8 Ways to Make Fitness a Habit

Having a fitness habit is the best way to reach fitness goals, but creating that habit is sometimes tough. That’s why it’s important to be intentional about making a habit. Here are my best tips for getting into the exercise habit and putting your health first:

Make It a Priority

We all know the many benefits of exercise from better sleep to increased energy, but sometimes excuses get in the way of sticking with a fitness routine. exercise is just as important as these other things, so making exercise a priority every day is key to ensuring it will happen. A bonus is that setting aside some time each day for a fitness routine means you get all these benefits:

• Exercise (can help you reach health goals)
• Time to yourself
• A lesson for your kids that self-care is a priority
• Increased energy
• Better sleep

When creating your daily or weekly schedule, make sure you schedule in exercise so you will have no excuse not to follow through.

Create a Routine

When we create a routine for our day (including time for exercise) we have more control over our time. They say that it only takes 21 days to form a habit, but getting through those 21 days is much easier when you start with a routine! ultimately the best time of day for a workout is the time of day that will work best for you. The key is to find a time that works for you and your schedule so you can stick to your fitness goals.

Choose Something You Are Excited About

If you want to make fitness a habit you have to love what you’re doing.

Trying to make an exercise activity you hate into a habit is an uphill battle. Instead, explore different possibilities for physical activity. The gym is not right for everyone but walking, swimming, hiking, running, dance, Zumba, or rebounding may be right up your alley. The point is, frequently changing up our exercise outlets brings back that sense of fun and play that keeps us engaged in an active lifestyle as a family.

Vary Your Exercise

Different activities use different muscles in the body and are different levels of cardio, so it’s a good idea to have a few kinds of exercise that you rotate through. This can help keep you from getting bored with one activity as well.

Just Do It

One of the hardest parts of starting a new fitness routine is getting started each day. A simple way to get yourself to exercise more often is to make a rule that you must start your chosen exercise, but you don’t have to finish it. Tell yourself that if you want to quit after 5 minutes you can.

This works because the hardest part is usually getting started and once you get going you no longer feel resistance to exercising. Often you remember how good it feels and you’ll want to keep going!

Make It Easy to Stick With It

When we add something new to our lives, it can be tough to adjust. It may be a struggle at first to get yourself to follow your fitness plan, but eventually, it will become a habit that you can’t live without. Here are some ways to reduce as many barriers to working out as possible:

• Make sure your workout clothes are clean
• Bring workout clothes with you to work if you plan on going to the gym afterward (instead of needing to stop home first)
• Plan a hike with friends so it’s more difficult to back out
• Sign up for a Pilates class in a building as close to home (or work) as possible

Create the Right Goals

Remember that increasing your level of exercise is ultimately about better health. Instead of measuring results, like stepping on the scale every day, focus on your effort. If you make sure you’re doing your best to take care of yourself every day, many other goals will just fall into place.