FITNESS How to create an exercise habit

Honing the motivational habit


Paul O'Brien

‘Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going’. This quote from author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn is instantly applicable to exercise. How many of you have been frequently fired-up when beginning an exercise programme, only to see your enthusiasm wane through lack of consistent application? How do you prevent this?
Exercise, like dieting, frequently falls victim to the classic ‘yo-yo’ effect. A strong start, full of the best intentions, gives way to disillusionment, de-motivation and a subsequent reversion to old habits. This can lead to consistently berating oneself, damaging our self-belief and confidence. Ultimately, it makes creating a positive exercise habit more difficult. Neither should you wait until you are completely fed-up with your lifestyle to make the necessary changes. Creating a positive exercise habit is challenging, but following some key points consistently in your first month can offer a strong platform for success.
Much coaching and scientific research espouses that repeating a particular action or set of actions consistently over 21 days is key to forming a positive habit. The reason for this has much to do with the brain. Consistent practice of an action ‘entrenches’ that action into your brain’s memory bank.
Essentially, you are feeding the brain the following information; ‘this is important to me, so I want you to take careful note of this pattern/action and imprint it into my daily life’.
The goal is to get to the point where this action becomes habitual, much like brushing your teeth or getting out of bed. You don’t consciously think about or focus on these actions, they almost seem to happen by themselves.
From my own experience, I exercise most days (not every day!) out of sheer habit. It is so engrained in my make-up that I don’t have to give it much thought. It was not always that way for me.
However, I worked on making exercise a habit. Once I saw the life benefits I was accruing (more vitality, better muscle tone, productivity etc), the habit was that much easier to sustain. The following are the most helpful tips I can offer when creating your own exercise habit:

1. Do at least some exercise every day for the first 21 days. Try it, even 15 minutes every day for the next three weeks. Walk, cycle, swim, climb the stairs at home, whatever. Start imprinting the message.
2. Enlist a friend or partner, there’s strength in numbers.
3. Be accountable to yourself. Don’t expect anyone else to push you along. Bet on yourself. I find the best way to do this is to keep an exercise log.
4. Accept Yourself – though accountability is important, don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. No one’s perfect. Put it behind you and go again. It’s that simple.

You’ll know you have begun to imprint a positive exercise habit when you miss doing your daily workout. At this stage, you have probably noticed some of the many benefits in your life as well. Why stop there?
Keep raising the bar. Set a goal and work towards it......Sea2Summit in November maybe?