How to stay motivated
We all have friends who, despite hectic schedules, never miss a day at the gym. Who can't stop talking about the next 10K. Who can't stop smiling after yoga
class. Sure, they’re a little, well, obsessive about working out. But
we envy them! The good news is we all have the potential to become
fitness-obsessed, says Tom Holland, a Connecticut-based celebrity
fitness trainer, exercise physiologist, and expert in sports psychology.
Here are 20 proven ways to make exercise a habit.
Get up earlier
Right this minute, go set your alarm and lay out everything you need for your morning workout . (Switch on a lamp as soon as your alarm goes off, says fitness blogger Tina Haupert,
so you wake up faster.) Working out at the same time every day may help
you improve more quickly, a study from the University of North Texas
found, and other research
has shown that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to
stick with their workout than those who exercise later in the day. After
all, if you get your sweat session out of the way first thing in the
a.m., you won't miss out if unexpected distractions come up later in the
day. (And while we're on the subject, skip the snooze button: Research suggests that those extra few minutes in bed may actually make you more tired.)
Give it six weeks
There's an urban legend that it takes 21 days for something to become
a habit, but there's little evidence to back up this claim. For
exercise, it's probably more like six weeks, says Rebecca Woll, manager
of personal training at Equinox in New York City. "This is when you
start to see aesthetic changes in your body," she explains. "Once you
see these changes you won't want to go back to the old you!" This is
also about the time you'll start to notice the difference in how you
feel if you miss a day or two of exercise, and you'll start to
appreciate the natural high that comes after a good workout.
Find your niche
So you tried spinning and you hated it, or you hurt yourself on your first day of CrossFit.
That doesn't mean that all forms of fitness aren't for you—so get back
out there and try a different one. "Find something that makes you tune
out and gives you a release from your daily grind," says Woll—whether
that means focusing on the ground ahead of you on a trail run, or
following the instructor in a Zumba class. "You'll know you found it
when you look at the clock and an hour flashes by without you noticing."
Holland agrees: "I always tell my clients, 'I don't exercise,'" he
says. "I'll go for a run or go to the gym, but I don't think of it as
exercise because that suddenly gives it a negative connotation."
Hire a trainer
Whether you're a total newcomer to the fitness scene or you just need
a little motivation and guidance, a personal trainer can help you set
goals and develop a plan to make them happen. "People think they can't
afford it, but they don't realize that even just one or two sessions
with a trainer can be so beneficial," says Holland. "Investing just one
or two hundred bucks can go a long way." Plus, a good trainer will also
hold you accountable and will motivate you to work your hardest, Holland
adds. "It's all about positive reinforcement and being there for the
client when they need it."
Join a club
Working out is more fun with friends—and it's a lot harder to bail on
when you've got other people relying on you. "I think that's why groups
like CrossFit and Weight Watchers are so successful," says Holland. "It
shows the value of the support system, which should be an integral part
of any workout plan." Your exercise club could be an entire gym full of
people, a regular fitness class where everyone knows your name, or just
one exercise buddy who makes sure you're out of bed to meet her for
your morning walks. Feeling ambitious? Start a fitness or weight-loss
contest with your friends or coworkers, suggests Woll. "A little healthy
competition always gets you motivated!"
Don't overdo it
One way to put a stop to your new exercise habit before it even gets
off the ground? Getting hurt. Beginners (or people just returning to
fitness after a long break) need to be careful about trying to do too much, too soon,
which can leave you sore and exhausted—or worse yet, with a real injury
that will keep you sidelined for even longer. It's normal to have some
muscle aches and stiffness a day or two after working out muscles you
haven't used in a while, but if you start to feel sick or overly tired,
you could be training too hard. Following a training plan (like a Couch to 5K program) or working with a personal trainer can help you make sure you're progressing at a reasonable pace.
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