Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit”. Our habits truly do determine every aspect of our lives! Consider the successful businessman who wakes up at 5am every day, ready to conquer the world. That’s a habit. Think of that college friend, who studied every single night and always made the Dean’s List. That’s another good habit. Or you might know someone who exercises every day, without fail, and their habit has helped them become an incredibly fit and healthy person.
Exercise shouldn’t be just something you do once in a while. Even if you don’t have Olympic ambitions, it should become a habit to some degree. When your workout becomes part of your lifestyle, rather than an annoying task you must check off your to-do list, fitness becomes integral to who you are. After time you won’t view exercise as a chore at all.
But exercise doesn’t become a habit overnight. Try these five tricks to get yourself on a regular routine, so that you can make exercise a regular part of your daily routine.
Commit to it. Sign up for a charity walk or run, or some sort of competition, with a date that is still a few months away. For the next few months, reaching that goal will become your motivation to get better and better.
Track your progress. Log your workouts and your results. If you’re running, keep track of the time it takes to run a particular distance. If you’re lifting weights, chart your increase in resistance or the number of reps you can perform. Seeing the results will motivate you to keep going.
Enlist a friend or two. Join a running club or ask a friend to be your workout buddy. Being accountable to someone else is one of the best ways to get you on your feet during a difficult day.
Change it up. Sticking with a routine can be a good thing, until you become bored of it. Change your jogging route or the order in which you perform exercises, or even just switch up the music once in a while. This will keep your routine interesting so that you don’t become frustrated and quit.
Schedule it. Fitness is just as important as work, social obligations, and after-school activities. Plan your workouts a week in advance, and put them on your calendar. Doing this will serve as a mental commitment, and you’re more likely to stick with your plan.
