Regular exercise is one of the most important habits we can develop for our overall health and well-being. However, many people struggle to get into the habit of daily exercise. It feels more like a chore…something we have to do. Your best success in making exercise something you do regularly is to make it a habit.
In his book, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains how habits work and provide strategies for developing new ones. In this article, we will explore how to get into the habit of daily exercise using Duhigg’s insights.
Identify the Cue
According to Duhigg, every habit has three components: a cue, a routine, and a reward. To get into the habit of daily exercise, you first need to identify the cue that triggers your desire to exercise. This could be a specific time of day, a certain place, or a particular activity.
Establish a Routine
Once you have identified the cue, establish a routine for daily exercise. This routine should be something that you can easily fit into your schedule and that you enjoy doing. For example, you might choose to go for a morning run, take a yoga class after work, or do a home workout before dinner.
I often tell the story about how a stressful job would wake me up at 2am. Unable to fall back to sleep, I would get up and head to the gym. Now I regularly wake up at 4am to be in the gym by 5am. This is my habit.
Create a Reward
To reinforce the habit of daily exercise, create a reward for yourself. This could be something as simple as a cup of coffee or a favorite snack after your workout. Over time, your brain will start to associate the reward with the exercise, making it more likely that you will continue the habit.
Use a Habit Tracker
Keeping track of your progress can be a powerful motivator when developing a new habit. Use a habit tracker, such as a calendar or an app, to record your daily exercise. Seeing your progress over time can help you stay motivated and committed to the habit.
I keep an exercise journal to track my weight training progress. That, along with my Fitbit, serves as my habit tracker. Seeing the journal fill up page after page of entries and the little celebratory messages from my Fitbit when I reach my weekly exercise goal are small but powerful motivators.
Find an Accountability
Partner Having an accountability partner can be a great way to stay motivated and committed to your daily exercise habit. This could be a friend, family member, or personal trainer who will hold you accountable and provide support when you need it.
You can also find several accountability groups on social media. You can join me and the Fit, 50 and Fabulous crew over at Journey to Fitness. Or, if you want 1:1 accountability with me, reach out to me at Jamy@fit50andfabulous.com. I’d be happy to establish an accountability routine with you.
Make Exercise a Non-Negotiable
To make exercise a habit, it’s important to make it a non-negotiable part of your daily routine. This means prioritizing exercise over other activities and committing to it even when you don’t feel like it. Over time, it will become second nature and something you look forward to each day.
Start Small
When developing a new habit, it’s important to start small and build up over time. If you’re not used to exercising regularly, start with just 10 or 15 minutes a day and gradually increase the time and intensity of your workouts. This will help prevent burnout and make the habit more sustainable over the long term.
Focus on the Benefits
Finally, it’s important to focus on the benefits of daily exercise. Regular exercise can improve your physical health, boost your mood, and increase your energy levels. By keeping these benefits in mind, you’ll be more motivated to stick to your daily exercise habit.
Final Words
Getting into the habit of daily exercise is possible with the right approach. By identifying the cue, establishing a routine, creating a reward, using a habit tracker, finding an accountability partner, making exercise a non-negotiable, starting small, and focusing on the benefits, you can develop a healthy and sustainable habit of daily exercise. Remember that forming a new habit takes time and effort, but the rewards are worth it.