6 Strategies for Sustaining Healthy Habits
So, you've found the motivation to work out, but it's not your first time here, is it? James Clear, author of Atomic Habits and otherwise known as the habit master, has noted that around 8 out of 10 people who attempt to implement a new habit fail.
Exercise isn't different. It is easy to get overwhelmed, question if it's all even worth it, and ultimately, give up.
Lucky for you, there's hope left. Here are 6 of my favorite fitness tips for starting up a healthy lifestyle and actually sticking with it.
Something Is Better Than Nothing
I get it; you don't want to waste your time doing something that doesn't work, you're overwhelmed with all the exercise content out there, you're not sure if you should hit the treadmill, attend a Pilates class, or do that new CrossFit thing. Perhaps you're concerned that you'll tear a hamstring or hurt your back.
I'll break the rules and let you in on some fitness secrets. You don't always need the most scientifically correct workout to see results. Beginners or people who haven't exercised for a long time can see progress towards their goals with minimal effort. Sometimes, as little as one workout a week can be the change. Start with basic bodyweight exercises or lightweight movements. You'll be just fine doing a few bodyweight squats, even with suboptimal form (just make sure you are not moving through pain). If it's the difference between doing something or nothing, I would even suggest the "Free 90-Day Greek God Workout Plan". I don't know whether or not that's real, but that's beside the point. Don't get so caught up in not knowing where to start that you don't do anything at all.
Another approach is turning regular movement throughout the day into exercise. Think about it: If you do 5 minutes of walking up and down stairs and 5 push-ups on the hour for a 9-hour work day, that's 45 minutes of stairs and 45 push-ups. I guarantee you that adds up over the week. Of course, you can modify this to meet your specific work environment, but the concept holds true.
Actionable Steps:
10 bodyweight squats on the hour.
5 minutes of walking stairs on the hour for your 8-hour work day.
25 push-ups per day broken up into chunks (modified if needed).
Park farther from a building entrance.
1 workout per week.
Follow a free cookie-cutter workout guide if it's the difference between doing something or nothing.
Consistency= Success; What Would You Do On Your Worst Days?
On that note, you're not really going to notice an overall improvement in your life if your newfound motivation to exercise is just a one-week whim. One of the easiest ways to set yourself up for failure is to set goals that are only maintainable when you feel motivated or high-energy. Goals that hinge on high motivation levels are often unsustainable. And since consistency is arguably the greatest determinant of health success – that's a problem.
It's also true that maintaining a healthy lifestyle sometimes has nothing to do with motivaition. Heck, I am a personal trainer, and I can't even count the number of times I dragged myself through a workout. In the end, it really boils down to being disciplined. But the more accessible and realistic goals you have, the less discipline you need, meaning the more consistent you will likely be.
This is where the 'worst day' concept comes in handy. I recommend starting with something you feel confident you can achieve even when you're a bit more tired than usual or just not feeling up to it. There have been times when I go to the gym, do 4 sets of back squats, 10 minutes of walking, and leave. The barrier should be low enough that you can make it to the gym when those bad days inevitably roll around.
Actionable Step:
Create a process goal of 10 minutes of walking per day rather than 30 minutes. I guarantee 10 minutes is less intimidating than 30. Plus, you'll feel more accomplished on the days you walk more than 10 minutes.
Designate 3 big strength exercises for a workout rather than a 'full' 10-exercise workout. There might be a lot of fluff in those extra 7 exercises. Make squats, push-ups, and pull-ups your staples because they can be done virtually anywhere, and there are many ways to modify them.
Do Something You Can See Yourself Enjoying
You can also make it easier to start by doing something you enjoy. Dancing your heart out in the living room, running around a soccer field with your kid, or playing a few games of pickleball are all great ways to get the heart rate up. Remember, something is better than nothing - we can worry about critiquing your routine once you build the habit of showing up.
Accessibility: Make The Not-So-Great Harder And The Great Things Easier
It's much harder to eat a donut while sitting on your couch in the evening if you don't have donuts in the house than if you have them in the cupboard. Crazy right? Accessibility to things changes how likely we are to do or not do them. I'm sure you've heard the phrase 'out of sight, out of mind.' This concept has been around for a while, and I say it with good reason. This may be the single most effective tool to take advantage of, especially when it comes to eating a healthier diet.
Actionable Steps:
Keep ice cream out of the house.
Buy groceries when you're not hungry (you're more likely to only buy things you need and fit your dietary goals).
Put fruits out on the table where you walk past, and stash the less healthy snacks in the back of the fridge.
Pack your gym bag before you leave for work so you can stop on the way home.
Put exercise equipment in the living room (or on the couch) so you see it/ have to move it whenever you sit down. You'll be more inclined to do a set of squats.
Get Other People On Board
Another powerful thing you can do is regularly communicate with others about your new goals. Or better yet, find a friend who has achieved the goal you're working towards or is also in the process of reaching that goal. Having an accountability partner, aka a workout buddy, can make exercise more fun and keep you showing up. Let's say you agree to meet your friend at the gym this Friday at 5 pm, but you skip it for one reason or another. You're letting down not only yourself but also your friend. A friend can also make the workouts more enjoyable, and it's an excellent opportunity to spend some quality time together. If you can't get friends to jump on board, hiring a coach to hold you accountable is another option. You'll also learn a lot from them if they're a good coach.
Actionable Step:
Talk with a friend from the office to see if they want to hit the gym once per week before or after work.
Tell your friends, family, and anyone who will listen – without being annoying, of course – about your plans to be healthier. The more people you tell, the more likely you will be to live up to your word.
A coach is a great person to keep you accountable. Plus, you get to learn along the way.
Try out group classes. While group classes are not always a great place to learn how to exercise, nor are they usually specific to your needs, they provide community. Many people out there exclusively train in classes because it keeps them coming back.
Find The Deeper Meaning Behind Why You Want To Be Healthier
If you've gotten this far into the article, you'll need to realize that "new goals don't deliver new results. New lifestyles do. And a lifestyle is not an outcome; it is a process." Those are more wise words from our friend James Clear. The most valuable part of this statement for our purposes is recognizing that reaching your fitness goals is a process, not a goal. You can only reach a goal with the process leading up to it. If you want to increase the likelihood of achieving your goal, fall in love with the process.
You will realize that many rewards can be gained from a single workout. Increase mental clarity, boost your energy throughout the day, increase sleep quality, and improve mood. Unlike most externally focused goals, these benefits don't go away- they are persistent.
Let's say I want to lose 10 lbs because I feel it will make me look better, and then I'll be happy. Well, there are a couple of problems with this goal. What happens when I lose 10 lbs? Sure, I may be more confident in my body, but where do I go from there? Do I try to lose 10 more? Do I try to gain more weight back? What if seeing a different number on the scale didn't make me happier?
I think these types of goals work for initial motivation. Still, the realizations I made on the way to losing those 10 lbs are far more valuable- my energy levels felt more stable throughout the day. My mood following my workout sky-rocketed, and I was much more pleasant to be around. After a couple of weeks, rather than chasing a weight-loss goal, I chased the benefits of the process, and my process led to the weight loss I wanted and results beyond my initial health expectations.
Actionable Step:
After each dedicated bout of exercise, write a number on a scale of 1-10 on how you feel after every workout. Keep tabs at the end of each day, whether you are working out or not, and see if you can find a correlation on days you rate high or low.
You can also write a short sentence to elaborate on accomplishments or struggles.
Focus on the intrinsic value of exercise over external goals.
Let's close out with tough love: We often create habits around the things we value most. Nearly every night of your life, you've spent 2 minutes a night brushing your teeth. Or you always find the 15 minutes (or truthfully much more than that) to scroll through TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook. Suppose nothing seems to be working for you. In that case, it's probably a sign you need to start thinking differently about your priorities and lifestyle habits. If you can't find time for exercise, it might be because you need to approach it with the right mindset. Exercise is a priority that deserves time, and therefore, you make time.