How to Stick with Exercise

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain strength, or build endurance, getting into the habit of working out regularly can be difficult. The reality is that only about 20% of the people who start an exercise program will stick with it past 90 days – and only 10% of those will continue to do so after one year! Some people just love their sedentary lifestyle too much, but what if they could achieve the benefits of exercise while still enjoying the comfort of their couch? That’s where these 12 tips to help you stick with exercise come in.

Treat exercise like a class

Are you more likely to go a class if there are others doing it? If so, you might want to consider exercising at times when there are a lot of other people around. For example, if you like going for walks in nature, consider heading out earlier or later in the day when you know that everyone else is working inside. You’ll probably find that it’s easier to start moving once your feet hit some fresh air and that fresh air can often lead to being in even better spirits!

Think of exercise as part of your daily routine

For some people, exercise is something they do on their way home from work. For others, it’s something they do when they come home. And there are those who treat it like a 30-minute obligation: They don’t look forward to it, but once it’s over, they feel good that they did it. It doesn’t really matter how you approach exercise; what matters is that you make sure you think of working out as part of your daily routine. The benefits will last longer if your workout does too!

Try something new

There’s an easy way to maintain a consistent exercise routine and that’s by finding new exercises you enjoy. If running on a treadmill every day is boring, try lifting weights instead. If swimming laps leaves you bored, consider taking a class at your local gym. If classes aren’t your thing, there are plenty of ways you can exercise without any help or guidance: dancing around your living room and doing jumping jacks when music comes on is one way; hiking in nature is another. Explore different options and switch things up every few weeks—once you start enjoying exercise more, it won’t feel like such a chore.

Join an organized group

A great way to get yourself motivated, meet new people and stay on track is to join an organized group, such as a running club or an obstacle-course training program. Hanging out with friends who enjoy being active can help you stay on track, too. If you’re finding it difficult to motivate yourself, find a workout buddy and set daily goals together. And it doesn’t have to be someone just like you; running is better when you share it with someone else. A research study from Stanford University found that pairs of runners had a much harder time giving up than those who ran alone did—in fact, they were 67 percent more likely to continue running every day over a six-month period.

Don’t overdo it in the beginning

When you first start working out, it’s easy to overdo it. Don’t push yourself too hard at first—let your body adjust and get comfortable with what you are doing. If you jump in full force, chances are you’ll burn out fast and give up altogether. Once your body adjusts to working out at a certain level, then feel free to increase that level. However, before increasing your workout intensity, make sure that any aches or pains will ease as your body adjusts.

Track your progress and celebrate every small win

Tracking your progress is a great way to stay motivated. At least once a week, write down how far you’ve come and look back on your initial goals. You can also print out an exercise chart so you can track your workouts, or find an app or online service that allows you to track your stats and share them with friends. If sticking with exercise has been a big goal for you, make sure you reward yourself for hitting milestones along the way: sometimes it’s easy to forget what we’ve done if we don’t celebrate our victories. Instead of giving in to cravings after a tough workout, go treat yourself somewhere nice instead!

Practice self-care

Your thoughts and feelings will affect your ability to stick with exercise. If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, it might be easier to skip a workout than face those emotions. But pushing through your personal struggles will actually make you feel better! So, if you’re struggling emotionally on any given day, take a breather before working out. Catching up on an episode of your favorite show or spending time chatting with a friend will give you a mental break without taking away from any self-care time. Self-care doesn’t have to mean skipping out on exercise; sometimes it means using other self-care activities as outlets instead.

Find support from friends and family

We know using rewards is one of the best ways to help you stick with your fitness goals. A little positive reinforcement goes a long way when it comes to exercise, but make sure you get as much out of these rewards as possible by actually following through on them. You don't want to set yourself up for failure by not fulfilling your promise or breaking trust with yourself (which makes it harder and less rewarding in future attempts). But you can use rewards in other ways, too.

Use rewards wisely and make them come true

The premise of using rewards as a way to help you reach your fitness goals is built on something called operant conditioning. Here’s how it works: Every time you complete a fitness task, reward yourself. When you do, make sure it’s something that will keep you motivated, such as some new clothing or shoes for your favorite workout gear. Studies show that for weight loss and weight maintenance, women are more successful when they have an exercise partner or group whom they meet up with regularly (as opposed to working out alone). It may be because people who work out together not only hold each other accountable but also help each other stick with it over time.

Know when you need to take a break

Sometimes you just need a break. Sometimes, you need to take a few days off. If you’re dreading your workouts because they’re so painful and miserable, that’s not exactly an exercise highpoint—and it doesn’t make you want to go back tomorrow. Give yourself permission to rest; give yourself permission not to kill yourself every time you do something physical. Life is too short (even when it feels really long) for that kind of thing, and there will be plenty of time for high-intensity workouts later on in life. You might even find that once you slow down a bit and start treating your body with more respect, working out becomes easier than ever before!

Avoid exercising right before bedtime

While it might seem like a good idea to exercise right before bed, doing so can make falling asleep and staying asleep more difficult. When we exercise, our body releases adrenaline and cortisol, both of which help us feel awake. If you're hitting snooze for an extra few minutes in the morning because your body is still revved up from your workout, consider working out earlier in the day or later at night. Your body won't be ready for sleep until about 30 minutes after you stop exercising. I like going for a long run early in evening just as people are getting home from work - there are fewer cars on my neighborhood streets then and I enjoy seeing my neighbors as they walk their dogs or chat with each other on their front porches.

Replace shoulds with choices

We all make choices every day, so reframe those shoulds in your mind as choices. If you’re going to eat that piece of cake, then choose it. Consciously and deliberately select something instead of mindlessly following an ingrained habit. Even if you choose badly many times, by deciding consciously and deliberately, you’ll begin to change your mindset around food and what it means for your body. And over time—with practice—you’ll learn to make better choices because they will feel like a more natural part of who you are rather than something that needs conscious effort.