Mindset Tips and Tricks to Help Exercise Become a Habit

We all know that exercise is good for us, and we almost always feel fantastic after we’ve completed a workout. So why can it be so difficult to stick with a regular exercise routine?

Most of us live busy lives with competing priorities and an endless to-do list. Exercise often gets pushed to the bottom of that list, as we focus on things that seem more important or urgent.

Making exercise a habit is the best approach to achieving our health and fitness goals but can be easier said than done. Here are our top mindset tips and tricks to help exercise become a habit.

Start small. Often when we embark on a new exercise regime, we go all in and push ourselves too hard too soon. This can lead to a cycle where we set unrealistic goals, fail to achieve them, and give up in disgust

It’s far better to start exercising gradually, at a more realistic and sustainable level. If your current level of activity is minimal, set yourself a goal of achieving 2000 steps or 10 minutes of movement a day. The sense of satisfaction you will gain from that achievement will motivate you to keep going, and you can gradually increase your level of activity as your fitness improves.

Plan your exercise. There’s an old saying that says ‘failing to plan is the same as planning to fail’ and this is true in many aspects of life, including exercise. Scheduling time into our busy days means we are more likely to do the exercise, rather than continually finding excuses because something more important always comes along.

Identify your excuses. Understanding the excuses you regularly use to avoid exercise can help you overcome them. Too busy? Allocate time in your schedule. Too tired? Exercise at the beginning of the day. Don’t enjoy it? Find a form of exercise you do enjoy. Acknowledge that excuses are not valid reasons.

Set goals. While it’s important to set goals so you can measure your progress, make sure that your goals are holistic and not just all about the numbers. Your goals might include things like exercising a certain number of days or hours each week but could also be related to taking time out for self-care activities or reducing negative self-talk. Acknowledge each goal as you achieve it and celebrate the small wins as well as the significant ones. It’s also important to review your goals regularly and reset them if they are no longer relevant or achievable.

Set up visual cues. Use visual reminders to trigger your brain into thinking ‘it is time to exercise’. This might be colour-coding specific timeslots for exercise in your calendar or laying out your workout clothes so they’re the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning.

Keep yourself accountable. You might like to ask a friend or family member to be your accountability buddy, or you could use a fitness tracker or app, or post your goals publicly on social media. However, you do it, keeping yourself accountable is key to achieving your goals.

Reward yourself. When you are focused on a big goal, it can be easy to overlook the small wins you achieve along the way. Break your goal down into smaller steps and reward yourself when you reach each milestone. Try not to reward yourself with food, as this could undermine your progress. Also remember that self-care should be a regular part of your daily routine and not only used as a reward.

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