3 Simple Tips To Build An Exercise Habit

We have all come to a point when we listed down our fitness resolutions, planned out how we will start or jump back into the game, and even finally started curating and doing a routine. However, the real struggle comes in maintaining this practice, not falling out of the track, and going back to square one.

Why do we struggle to maintain an exercise habit?

Planning out the beginning of your fitness regimen feels encouraging and motivating, making it easier for you to start acting on it. But as you proceed, several factors come in the way that greatly pose a challenge in maintaining a steady flow and track of your routine.

You get distracted with work, family, and a tight schedule, and at times, you impose high expectations on yourself that lowers your enthusiasm about exercising. Missing out a few days and a little inconsistency in your routine due to the above mentioned factors will most likely prompt you to stop and go back to the starting line.

To prevent this displeasing cycle of starting and falling back out of your fitness game, we have come up with three simple ways to help you maintain an exercise habit.

Start small

When kickstarting your fitness routine, you would normally plan a long and intense workout session right off the bat. While completing this would make you feel accomplished, you would eventually feel burdened once the distractions and challenges come in the way. A 30-minute workout routine would feel too much for you to do, especially if you are in the middle of a hectic schedule.

Starting with a short routine will help condition your mind that you can workout without sacrificing much of your time in a day. Doing this will also help you convince yourself that maintaining an active lifestyle should not be as complicated as you imagine it to be.

You can start by forming a 5-minute or 10-minute workout routine, which you can easily finish anytime. Like an ab workout while you are on the couch watching your favorite TV show or a quick leg workout when you are up and walking around doing your laundry. It could be any workout that you can think of, as long you are able to bring yourself to do it and actively move your body.

Chances are, if you have the mindset that you can accomplish a workout this quick, it can motivate you to do more and increase your exercise time gradually, which is more sustainable in keeping an active lifestyle for the long run.

Do an exercise that you enjoy

When you embark on a fitness regimen, you often look at other people and follow what they do instead of doing a workout that perfectly fits your preferences and lifestyle. Though this could help you build a stepping ground for your fitness game, you could eventually feel that this routine that you adapted does not spark your eagerness and spirit to continue anymore.

It is either you are doing the same routine repeatedly, or the workout that you adapted feels too hard for you to accomplish, or it simply just does not suit your liking.

Chances are, you could fall out of your track once you have encountered yourself in any of these situations. To prevent this, it is vital that you find and do a workout that you like and enjoy wherein you would not catch yourself feeling less enthusiastic about working out and makes you feel excited about getting up and moving your body.

If you like workouts that involve jumping, lunges, squats, and anything that would easily raise your heart rate and make you break a sweat, you can do HIIT or High-Intensity Interval Training. If you are after building your strength and muscles, you can do weight training. If you want slow and steady-paced workouts that would still make you sweat, you can try LISS or Low-Intensity Steady-State exercises like walking, cycling, hiking, and swimming.

Find what style of activity you like the most and commit yourself to it, so you always feel thrilled to get up and get your workout done for the day.

Take supplements

Keeping a habit of taking supplements before and after working out may help you stay on track with your routine. Taking pre-workout supplements will provide you the energy boost needed to maintain a high-level athletic performance. It is the nudge and assistance you need to help you get through your workout without feeling lethargic in the middle of completing it.

Post-workout supplements, in return, helps in aiding muscle growth and recovery. Your muscles break down whenever you use them when working out, and taking post-workout supplements will help rebuild your muscles and keep them in the right form and condition.

Taking either a pre-workout or post-workout supplement or even both will most likely have you motivated to get an exercise done for the day, making it easy for yourself to keep exercising as a habit.

For a pre-workout booster that you need, you can take vitamin supplements like Berocca at least 30 minutes before starting your workout. If you want to play around with your pre-workout routine, you can substitute a light yet nutritious snack for this, like taking a fruit instead if you wish to.

For your post-workout recovery, you can take the usual whey protein supplement or instead cook a hearty and filling meal packed with protein-rich ingredients to achieve the recovery and growth that your body needs after finishing a workout.

If you have been on this cycle numerous times and always find yourself falling off and starting over, don't feel discouraged to be at the beginning line again. It takes a lot of time, patience, and practice to maintain a routine that would eventually turn into a long-term habit. The key is always to find the courage to continue where you left off and have a mindset of always wanting to improve every step of the way.

Whenever you encounter challenges in your way, take it as a chance to elevate your game instead of being disheartened and just letting yourself fall off the track. Once you have made it past the starting line, keep your eyes ahead and tackle every challenge that comes your way until you make it to the finish line, where you can start anew and be on the next and higher level already. — (TGM)