November 6th, 2007 in Featured, Lifestyle

15 Tips to Restart the Exercise Habit (and How to Keep It)

It’s okay, you can finally admit it. It’s been two months since you’ve seen the inside of the gym. Getting sick, family crisis, overtime at work and school papers that needed to get finished all kept you for exercising. Now, the question is: how do you start again?

Once you have an exercise habit, it becomes automatic. You just go to the gym, there is no force involved. But after a month, two months or possibly a year off, it can be hard to get started again. Here are some tips to climb back on that treadmill after you’ve fallen off.

Don’t Break the Habit - The easiest way to keep things going is simply not to stop. Avoid long breaks in exercising or rebuilding the habit will take some effort. This may be advice a little too late for some people. But if you have an exercise habit going, don’t drop it at the first sign of trouble.
Reward Showing Up - Woody Allen once said that, “Half of life is showing up.” I’d argue that 90% of making a habit is just making the effort to get there. You can worry about your weight, amount of laps you run or the amount you can bench press later.
Commit for Thirty Days - Make a commitment to go every day (even just for 20 minutes) for one month. This will solidify the exercise habit. By making a commitment you also take pressure off yourself in the first weeks back of deciding whether to go.
Make it Fun - If you don’t enjoy yourself at the gym, it is going to be hard to keep it a habit. There are thousands of ways you can move your body and exercise, so don’t give up if you’ve decided lifting weights or doing crunches isn’t for you. Many large fitness centers will offer a range of programs that can suit your tastes.
Schedule During Quiet Hours - Don’t put exercise time in a place where it will easily be pushed aside by something more important. Right after work or first thing in the morning are often good places to put it. Lunch-hour workouts might be too easy to skip if work demands start mounting.
Get a Buddy - Grab a friend to join you. Having a social aspect to exercising can boost your commitment to the exercise habit.
X Your Calendar - One person I know has the habit of drawing a red “X” through any day on the calendar he goes to the gym. The benefit of this is it quickly shows how long it has been since you’ve gone to the gym. Keeping a steady amount of X’s on your calendar is an easy way to motivate yourself.
Enjoyment Before Effort - After you finish any work out, ask yourself what parts you enjoyed and what parts you did not. As a rule, the enjoyable aspects of your workout will get done and the rest will be avoided. By focusing on how you can make workouts more enjoyable, you can make sure you want to keep going to the gym.
Create a Ritual - Your workout routine should become so ingrained that it becomes a ritual. This means that the time of day, place or cue automatically starts you towards grabbing your bag and heading out. If your workout times are completely random, it will be harder to benefit from the momentum of a ritual.
Stress Relief - What do you do when your stressed? Chances are it isn’t running. But exercise can be a great way to relieve stress, releasing endorphin which will improve your mood. The next time you feel stressed or tired, try doing an exercise you enjoy. When stress relief is linked to exercise, it is easy to regain the habit even after a leave of absence.
Measure Fitness - Weight isn’t always the best number to track. Increase in muscle can offset decreases in fat so the scale doesn’t change even if your body is. But fitness improvements are a great way to stay motivated. Recording simple numbers such as the number of push-ups, sit-ups or speed you can run can help you see that the exercise is making you stronger and faster.
Habits First, Equipment Later - Fancy equipment doesn’t create a habit for exercise. Despite this, some people still believe that buying a thousand dollar machine will make up for their inactivity. It won’t. Start building the exercise habit first, only afterwards should you worry about having a personal gym.
Isolate Your Weakness - If falling off the exercise wagon is a common occurrence for you, find out why. Do you not enjoy exercising? Is it a lack of time? Is it feeling self-conscious at the gym? Is it a lack of fitness know-how? As soon as you can isolate your weakness, you can make steps to improve the situation.
Start Small - Trying to run fifteen miles your first workout isn’t a good way to build a habit. Work below your capacity for the first few weeks to build the habit. Otherwise you might scare yourself off after a brutal workout.
Go for Yourself, Not to Impress - Going to the gym with the only goal of looking great is like starting a business with only the goal to make money. The effort can’t justify the results. But if you go to the gym to push yourself, gain energy and have a good time, then you can keep going even when results are slow.

WRITER'S BIOGRAPHY

Scott H Young

Scott Young is a university student who writes about productivity, habits and self-improvement. Scott has been featured on the Be Happy Dammit! Show.

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Jeff says on November 6th, 2007 at 2:36 pm

enjoyment before effort is alright while you’re trying to form the habit, but once you’re hooked, you’ll learn that the exercise you’re avoiding is usually the one you need to be doing. Everybody would rather do pulldowns than chins and leg curls than deadlifts, but those exercises will pay off big and eventually you really will start to enjoy them.

Doing the lifts you should comes right after “eat your veggies” and “go to bed at a decent hour”. We’re adults. We do what we need to, not what we like.
Bart says on November 6th, 2007 at 3:21 pm

One thing I like to do is a play on “Enjoyment Before Effort” - I like to structure my work first and play later. If working out is something you don’t like to do, promise to reward yourself by doing something fun afterwards, or just organize your day so that things you like and already do are *after* the work. If you like to eat junk food, make a rule that you can only eat it after you work out. (I like to get massages, or relax in a hot tub post workout for my rewards). The variations on this psychological idea make a huge difference. A lot of people overeat or get lazy then “punish” themselves with exercise. What a crappy strategy to keep a long term habit!

By rewarding yourself after you work(out), you are treating yourself well. Work first, play later. Reward yourself! It will help you keep the habit, and someday you’ll find that exercise is a reward in and of itself. Imagine getting to the point where you’ll reward yourself with an hour at the gym if you finish your homework.
Chrissy the EA says on November 6th, 2007 at 4:50 pm

This article is SO what I need right now. I’m getting over a flu so I’ve let myself slip on the exercise a lot. Now, I feel down and depressed and I KNOW it’s because I haven’t had that endorphin boost. Thanks for helping me push myself back into the routine. Excellent suggestions - very motivating
Daylle Deanna Schwartz says on November 6th, 2007 at 5:54 pm

Great points. It’s always good to have some tips to get us moving more. I thoroughly agree with the part about focusing on what’s more enjoyable. When I joined a gym for the first time I got a trainer and love doing weight training. But the cardio machines bored me. I’ve always enjoyed walking and running outdoors but the indoor stuff was tedious. My first trainer told me not to force myself to do what I hated or I wouldn’t keep it up. He was so right! My current trainer tried hard to get me into the cardio room. I held my ground and enjoy an hour of just weights. Then I go to Central Park and run. Being outdoors, even in cold weather, feel great to me. Running on a treadmill is torture. My first trainer was right. As long as I do my cardio, it doesn’t matter whether it’s in or out of the gym. I’ve been able to stay on a regular running schedule for years.
Ego says on November 6th, 2007 at 7:17 pm

“If you like to eat junk food, make a rule that you can only eat it after you work out.”

I would disagree with this. Eating one Double Whopper reverses the hour or so that you put into exercise, making it a complete waste of time. With this attitude you won’t likely see results as fast as you’d like and most likely give up altogether.

Instead do what I do, focus more on the positive things you get in return for all the strain you put on your body.
Doing weight training for one hour then following it with a 3 or 2 mile run will have you end up feeling great. Your muscles won’t feel as sore and you will get what’s known as the runners high, keeping you in a good mood and confident for the rest of the day. You’ll come back the next day wanting more, and that’s what gets you to where you want to be.
Jeff B says on November 6th, 2007 at 8:08 pm

This is a lot like changing a habit. I know I start and stop more than a stop light. I shall reread your post over and over and perhaps I will restart my excersises.
Eric Cartman says on November 6th, 2007 at 8:26 pm

Good pointers.

Just a minor point….pls do not attempt to keep to the commitment / habit if you are ill, e.g., continue to exercise when you are down with a flu.
Craig Harper says on November 6th, 2007 at 9:54 pm

Even if you’ve got a broken leg there are still exercises you can do to get your heart rate up so stop making excuses.
tarragonanoi says on November 7th, 2007 at 2:33 am

I’ve always found that one of the most effective ways of getting exercise is to work it into your daily schedule. Bike to work, walk to the grocery store, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Obviously, it’s not (usually) in the same league as going for a hard run or lifting at the gym, but it’s something easy that you can do every day.
Miko says on November 7th, 2007 at 7:03 am

Very useful, thanks.
Jeremy says on November 7th, 2007 at 9:18 am

I’m going to have to disagree a bit on the “Make a commitment to go every day (even just for 20 minutes) for one month” suggestion. This can end up hurting more than helping, since your body needs time to recover.

However, if you are alternating days of lifting weights or doing resistance exercises with cardio, you’ll have a lot better shot at sticking to it.

I’d also suggest a YMCA over a chain gym like Gold’s or Bally’s simply because of the range of programs offered. One that helped me tremendously was the Y’s “First Steps” program for those that are start-stoppers or need some help getting back on track. Their staff will work with you to develop a program that works and that you feel comfortable with rather than you going in there and randomly picking equipment that you heard was good for you.
Ravi Vora says on November 7th, 2007 at 9:57 am

Having a goal, or motivator, is a great way to keep the exercise habit. If you have something to work towards you’re more likely to take the steps necessary to achieve it.
Craig says on November 7th, 2007 at 8:32 pm

istats.com.au can help you by recording your progress and showing you graphs on how your doing.. there is also a community where you can get tips etc…
Chris says on November 8th, 2007 at 10:58 am

Not sure about “Habits First, Equipment Later”. My son started playing chess and his teacher insisted in getting nice and large chess figures first (i.e. good equipment), because they will make playing more attractive and fun. I think something similar also applies to restarting exercise habits. My old running shoes and my broken exercise machine don’t really make me want to start again. But if I buy a new exercise machine that motivates me by showing how many calories I burned, this would make it a lot easier.
Firma says on November 25th, 2007 at 7:37 am

This is a lot like changing a habit. I know I start and stop more than a stop light. I shall reread your post over and over and perhaps I will restart my excersises.
Bianca says on January 25th, 2008 at 7:12 am

Great suggestions, really! I’ve been on the procrastination cycle for a while now and am just managing to get back on track recently. This post sure helps give that final nudge.
Jake says on February 24th, 2008 at 11:40 am

For me, there’s only one rule to follow and that is, “Exercise FIRST thing in the morning.” Wake up, get into your workout gear and start straight away. Anything else, and you’ll procrastinate the day away.
Fitness Friend says on March 11th, 2008 at 8:27 pm

Really, some great suggestions. I’ve used many in the past but it’s good to get a reminder, and some new ideas. Thanks!
Jonathan says on March 31st, 2008 at 7:48 pm

I jog on the treadmill everyday for twenty minutes in addition to strength training and have noticed that my thighs and buttocks are bigger in proportion to my waist line. I would like to know what aerobic exercises I can perform that will burn calories but not work my thighs and buttocks as much as jogging. I would actually like to reduce the muscles in that area. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jonathan
kız oyunları says on May 3rd, 2008 at 8:20 am

For me, there’s only one rule to follow and that is, “Exercise FIRST thing in the morning.” Wake up, get into your workout gear and start straight away. Anything else, and you’ll procrastinate the day away.
kÄ±z oyunlarÄ± says on May 3rd, 2008 at 8:22 am

For me, thereâ??s only one rule to follow and that is, â??Exercise FIRST thing in the morning.â?? Wake up, get into your workout gear and start straight away. Anything else, and youâ??ll procrastinate the day away.
oyun says on May 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm

This is a lot like changing a habit.. :S I shall reread your post over and over and perhaps I will restart my excersises…
firmalar says on May 3rd, 2008 at 12:37 pm

I would disagree with this. Eating one Double Whopper reverses the hour or so that you put into exercise making it a complete waste of time.. With this attitude you won’t likely see results as fast as you’d like and most likely give up altogether..
pravin says on July 5th, 2008 at 9:54 am

Hey, liked your tips. I have been going to the gym from Oct 2006. I have listed 5 tips which help me get till there, which is the hard part. Once you are in, then it’s fun