Want to Make Fitness a Lasting Habit? 5 Strategies That Will Help

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Want To Make Fitness A Lasting Habit? 5
Strategies That Will Help

• By
• The Doctor Weighs In

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Introduction

• Youre so disciplined, said my wife, trying to
  be encouraging. I surely wasnt feeling it this
  day. When its time for one of my three weekly
  strength-training sessions, Im normally raring
  to go. But after a jam-packed week and another
  shutdown of my gym due to the pandemic, all I
  wanted was to collapse into a chair with a good
  book. I knew full well that making fitness a
  habit is the key to getting in shape or staying
  that way. Still, my willpower was M.I.A.

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Strategies To Help You Make Fitness A Habit

• What carried me through was a combination of
  strategies that can apply not only to exercising
  but also to any kind of endeavor that requires
  consistent follow-through.

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1. Harness the power of habit

• Once established, habits can step in where
  willpower falters. Habits are powerful because
  theyre how we structure our lives. And the more
  we follow them, the stronger and more automatic
  they become.  
• When youre in the habit of exercising regularly,
  your brain will give you a small inner hit of
  satisfaction every time you mentally check that
  box. It may also feel wrong to skip your
  workout without a good reason.

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2. Reframe the reward

• Willpower doesnt exist in a vacuum. Its fueled
  largely by your motivationthe reason why you
  want to exercise. Your willpower reflects how
  dedicated you are in this moment to making it
  happen.
• If your motivation is compelling, your will to
  follow through will be that much stronger. For
  most of us, though, vague, long-term benefits
  like reducing risks of cancer or dementia simply
  arent that inspiring. The line between action
  (or inaction) and the consequence is blurry. its
  all too easy to think, it wont happen to me.

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3. Expand your exercise options

• Exercise isnt an all-or-nothing proposition.  If
  youre having a low-energy day or simply arent
  in the mood, theres no law that says you have to
  cling rigidly to your normal routine.
• You could, for example, pick an alternative
  activity. Dont want to lift weights? Go for a
  hike or bicycle ride instead. You can pick up
  your strength training tomorrow. On the other
  hand, you could do half your normal workout. That
  could mean doing fewer exercises, or lifting
  lighter weights, or doing fewer reps. Once you
  get going and your blood starts pumping, you may
  find yourself so invigorated that you end up
  doing your whole workout after all.
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4. Do one small thing instead of nothing

• We often assume that motivation and willpower are
  what lead us to action. But it doesnt always
  happen that way. Sometimes a little bit of
  action, no matter how small, can prime the
  pump, spurring us to do more. Its a virtuous
  cycle that starts with action, which reminds you
  of your motivation and boosts your willpower,
  leading to more action.
• If you want to exercise, but your willpower is
  flagging, do something to get the ball rolling.
  Change into your workout clothes. Lace-up your
  sneakers. Pick out an energizing soundtrack. Do
  stretches.

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5. Use it or lose it

• There is one more mental maneuver I use when my
  exercise habit needs shoring up. It centers on
  what behavioral economists call loss aversion.
• By the way, the principle of use it or lose it
  isnt just for gym rats. It also applies to those
  who arent exercising.  We lose lean muscle mass
  and function as early as our thirties,
  particularly, if were not doing something to
  offset it. Further, the process of losing muscle
  mass only accelerates as we age.

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The bottom line on making fitness a lasting habit

• To sum it all up we expect too much of ourselves
  when we depend on willpower to help us meet
  fitness goals. Willpower is temporary and
  ephemeral. Habit is a much more enduring and
  reliable foundation for an exercise program. But
  even deeply rooted habits need to be shored up or
  adapted now and then. Thats when we need to
  enlist our mental powers.

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The Doctor Weighs In Author James P.
Owen Click Here To Read The Full
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