Creating the habit of exercise?
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EvgeniZyntx wrote: »You know how they talk about how some people are genetically more trainable -- how some people make aerobic gains more easily than others? I think I am one of those people. For people like me, the rewards come more easily. I don't need so many cues to get out the door and/or so much motivation to stay disciplined. The pleasure comes easily.
Because it comes easy to me, I enjoy it. And as most have said, enjoyment is the key. You will stay with something -- and the habit will develop -- if you enjoy it. For some people, finding what they enjoy will come easier. I can lace up my shoes and start jogging, and I enjoy it. For someone with a different makeup, there may be more discomfort involved in that and they are going to have a harder time finding what they enjoy.
But they can, obviously. Maybe they just need to start, and stay with, an easier program for longer -- until it becomes easier and the habit gets established.
Sometimes you gotta fake it until you start making it.
And the rewards start later. I might not be the biggest fan of running but I can certainly reward myself by counting the km's. I'll get there again - I hope.
Absolutely. Rules like "do something every day" help you learn that motivation can be irrelevant - that it's often better to let action precede and direct emotion. (Assuming that like most people, once you get there, you wind up feeling uplifted anyway, just due to the physiological effects of cardio if that's what you're doing, or to the boost to self-esteem ("I've done it, I'm here, well done me").)0 -
My least favorite piece of advice on threads like this is always "find something you enjoy". I've been going to the gym or running, on and off, for 30 YEARS. I still don't like the activity, I only like the results. The only way I get through it is by turning off my brain and numbing the pain with music or movies. In the days before phones, I'd sometimes get to the gym and discover I forgot my ipod. I'd turn around and go home because that is simply not happening.
The only athletic activities I truly love are ones that are expensive and require exotic locales, like skiing, sailing, kayaking, and snorkelling. Not exactly the backbone of a fitness routine for a busy working mom, lol. I don't like biking outside. I hate hiking with a passion. Swimming laps is boring because no music. Walking is tedious and doesn't burn enough calories per hour to be worthwhile. I don't like sunburn or bugs. And I'd rather take a hockey puck to the teeth than join a sports team of any kind. So the gym is the least objectionable of all the possible activities. And I still don't like it.
For some of us exercise will always be like going to work - something you do because you have to. And that's OK, as long as you do it. How do you motivate yourself to go to work? Although actually, that's not a fair metaphor because 9 times out of 10 I'd rather be at work than at the gym.
You get nothing from running itself? Not even that meditative feeling?0 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »You know how they talk about how some people are genetically more trainable -- how some people make aerobic gains more easily than others? I think I am one of those people. For people like me, the rewards come more easily. I don't need so many cues to get out the door and/or so much motivation to stay disciplined. The pleasure comes easily.
Because it comes easy to me, I enjoy it. And as most have said, enjoyment is the key. You will stay with something -- and the habit will develop -- if you enjoy it. For some people, finding what they enjoy will come easier. I can lace up my shoes and start jogging, and I enjoy it. For someone with a different makeup, there may be more discomfort involved in that and they are going to have a harder time finding what they enjoy.
But they can, obviously. Maybe they just need to start, and stay with, an easier program for longer -- until it becomes easier and the habit gets established.
Sometimes you gotta fake it until you start making it.
And the rewards start later. I might not be the biggest fan of running but I can certainly reward myself by counting the km's. I'll get there again - I hope.
Absolutely. Rules like "do something every day" help you learn that motivation can be irrelevant - that it's often better to let action precede and direct emotion. (Assuming that like most people, once you get there, you wind up feeling uplifted anyway, just due to the physiological effects of cardio if that's what you're doing, or to the boost to self-esteem ("I've done it, I'm here, well done me").)
Totally agree!
On habit in general, I read somewhere a long time ago "it takes 30 days to make or break a habit". Lol...for some reason that always stuck with me, so I also agree with "fake it until you make it". It usually does take about that long before something is no longer something I make myself do (or not do), but just what I do.
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I'm a big fan of the habits book. You really can deliberately build new habits that overpower old ones. The research is fascinating.
A couple blogs I wrote on the book: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ihad/view/the-power-of-habit-part-1-why-habits-matter-6881300 -
I have had to change my frame of reference. I have lost weight in the past and worked out, but never did strength training and I would also come up with unrealistic goals such as go to the gym for 2 hours a day and do cardio. Inevitably I would gain all the weight back.
So the first thing I've had to do is figure out what I need to do to get optimal results and for me that includes a combination of cardio and strength training. I have no obligations on the weekend so I have 2 workout days right there and then I just have to fit in 2 more days during the week. It's actually not that difficult when I break it down like that. On all 4 days I do 5 miles of cardio and 2 of those days 1 hour reserved for either body pump/strength work/heavy lifting/calisthenics.
Now I have asked myself what is it that I value about eating right and working out and it has really made it easier. I essentially came up with 2 answers: The first is that I love clothes and fashion, and this is much more fun when I'm a size 4-6 as opposed to a size 10. Another thing that I value is that sense of well-being. My body is really sensitive to what I put in it, probably b/c I am a celiac. When I overeat and don't exercise I feel like HELL. So when I don't feel like getting moving I remind myself of these two things. Just keep reminding myself of what I value and it's not as easy to stay home stuffing myself and doing nothing.0 -
No, I do not get a meditative feeling from running. I get a feeling of "wow, this sucks even more than I remembered", which stops when I stop running.
I do enjoy the smug, self-satisfied feeling that comes from having worked out while other people sat on their butts
So there's that.
I just hate exercise. But I do it anyway. "No whining, no excuses, no quitting." Ok, maybe a little whining, lol.0 -
In the beginning I formed a habit of lifting by making a plan to go three days per week (always the same 3 days) and treating it like my job. The reward was that I felt stronger and healthier and saw aesthetic changes that were positive.
Right now I'm mostly still doing it because of fear. Fear of weakness, fear of losing my muscle, fear of feeling like a "sick person" again-- it's not ideal. There's very little reward in it because any physical activity (even walking) makes me feel worse. The closest thing I'm getting to a reward is the grim satisfaction that it sucked but I did it anyway.
Mine may not be typical (for most people exercise isn't going to induce bouts of crippling muscle weakness) and I expect this bad spell to pass.0 -
When I first started exercising, I told myself I had to try it for 6 weeks - in my case, this meant swimming 3 times a week for half an hour, which was something I felt was accessible as I used to enjoy swimming lessons as a child/younger teenager. I was never really big, but my main downfall was having dessert every day. I cut them out, and told myself I could only have something sweet after dinner if it was a swim day. I did have to really push myself through the first few weeks, but then I started to enjoy how relaxed I felt when I got out of the pool, and the feeling of success and satisfaction when I could swim an extra length or go a bit faster than before. I started sleeping better and I lost a few pounds that first month. I then joined the gym and a few years after that started running. I had to be strict with myself to establish the habit, but now I feel very motivated to continue. The gym is MY time. Going for a run is stress relief to me (and means I can eat and drink more of what I like).
I do think you have to find something you can stick with. Lots of people like team sports or group classes - I don't mind meeting a friend at the gym or having a quick chat while I'm there, but generally I like to work out alone and I like to compete only with myself. I still try to enforce my 'no sweets if no sweat' rule, and I aim for a rough average of 4 sessions a week, with no more than 2 days off between.
Those people that have highlighted discipline are right - you have to make yourself do it until it becomes natural and no big deal, like other things we do by habit like brushing our teeth/tidying up etc., or until you start to enjoy it and accept it as part of everyday life. You will get something from exercise, whether that's personal satisfaction, new social contacts, a hotter body, faster sprints, an hour to yourself away from the kids, whatever it is that does it for you. But you will feel the benefit in some capacity if you stick with it!0 -
Nobody has touched my reason---I have to. I have OA and wake up stiff and sore every morning. I usually do 45 mins of stretching to limber up, and then go to the pool 4 times a week. Without this, I have more pain. While swimming my mind wanders and this is precious since I'm busy all day with family things and have no time for myself. I must admit I am a person of habit, and when I commit to something I just do it, period. It never occurs to me to quit or not do it.
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I'm a big fan of the habits book. You really can deliberately build new habits that overpower old ones. The research is fascinating.
A couple blogs I wrote on the book: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ihad/view/the-power-of-habit-part-1-why-habits-matter-688130
Ha, if there was someone here that had done that and done it well... It had to be you. Thanks for that. I guess I missed it when you wrote it.
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EvgeniZyntx wrote: »The two things that come to mind are making the exercise as convenient as possible and making the exercise as rewarding or enjoyable as possible.
For the enjoyment factor I attempt to foster this in clients by helping them become good at certain movements and getting them on a structured program that gets them stronger and we track that metric so that they can see the improvement taking place (weight on the bar goes up --> client feels empowered --> client wants to keep improving).
I think you're asking the right question. Also in for discussion because this is a great topic that extends beyond exercise compliance as well.
It does - the underlying question is really about behavior change - if you notice - the people answering this thread are already all partakers of exercise and have a habit. Underneath all the "how did this come about?" is "how can this be actively applied to modify how we behave in other areas?"
For example - here is a simplistic one - I keep chocolate in the cupboard - I love it and can easily eat all of it, but I now practice moderation - I was very much before: open cupboard: see the chocolate (cue) eat the chocolate (routine) mouthgasm (reward). I broke that by simply moving the chocolate to a less travelled cupboard. Other people might be more radical in how they break habit (tossing out food, etc...)
Understanding how habit functions and if it can be manipulated as we want is a an interesting area of discussion.
I think tweaks like this, that set the stage for action by reducing the energy required to either start a desirable activity or inhibit an undesirable one, are great. Willpower is overrated.
On both of these, substitution has long been a way to short change a less desirable trait along with willpower. I believe willpower is the starting place followed by self discipline then self motivation, for me personally. I find when my willpower starts to falter is when I have more issues.0 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
Enjoyment is a reward.
Now here is, what the author argues, that we actually (over time as a learned response) crave the reward. We need to feel that enjoyment, feeling of wellness, alone time or sense of community.
And this drives habit.
I would definitely agree with that. I've been pretty dedicated to my fitness regimen for 2.5 years plus now and recently had a procedure done that kept me off my bike and out of the weight room (or doing anything really beyond just walking) for a couple of weeks. It was brutal.
I missed being out there riding on my own to clear my head and I missed hanging with the group on Sundays for our big group rides. I missed the feeling of throwing up a heavy snatch and working with my Oly coach on Saturdays. I began to feel lethargic and actually a bit depressed in pretty short order. I didn't really realize how ingrained everything was until I had my little surgery there....
Fortunately, it was only a couple of weeks and I'm back in the saddle again.
I would say very early on in my return to fitness, being able to eat more and enjoy my beer was definitely a "reward" and a big time reason I decided I needed to get moving again. I'm a former competitive athlete, so it didn't take too long for things to just click again...but early on, it was definitely the ability to eat more, and enjoy my suds without guilt.0 -
I don't run because it's my favorite thing to do. Honestly I'd rather sit at home and play XBox or watch a movie. What I did find is that sacrificing part of my morning and working out makes me less likely to eat like crap during the day. I'm not about to throw out my progress that morning and waste my effort (that I disliked) on crap I won't care for 15 minutes later.
Eventually, that has gotten to be a habit. I don't always WANT to go do it but the resistance to going out and running in the morning is pretty minimal. I just make it part of my routine. I have a weekly schedule of what I'm doing on what day of the week and I just do it. Don't give yourself any wiggle room. The only valid excuse I give myself is thunderstorms. Other than that I just do what I decided to do in the morning no matter what.0 -
No, I do not get a meditative feeling from running. I get a feeling of "wow, this sucks even more than I remembered", which stops when I stop running.
I do enjoy the smug, self-satisfied feeling that comes from having worked out while other people sat on their butts So there's that.
I just hate exercise. But I do it anyway. "No whining, no excuses, no quitting." Ok, maybe a little whining, lol.
wow i'd hate that! that sounds really horrible, honestly
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For me it is a form of distressing and I honestly check in at times with a few others but mostly work out alone both for strength training and cardio. I am a little odd I zone out easily with repetitive movements so cardio can be boring like a treadmill (which is safer than running outside if you zone out and unaware of surroundings) I am just in the movement and totally unaware of time.
I love the natural rewards of being healthy and fit0 -
I get a massive endorphin hit when I exercise - which lasts for a few hours.
Habit keeps me going along with classes which are interesting. I don't push myself as hard on my own.
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Personally, I subscribed to the "reward" method of building a habit.
Backstory: early 30s, completely sedentary, completely lazy, religious WoW player (and gamer in general), you name it. 300lbs+. Couldn't walk up a set of stairs without being winded. Not an athletic bone in my body, always terrible at sports even as a kid, always very overweight even starting in high school. No real support from family which was also overweight and no one did any purposeful exercise.
So, with the need to get something going, I did in fact set up an actual reward system. It was simple: beer. I am an avid craft beer guy (part of the reason for my ridiculous weight) and drank 1-2 new brews every day. In order to drink those beers, I started requiring myself to earn them. No 500 calories burned? No beer. Period. And since I loved beer so much, I never missed a workout.
As time passed, I found something I liked (powerlifting) and it became ingrained as a habit. Eventually I found myself drinking less and less beer and not associating it with exercise at all. In fact I almost never drink beer on days I workout, funnily enough. But it got the ball rolling. Now it's just part of my day. Even if I don't want to do it, it's a chore that must be completed. In the morning I don't leave the house until I've showered and brushed my teeth. At night, I do not go to bed unless I've hit the gym. I don't care if it's 1AM and I haven't even started my workout yet. I'm still doing it. I don't care if I'm sick, I still shower and brush my teeth when I'm sick and I still work out at night. It's a habit and it's part of my daily routine.
Of course, associating myself with like-minded people online and IRL has been a contributor, as has my consistent work and home life. That made it easier to form the habit and easier to maintain it, but hopefully at this point it is solid (it's been around 3 years). Time will tell.0 -
I don't do "rewards". I consider it an obligation to exercise, and generally do it first thing in the morning, so that it's done and can't be subject to excuse-making.0
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I don't do "rewards". I consider it an obligation to exercise, and generally do it first thing in the morning, so that it's done and can't be subject to excuse-making.
Please re-read - we aren't talking about buying yourself an ice cream for running a mile. It's about the mental process that might occur to create habits. Stimulus-response reward, which everyone that has endorphin receptors does in one way or another. There is a physical release of "happy molecules" when you exercise and these affect the brain.
An actual award might also reinforce a new habit - see dopes post.0 -
I started exercising 2 years ago as a result of obligation and fear - my kids pressured me to start a "60 days to change" program at our Tkd studio. And my father had recently died of cancer - and his illness and treatments were made much harder by diabetes which I am at high risk for due to PCOS. So I started attending a HIIT style class at the studio. I (like dope) had never been athletic or good at sports. And, to be frank, I am still no natural athlete. But, over time, I learned to like the camaraderie among the class attendees and staff. I learned that I could get better - more flexible, more agile, better coordination, more strength. And I started enjoying the sense of accomplishment as well as successfully losing weight for the first time in a decade or more.
I also discovered that exercising several times a week was the key to being able to go off the antidepressants I ended up on after my dad's death.
After being sidelined by work crap and a sprained MCL this past fall, I know how easy it is to lose the habits again. But, I hired a trainer to teach me to lift with good form (which makes me show up) and I'm starting back at TKD. And I've been reminded that I feel accomplished and physically/emotionally better when I get regular exercise. Building the habits is definitely a process but feeling better about myself is a huge motivator and reward0 -
I started exercising 2 years ago as a result of obligation and fear - my kids pressured me to start a "60 days to change" program at our Tkd studio. And my father had recently died of cancer - and his illness and treatments were made much harder by diabetes which I am at high risk for due to PCOS. So I started attending a HIIT style class at the studio. I (like dope) had never been athletic or good at sports. And, to be frank, I am still no natural athlete. But, over time, I learned to like the camaraderie among the class attendees and staff. I learned that I could get better - more flexible, more agile, better coordination, more strength. And I started enjoying the sense of accomplishment as well as successfully losing weight for the first time in a decade or more.
I also discovered that exercising several times a week was the key to being able to go off the antidepressants I ended up on after my dad's death.
After being sidelined by work crap and a sprained MCL this past fall, I know how easy it is to lose the habits again. But, I hired a trainer to teach me to lift with good form (which makes me show up) and I'm starting back at TKD. And I've been reminded that I feel accomplished and physically/emotionally better when I get regular exercise. Building the habits is definitely a process but feeling better about myself is a huge motivator and reward0 -
I'm one of those people that don't really like exercise, so when I first started my efforts to lose weight I forced it. It was difficult and I did not enjoy it but my weight going down and the feeling that I was doing something good for my body were enough as a reward and motivation to keep pushing.
And then, I almost accidentally went to a karate class and, bam, that was it, I loved it. I got so fascinated that going to class became immediately a given. I started training at home on my own, with friends over the weekend and every other opportunity, and I even started doing things I did not enjoy, like running or strength training to improve my performance in karate. One and a half year later I still go to class religiously. So in my case the reward is the enjoyment I get from the class. And the reason I enjoy it so much is because it keeps my mind engaged and focused all the time while in e.g. running, I get bored. Basically the mental stimulation is my reward.
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