Building New (Exercise) Habits

Happy New Year! As the new year begins and self-improvement goals take shape, many people include exercise in their list of resolutions. With over 20 years of personal experience in maintaining a fitness routine, I’ve learned valuable strategies for staying committed through life’s changes. In my role as a career and life coach, one of my core objectives is to help people discover what motivates them to make positive changes. Interestingly, I’ve found that many of the tactics to start and maintain a physical fitness habit can help in enhancing mental fitness and achieving personal or career growth. Let’s explore these tactics together.

Clarity of Purpose and Finding Your Why

What drives you to exercise? Think beyond weight loss. Consider goals like improving cardiovascular fitness, training for a specific event like a 5K or marathon, or simply feeling good and energized. You might be doing it for aesthetic reasons, to have a more muscular or a lean physique. Be specific and connect the goal to your deeper values. Along the way, if you’re like me, you’ll adjust your fitness goals as you achieve some of them, decide certain goals aren’t really what you want, or your circumstances change. 

As an aside, if your goal is to lose weight, keep in mind that it’s easier to change your diet than it is to burn enough calories through exercise to attain a calorie deficit. Remember too that the number on the scale is just a measure of gravitational force. You can reduce inches and clothing size by decreasing your body fat, and your weight can remain the same or even increase if you are adding muscle mass. I prefer not to focus on weight and instead set goals related to physical fitness or performance.

That’s why I recommend setting a goal related to strength training. While cardio was my first love (who remembers step aerobics?), in the last several years I’ve embraced strength training and highly recommend it to anyone, especially as you advance in age and start to lose strength and muscle mass. I didn’t like weight lifting at first because it was difficult and made me sore. But it’s so motivating to get stronger and see muscle definition start to develop, and there are numerous benefits in daily life to getting stronger. My posture has improved and I rarely suffer from low back pain anymore. A couple years ago, my husband injured his back before a cross-country trip, and I could easily manage the luggage for our family of four. Getting stronger has boosted my confidence. As a bonus, resistance training helps to maintain or increase your bone density.

Embarking on a new exercise routine or returning after a hiatus can be daunting. Taking that first step and then sustaining it consistently are often the most difficult hurdles. While it’s not always possible to feel motivated, when the voices in your head start giving you reasons not to exercise, you can choose to be dedicated and keep showing up. Set up routines to make it easy to exercise consistently.

Make it a Habit

• Make time for it - Schedule exercise into your day as a non-negotiable appointment on your calendar. Choose a time of day when you have enough energy and are less likely to get interrupted. You might need to experiment with different times to find what works best for you. I get up early in the morning, before anyone else is awake, to minimize interruptions. It also helps to set the tone for the rest of my day.

• Prepare and plan - If you have your clothing and any gear or equipment, water bottle, sweat towel, etc. ready to go ahead of time, you reduce decision fatigue and eliminate excuses. I set out my workout clothes the night before and follow a workout program so I don’t spend precious time trying to make decisions in the morning while my brain is still foggy.

• Reward yourself - The reward can be intrinsic–exercise causes your body to release endorphins that enhance your mood, relieve pain, and boost your self-esteem. This feeling can become a motivator, and after a while, you might even find that working out no longer feels like a chore. But it also helps to celebrate your consistency with rewards, ideally in a way that reinforces your new healthy habits, like getting a massage or buying yourself workout gear.

• Find your fit - Exercise shouldn’t feel like punishment. Explore various activities until you find something you genuinely like. If you really hate what you’re doing after giving it a few tries, move on to another activity. Whether it's dancing, swimming, hiking, or playing a sport, you are more likely to keep up the activities that you enjoy. Variety also helps to keep things fresh and prevent boredom.

Mindset and Accountability

• Create accountability - When you make yourself accountable to someone else, you’re more likely to take your commitments seriously. Find a workout buddy, join a fitness class, or hire a trainer. The presence of someone checking in on your progress encourages you to follow through and build consistency in your new habit. 

• Find community - Community offers a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Being part of a group of people with similar goals creates camaraderie and a support network, making you feel less alone in your journey. It’s helpful to have a group to turn to when you need inspiration or practical advice.

• Pace yourself - You don’t need to start out by working out for an hour every day, especially if you’re starting from a place of little or no activity. Avoid doing too much too soon, or you’re likely to get discouraged or injured and quit. Even 5 or 10 minutes a day a few times a week is better than nothing. Start where you are and build on your routine over time–remember that you’re playing the long game.

• Do YOUR best - Don’t compare yourself to others. This is about doing your personal best. Some trainers refer to it as you vs. you. Each time you show up to exercise, strive to make small improvements. 

The strategies you develop to maintain a fitness routine can transfer to other areas of your life. The dedication, goal-setting, and perseverance you cultivate through exercise can empower you to achieve your personal and professional aspirations. Stay tuned for a deeper discussion next week on building strength!