Many of us find it difficult to adopt positive habits because we get in our own way. It is hard to fight ourselves for the sake of something good. This could be due to feelings of laziness, a reluctance to step out of our comfort zone, or even self-doubt. These all become obstacles to starting a new routine, including exercise.
We may already know the various benefits of regular exercise. Not only does it improve overall health, but our bodies become stronger and our skin appears brighter. Even mental health improves with regular exercise. For this reason, diet and exercise are often New Year's resolutions. Unfortunately, most people are inconsistent and end up failing.
Actually, once exercise successfully becomes a routine, maintaining it becomes easier because we have already experienced the benefits. So, the most important thing is to just start and make it a short-term goal. For more details, here is an easy guide to starting an exercise routine.
Have Motivation
When starting a new habit, you should have some initial motivation to be more enthusiastic about carrying it out. Find out what you want to achieve through exercise. For example, a healthier body, an ideal weight, or not feeling easily tired during your daily activities. To keep yourself motivated, learn about the myriad benefits of regular exercise for physical and mental health. Here are a few of them:
- Increase strength and energy
- Prevent diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and dementia
- Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Better focus
- Improved productivity
- Better sleep
As time goes by, your motivation might change. So, don't give up. Just replace it with new motivation when your initial one no longer inspires you.
Choose an Exercise You Enjoy
There are many types of exercise you can do. Start with the activities you like most and can enjoy. For example, walking around the neighborhood, cycling, lifting weights, playing tennis, or yoga. You can even exercise by following online video tutorials.
Start Slowly
Set short-term goals that are easy to achieve. Try exercising for 10 minutes every day. Once you succeed for a week, you can increase the duration to 20-30 minutes. You can also set a goal of exercising three times a week if you aren't ready for every day.
Exercise according to your own ability; don't force yourself. It is better to go slowly but be consistent rather than just enthusiastic at the start. However, if there is a day when you cannot exercise, don't blame yourself and get lazy about continuing the routine. Just start again the next day when you are able to do it.
Make a Specific Plan
Plan your new activities specifically. For example, plan to walk around your neighborhood at 6:00 AM tomorrow rather than just planning to "walk tomorrow morning." By thinking about the place and time, it will feel more realistic and likely to happen. You can also create a consistent exercise schedule to make it easier to follow the pattern. For instance, you could set 6:00 AM as your daily exercise time. Choose the time that is most appropriate and easy for you to manage. You can experiment by trying to exercise in the morning, afternoon, or evening.
Don't Exercise Alone
Invite a friend or your partner to exercise with you. This will create motivation to carry out the new activity. You can also join an exercise class or sign up for a gym to meet new people. Naturally, exercise that isn't done alone will feel more fun, such as yoga, pound fit, or zumba.
Have Specific Exercise Attire
It’s a good idea to have activewear or clothing for exercise. Think of it like a uniform you wear when working out. When you wear it, you get a boost to start physical activity. Besides clothing, if you wear a hijab, you can have a specific hijab to wear when exercising. For both the hijab and exercise clothes, look for comfortable materials that have cooling effects, are UV-resistant, odor-resistant, sweat-absorbent, and quick-drying. For example, activewear made from poly-elastane.
Reward Yourself for Achievements
Give yourself a small reward when you hit your exercise goals. You can get a reward, for example, after successfully exercising for a full week. But choose a healthy reward that won't harm you, like a pat on the back for a job well done. If your achievement is greater, you can give yourself a bigger reward, such as new, comfortable activewear for your workouts.
Those are some ways you can start a new exercise habit. The most important thing is not to give up or despair if your goals haven't been reached yet. Just remember, if you fail today, there is always tomorrow. Keep up the spirit, nicePeople!