The Essential Trick to Make Exercise a Daily Habit

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spicy618
spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
Just read this article and found it true for me. I use the "heading straight to the gym directly from work" trick. ;) Hope you find it interesting too.

https://www.yahoo.com/health/the-essential-trick-to-make-exercise-a-daily-habit-
124084001802.html

You’ve tried working with a personal trainer, hitting the running trail, and signing up for every you’ve-got-to-try-this exercise class known to the fitness world. Still, if going to the gym feels a lot like dragging yourself to the gym, you probably haven’t managed to make it the automatic habit it needs to be in order to stay consistent.

The solution: Stop focusing on your workout and start paying attention to cues that make you want to move, suggests new findings published in the journal Health Psychology. In the study, researchers from Iowa University and King’s College London examined the exercise habits of 118 healthy adults and found that those who set cues for themselves — like keeping running shoes next to the front door, setting a cell phone reminder, or heading straight to the gym after work — were more likely to exercise.

Related: 10 Habits of People Who Love to Work Out

That’s because, when it comes to making exercise a habit, it’s not the exercise itself that’s the hard part. “It’s getting started,” says study co-author L. Alison Phillips, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Iowa State University “So if that decision is automatic, then the person doesn’t have to spend mental energy and self control to force him or herself to engage in exercise.”

What’s more, the study found that internal cues — thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations — are better at making exercise a habit than external ones like alarm clocks. Internal cues can range from feeling like your legs are tight when you’ve been sitting at your desk for too long, to feeling your blood pressure rise when your to-do list spirals out of control, Phillips says. “Once an individual learns that exercise can ‘treat’ a negative mood or stress, then he or she might form a habit from that internal cue.”

More to read, click the link at the top.

Replies

  • katjanssens
    katjanssens Posts: 18 Member
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    Love this!! Thank you! I like the setting a reminder on the phone part, I may do that!
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
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    I use the "body memory" as my trigger to exercise.
  • tiffa77
    tiffa77 Posts: 11 Member
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    I have my workout bag in the car so when i leave work i know where i am headed. thanks for the hints!
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    Glad it was of some help.

    There are days I have on my gym clothes and still manage to convince myself not to go. lol However, those days I try really hard to stay within my calories. :)
  • SkinnyCat39
    SkinnyCat39 Posts: 122 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10211292/the-essential-trick-to-make-exercise-a-daily-habit

    I reposted the link cause I could not get to it. Thanks for sharing this. :-)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,679 Member
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    Lol, I workout to give myself a reason to shower. I have really dry skin so showering just exacerbates the issue, but if I'm all sweaty and dirty, I have no choice but to shower.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    I just do things I like. You don't "forget" or have to trick yourself into doing the things you enjoy.
  • fishgutzy
    fishgutzy Posts: 2,807 Member
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    4:15AM alarm clock. At the Y when it opens at 5. Swimming starts my day off perfectly.
    I'm out of the Y and on my way to work by 7:45. [Takes me about 2:15 to swim 4 miles. Just wish I was fast enough to get 5 miles in that time :) ]
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    I just do things I like. You don't "forget" or have to trick yourself into doing the things you enjoy.

    I wish it was this easy for me. :)

    I enjoy rollerblading and walking. However, getting started is the hardest part for me.
    Although, I've not regretted a workout AFTER it's done, it's still not something that I look forward to doing.

    For example, we're on summer break and I get to wear anything I want to work. I have my gym clothes on, walked up 12 flights of stairs this morning (every weekday). After lunch, I'm here calculating what I will have for dinner, so that I can just go home after work... It's raining and I feel lazy when it rains.

    So yeah, for me, I need tricks... ;)