becomes a habit for you, staying active may seem difficult. Here are some tips that may help you make fitness a habit.
- When you first start an exercise program, try to exercise at the same time every day. You can vary the time and place later, but creating a habit requires repetition.
- Schedule your physical activity. Block it out on your calendar or day planner. Do several weeks in advance if you can, so that you get used to thinking of that time as already scheduled
- Do your physical activity regularly for at least 3 months. Experts say that it takes about 3 months of repetition to form a habit. For some people, 3 months is not long enough to form the habit. Changing seasons and weather may interfere with establishing a habit. Keep it up until you think about physical activity as a normal part of your day.
- Do a variety of activities you enjoy! And remember , there’s no rule that says you have to go to a gym or buy equipment. Having a variety of activities – weight lifting, walking, running, jogging, tennis, cycling, aerobic classes – will ensure that you can do something regardless of the weather or time of day.
- Exercise even when you are “too tired”. Chances are, you will feel better after exercising.
- Log your activity. Write down the things that are mportant to you. It could be how much time you exercise each day, how many steps you walked, how far you ran or cycled, what you weighed, etc.
- Reward yourself. Making behavior changes is hard, and rewards motivate. So decide on a goal and work toward it.
Marianna Szoke/www.body-soul.us, www.body-soul.hu, www.mariannaszoke.com/
