4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit

Every Friday is Health Tip Day at Zen Habits.

I have to admit that I have my ups and downs with the exercise habit.

So I know that it’s not the easiest habit for most people, and most people’s experiences consist of starting and stopping and starting again. Which is fine — don’t beat yourself up about it. The important thing is starting again.

I’ve written before about how to build the exercise habit (and even have a guest post on it), but today I thought I’d revisit the topic for those who still have trouble.

The Main Problems
So why do most people have trouble making exercise a regular habit? Well, there are probably a number of factors, but here are the main ones as I see it:

Too difficult. People set out with a lot of ambition and enthusiasm, and start out with a big goal. “I’m going to go to the gym for an hour a day!” or “I’m going to run 30 minutes every day!” The problem is that the goal is too difficult to sustain for very long. You can do it for a few days, but you soon run out of energy, and it becomes a drag to do it.
Too many goals. Often we set out to do too much. We want to run, and lift weights, and eat healthy, and quit sweets, and stop drinking soda. Well, those are multiple goals, and you cannot focus on the exercise habit if you’re trying to do all the others at the same time. Or we might start with one goal, but then get caught up in another goal (to stop procrastinating, for example), and lose our focus on the first one.
Not enough motivation. It’s not a lack of discipline, it’s a lack of motivation. The most powerful motivators, in my experience, are logging your habit and public pressure. There are many others that help as well.

The 4 Simple Steps
So how do we solve those problems? Keep it simple. Here are the 4 simple steps to start the exercise habit (and keep it going). I should note that you can use these 4 steps to start any habit.

Set one easy, specific, measurable goal. There are several keys to setting this crucial goal:
- Written: Write this down. Post it up. If you don’t write it down, it’s not important.
- Easy: Don’t — DO NOT — set a difficult goal. Set one that is super, super easy. Five minutes of exercise a day. You can do that. Work your way to 10 minutes after a month. Then go to 15 after 2 months. You can see what I mean: make it easy to start with, so you can build your habit, then gradually increase.
- Specific: By specific, I mean what activity are you going to do, at what time of day, and where? Don’t just say “exercise” or “I’m going to walk”. You have to set a time and place. Make it an appointment you can’t miss.
- Trigger: I recommend that you have a “trigger” right before you do your habit. For example, you might always brush your teeth right after you shower. The shower is the trigger for brushing your teeth, and because of that, you never forget to brush your teeth. Well, what will you do right before you exercise? Is it right after you wake up? Right after your coffee? Right when you get home? As soon as you take off for lunch? A trigger that you do every single day is important.
- Measurable: By measurable, I mean that you should be able to say, definitely, whether you hit or miss your goal today. Examples: run for 10 minutes. Walk 1/2 a mile. Do 3 sets of 5 pushups. Each of those has a number that you can shoot for.
- One goal: Stick to this one goal for at least a month. Two months if you can bear it. Don’t start up a second goal during that 30-day period. If you do, you are scrapping this goal.
Log it daily. This is the key habit. If you can log your workout, you will start to see your progress, and it will motivate you to keep going. And you have to make it a habit to log it right away. Don’t put it off, and say you’ll do it before you go to bed. As soon as you’re done working out, log it. No exceptions. And don’t make the log complicated — that will only make you resist doing the log. Just the date, time, and what you did.
Report to others. I think this is key. You can do it on your blog, on an online forum, with your spouse, or friends or family, or a workout partner, or a coach, or a group, or a class. However you set it up, make it part of the process that you have to report your daily workout to other people. It could be using an online log, or on a forum, or through email, or the phone, or just by telling your co-workers what you did this morning. But be sure that they know your goal, and that you are going to report to them, and be sure that they are expecting it every day.
Add motivation as needed. The first three steps might be enough for you to get the habit going. But if not, don’t just give up. If you miss two consecutive workouts, you need to look at why, and add a new motivation. Rewards, more public pressure, inspiration, whatever it takes. Read this article for more on this. You can add one additional motivator, and then see if it works. If you miss two more consecutive workouts at any time, add another motivator. And so on, until the exercise habit sticks.

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Also see:

4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit

Photo by mikebaird

Every Friday is Health Tip Day at Zen Habits.

I have to admit that I have my ups and downs with the exercise habit.

I’ve written before about how to build the exercise habit (and even have a guest post on it), but today I thought I’d revisit the topic for those who still have trouble.

The Main Problems
So why do most people have trouble making exercise a regular habit? Well, there are probably a number of factors, but here are the main ones as I see it:

Too difficult. People set out with a lot of ambition and enthusiasm, and start out with a big goal. “I’m going to go to the gym for an hour a day!” or “I’m going to run 30 minutes every day!” The problem is that the goal is too difficult to sustain for very long. You can do it for a few days, but you soon run out of energy, and it becomes a drag to do it.
Too many goals. Often we set out to do too much. We want to run, and lift weights, and eat healthy, and quit sweets, and stop drinking soda. Well, those are multiple goals, and you cannot focus on the exercise habit if you’re trying to do all the others at the same time. Or we might start with one goal, but then get caught up in another goal (to stop procrastinating, for example), and lose our focus on the first one.
Not enough motivation. It’s not a lack of discipline, it’s a lack of motivation. The most powerful motivators, in my experience, are logging your habit and public pressure. There are many others that help as well.

Set one easy, specific, measurable goal. There are several keys to setting this crucial goal:
- Written: Write this down. Post it up. If you don’t write it down, it’s not important.
- Easy: Don’t — DO NOT — set a difficult goal. Set one that is super, super easy. Five minutes of exercise a day. You can do that. Work your way to 10 minutes after a month. Then go to 15 after 2 months. You can see what I mean: make it easy to start with, so you can build your habit, then gradually increase.
- Specific: By specific, I mean what activity are you going to do, at what time of day, and where? Don’t just say “exercise” or “I’m going to walk”. You have to set a time and place. Make it an appointment you can’t miss.
- Trigger: I recommend that you have a “trigger” right before you do your habit. For example, you might always brush your teeth right after you shower. The shower is the trigger for brushing your teeth, and because of that, you never forget to brush your teeth. Well, what will you do right before you exercise? Is it right after you wake up? Right after your coffee? Right when you get home? As soon as you take off for lunch? A trigger that you do every single day is important.
- Measurable: By measurable, I mean that you should be able to say, definitely, whether you hit or miss your goal today. Examples: run for 10 minutes. Walk 1/2 a mile. Do 3 sets of 5 pushups. Each of those has a number that you can shoot for.
- One goal: Stick to this one goal for at least a month. Two months if you can bear it. Don’t start up a second goal during that 30-day period. If you do, you are scrapping this goal.
Log it daily. This is the key habit. If you can log your workout, you will start to see your progress, and it will motivate you to keep going. And you have to make it a habit to log it right away. Don’t put it off, and say you’ll do it before you go to bed. As soon as you’re done working out, log it. No exceptions. And don’t make the log complicated — that will only make you resist doing the log. Just the date, time, and what you did.
Report to others. I think this is key. You can do it on your blog, on an online forum, with your spouse, or friends or family, or a workout partner, or a coach, or a group, or a class. However you set it up, make it part of the process that you have to report your daily workout to other people. It could be using an online log, or on a forum, or through email, or the phone, or just by telling your co-workers what you did this morning. But be sure that they know your goal, and that you are going to report to them, and be sure that they are expecting it every day.
Add motivation as needed. The first three steps might be enough for you to get the habit going. But if not, don’t just give up. If you miss two consecutive workouts, you need to look at why, and add a new motivation. Rewards, more public pressure, inspiration, whatever it takes. Read this article for more on this. You can add one additional motivator, and then see if it works. If you miss two more consecutive workouts at any time, add another motivator. And so on, until the exercise habit sticks.

If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Also see:

Posted on 21 September 2007 in Fitness, Habits |
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Comments (53)

William Mize Says:

September 21st, 2007, 6:03 am

Optional Step 5: Find Cute Girl Like One In Photo To Work Out With.

Just sayin’ :)

As far as motivators go, the wildest one I heard of was from Tony Robbins. He tells a story about a group of women who got together and formed a workout group to hold each other accountable, etc. They all set their goals and vowed that whoever didn’t reach their goal by the set date would eat an entire can of Alpo dog food.

I am betting that each lady reached their goals, plus some.

Mehdi Says:

September 21st, 2007, 6:56 am

Good post Leo. What’s great for motivation: put your training log with progress online somewhere people can comment on. Zen Habit forum for example.

Anita Says:

September 21st, 2007, 7:06 am

I think the best motivator for exercise is the feeling I get after doing it. The key which you have pointed out is to make the first goal very small. It has to be small enough so that the good feeling from doing it is greater than the difficulty involved in beginning to do it and actually doing it. And “beginning to do it” is so very often the biggest hurdle to get over. If it is small, there will be less resistance to begin and more pleasure than pain.

After the habit of the little bit is developed, going up a notch has been something I’ve wanted to do.

JanB Says:

September 21st, 2007, 7:17 am

I linked to this post, I am hoping that my husband sees it and starts. Very good tips!!

Leo Says:

September 21st, 2007, 7:26 am

@JanB: Just clicked through to your blog and saw your progress photos … wow, great job! Very inspiring! If you haven’t yet, you should email me and be a part of my success stories (see yesterday’s post). Keep up the great work!

Leo Says:

September 21st, 2007, 7:50 am

Also, Jan, I just read your FitDay journal … I’d like to hear about how you adjusted to your diet. I know that can be difficult at first. And how you got into the habit of 1 hr on the treadmill, first thing each day.

Steve Says:

September 21st, 2007, 7:58 am

First of all, good articles. For me, short-term rewards work really well for starting and maintaining regular exercise.

The short-term reward can be anything, but for me it’s a dog. I can maintain my exercise discipline since I adopted my dog from a shelter about 3 years ago. The dog is extremely house trained / potty trained and wouldn’t start “doing it’s business” before we are at least a mile or two from the house. That’s why I now run or walk in the morning, rain or shine.

Liara Covert Says:

September 21st, 2007, 8:01 am

I went through periods of my life where I would run regularly. I did lots of early mornings. It was natural to waken automatically for exercise, even when I went to bed late. The exercise enabled me to boost my energy level and feel rejuvenated. Then, something happened…

Time passed. I became concerned about cracking joints and permitted my mind to tell me walking fast and other exercise would be better for me. Isn’t it incredible how we sysematically brainwash ourselves to believe certain things at certain periods in our lives? What feels good for the body is supposed to feel good to the soul, unless we decide otherwise.

jw Says:

September 21st, 2007, 8:55 am

One of the problems I have with appointments at particular times of the week, is that even when you try really hard to prioritise exercise, clashes do come up. You go on holiday, there’s a wedding to go to, or a conference to go to for work. Now sometimes you can still do exercise when you are away and sometimes going running somewhere new is great, but there are times when it isn’t quite that easy when you’re in a strange place with a schedule imposed on you. Maybe the solution to everything is to become a ‘getting up at five in the morning’ person, but I’ve never figured out a way to become one!

Anne Says:

September 21st, 2007, 11:53 am

Love the photo. That gal actually has a real body!

I would like to hear others’ suggestions about how to exercise when you’re sidelined with an injury. –In my case, a bum knee which is still being diagnosed (MRI scheduled next week). It’s hard to get motivated to find alternatives to walking, which has been my joy!

Aejara Says:

September 21st, 2007, 12:05 pm

Great tips!!!!…. And I have something to offer also… it’s working for me, and it’ll work much better now…

Check http://www.traineo.com…. maybe the geek way to log your progress, and your exercise… anywhere you are… Ah!, also you can add motivators to involve someone in your plans.

Dan Says:

September 21st, 2007, 12:18 pm

Wow, I’m with William…if you can tell me where the woman in the photo works out I can guarantee that I’ll start exercising more!

Seriously though, if you workout at home post a calendar on the back of the front door (or whatever door you leave the house through) and use this as your log. Not only does it force you to look at it at least once a day but if you share your home with anyone else then it makes it easy for them to check up on your progress as well.

tom Says:

September 21st, 2007, 12:20 pm

you have to want it or die.. simple.. i have been as heavy as 350lbs.. that was my motivation. i have been as low as 190 i am back up a bit.. but it is that.. and no little list is going to do your workout.. your soul has to want it.

Davida Says:

September 21st, 2007, 12:44 pm

I think motivation is where it’s all at. My Girlfriend and I were a bit overweight but wanted to excercise. We’re not really gym people and the pool (we are college students) was overtaken by too many people to really prove useful. So we took up kung fu! It’s the greatest experience and the motivation/work is intense.

I practice at Wah Lum myself, http://www.wahlum.com, very intense very low stances and makes you run a mile every time. Hour long practices.

Sure its more expensive than a gym, but I just feel the experience etc is better.

palindrome Says:

September 21st, 2007, 14:02 pm

Stop making excuses! This is the most important thing you can do to:

Improve the quality of your life.

Increase your health.

Increase your longevity.

You don’t need a gym. You don’t need new running shoes. You don’t need money to buy equipment. You need to exercise. Do jumping jacks in your living room. Buy a jump rope for $2.

Quit finding reasons not to exercise. Sure, there are lots of them, but the reasons for them outweigh them by far.

Lyketodance Says:

September 21st, 2007, 14:29 pm

Hi, Leo and readers. I have been reading ythe Zenhabits blog and the readers’ comments for a few weeks now and I really appreciate the input.

For the exercise habit, I have a struggle with the “reward” (esp. about appropriate for the scale of the accomplishment) part of the process. I am single, have no children, make decent money. So there really isn’t anything “small” that I can not do or can not afford.

With this said, if I set a goal/reward structure like this: work out consistently for a week/ pedicure. It is not much of a incentive for me because I can go to get a pedicure anytime. If I did not work out consistently so no pedicure, my brain interprets it as a “punishment”. Punishment is certainly not an incentive…

A reward should be something that excites you and not within your grasp and something you feel like you need to “work for”, right?
Anyone has suggestions for how to make a reward a real incentive and appropriate to the scale of accomplishments? Maybe you can give me some ideas of what reward you attach to your accomplishments?

david Says:

September 21st, 2007, 14:35 pm

I’m guessing you are not formally employed? Which explains how you missed the very simplest way to make exercise a daily habit: COMBINE IT WITH YOUR COMMUTE.

Your commute to work is something you already have a habit of. If you have to exercise to accomplish it, the only habit change is perhaps to leave a bit earlier.

There are endless ways of getting to work on your own muscle power. The simplest, for the real couch potato just starting, is to park your car (or get off the bus) 1/4 mile from work and walk in.

If you are little fitter you walk further, or you park your car (or get off the bus) 5K away and jog in, or roller-blade in. Or the best way of all, you bicycle to work. In any case you get to your desk with blood full of endorphins, and get home with frustrations pounded out — and it didn’t take much of your precious free time. You don’t have to carve out 2 hours for a trip to the gym or a run, you just add 15-30 minutes onto what was already dead time.

Kick The Donkey Says:

September 21st, 2007, 14:47 pm

“Log it daily.”

Another good site for posting your progress is Gyminee (http://gyminee.com). They’ve got a very nice system for keeping up with your workouts and weight loss. For instance, here’s mine:

http://www.gyminee.com/locker_room/1504

Trying to get down to 215. At least I’m going in the right direction ;)

Jongasm Says:

September 21st, 2007, 16:14 pm

Starting slow is a very good tip. It’s not easy to just hop into a schedule of working out an hour three days a week. To get into the habit, just start with five or ten minutes daily. After a week or two, add another exercise in there. And then again and again. Within a few months you’ll be working out a decent amount and it won’t seem so hard to get into.

Ognjen Says:

September 21st, 2007, 16:16 pm

Very good article. I am already doing some hard exercising on a regular basis, but at the start I have experienced some of the things mentioned here.

Leo Says:

September 21st, 2007, 16:38 pm

@david: I’ve written about that before.

Justin Davey Says:

September 21st, 2007, 19:17 pm

Listen to Leo! He has it all figured out. Most importantly, stick with ONE goal. This is so important when it comes to developing an exercise habit. Take it from somebody who has make national track and field teams. It’s true and it works. Also, tell someone so you’re accountable and write it down. I don’t know what it is about writing goals down, but your chances of achieving them if they’re written down is infinitely greater than if you don’t.

Guest Says:

September 21st, 2007, 19:36 pm

Most of the examples of motivation so far are negative. “Do this or else.” That’s why people quit, because doing things just to avoid bad consequences is boring and painful. You’ll quit eventually, 100% guaranteed.

To stick with an exercise, you have to find something you truly enjoy doing for its own sake.

If you’re a true Type A obsessive who pushes him/herself in everything, you don’t need the motivation & you don’t have this problem to begin with :-)

Dankles Says:

September 21st, 2007, 20:40 pm

Great post. I live in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, which has wonderful bicycling during the summer months but its near impossible during the winter. I tried using a stationary bicycle during the winter to keep up, but those never felt right to me. Last season I set out and built a stand with an adjustable resistance wheel so that I can use my ordinary road bike on it. That simple device has saved my ass from losing my focus during the winter and making training in the beginning of summer more difficult. They are commercially available but cost a few hundred dollars, I built this one for about $75. Perhaps I’ll post an instructable on it.

Molly Says:

September 21st, 2007, 21:27 pm

Nothing really worked for me until I instituted a REAL “lifestyle change”–I moved to a city with a bike and no car. Now exercise is just part of my day (and a fairly big part, at that).

Well, except my bike was stolen this afternoon. But the basic point still stands.

AgentSully Says:

September 21st, 2007, 21:27 pm

truly awesome advice!

works for me Says:

September 21st, 2007, 23:09 pm

Good tips, and valid ones, too. I’ve been using http://www.peertrainer.com to log and share–very helpful.

JeremyS Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 0:20 am

For logging runs (and other workouts too) runningahead.com is a great site. You can slice and dice your data several ways. They have a good mapping mashup with google maps to plot your runs or rides and friendly helpful forums if you are into that.

I ran a lot as a teen and in my early twenties. Just got back into it three months ago and found, like Leo says, that logging workouts and being accountable really help with the consistency. RunningAhead has scripts that you can put on your own site that show your weekly, monthly and yearly mileage as well as your recent workouts.

kleanchap Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 6:35 am

Great tips from Leo and many others!

JanB: You are awesome! What a will + motivation!! Very inspiring! Good luck with your target goal. You will easily achieve it.

Jeff Rice Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 10:50 am

There are so many long term benefits to exercise it seems like it’s a no brainer:
-lower stress
-less illness
-more energy
-increased intelligence (I’ve just read)
-improved appearance
but it either takes a while to see those benefits (like appearance) or it takes awhile to make the association (like lower stress) while the benefits of a candy bar are inextricably tied to the first bite: tastes awesome and instantly soothing.

I’m a trainer, and I focus on weightlifting, because I think it provides the most benefits and is overwhelming for a person to jump into by themselves. By far, the biggest motivator I’ve seen, one that keeps people excited about training, is progress. Everyone loves feeling tough and strong. I start my clients light and easy, like you said, so the workout is safe, but also so that strength progress is made from the first week. Because of the combination of strengthening neural paths, improving form, and quickly building muscle, there’s no reason not to see an increase in the weight of one exercise every single workout for the first few months.

The problem is, most people don’t know how hard to push themselves, or they’re just going through the motions with no intensity.

Progress is my motivator. Getting up and going to the gym is never easier than when I look at my notes and see that I’m ready to add another 5 lbs to my deadlift or weighted chin ups.

Karen Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 12:17 pm

Good post! I’ve been looking for a way to start exercising, and this just might be it. I’ll be trying to incorporate this into my daily life.

banyue Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 13:39 pm

Great post.
I just translated it to Chinese.
Hope it will help my friends.
Thanks again for your posting.

Teri Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 15:53 pm

Great tips Leo! I am totally into fitness, and always looking for ways to enjoy staying fit. One thing I like to do as well, since I have kids to play with, is to stay OFF the bench when I take them to the park. When I see people just sitting there, while the kids are having so much fun, I tell myself “Please don’t ever let that be ME!!”. Trust me, playing with my 10 year old daughter and her nieces and nephews takes a LOT of energy!
Plus I walk places every chance I get, like to the Library or the bank, and just through our little town which is on the edge of the city, instead of driving. Everyone knows us, and when my grandchildren call me Grandma, people stare in suprise. My kids keep me young and fit, and attitude is everything! Well, and the compliments are motivating as well… LOL

Enjoy each moment,

Teri
~

moocat Says:

September 22nd, 2007, 18:45 pm

I started an exercise program at the start of august, and am still going. Here’s some tricks I used from blogs and books (including zen habits)

1: Set a date beforehand when you are going to start. Don’t start today or tomorrow, set it up on your schedule and let it build up. This will make it much more likely that you will continue doing it and not just doing it for one day.

2: Make a simple log as you say to log all your progress. Even if it’s just a cross that says you’ve worked out that day it’s fine. When you get more weeks into the habit you can start tracking how fast and how long you are going and see the results on paper. I can tell you, it’s very rewarding and keeps you motivated.

3: Never EVER cancel. If you cancel once you will break it all. I experienced this in the start, and once I canceled I did it again. If you do cancel, then start your plan from scratch. Think about what made you cancel that one exercise, and work it out. For me it was exercising too much. I had no off days so my muscles got very tired. You definitely don’t want that, so I changed my plans from 6 days a week to 4, and put in some other training as well for other muscle groups after some weeks of getting the habit of training for 4 days a week.
Make sure you got in your head that you are going to look at this plan at the end of the month, and there’s not going to be a single empty spot in it, even if you have to make your goals smaller it’s a good thing.
If you know beforehand that you can’t make the exercise, then set up some things you can do before that day to fill out it anyway on your plan. Like doing an extra workout the day before. Give it a little extra, and your muscles will then have the next day to rest and you will be back in business the day after.

4: Try to do it early in the day. This will make you have a feeling of accomplishment throughout the day, and you will be much less likely to procrastinate and break off the plans. Making a habit can be very hard in the start, so you should focus more on getting the exercise done, then think about the habit after.

5: Make exercise fun, or combine it with things you’re already doing. If you just like to listen to music for an hour a day, then combine listening to music with exercise. This will get your mind off the exercise and on to the music, which you find fun. The time will go a lot faster.
You can also listen to podcasts, audio books, or maybe you can watch movies or TV if you are exercising at home. (I know I do)

6: When you get more into the habit, read more about how you can improve your training. I found myself a breathing technique that I do during my exercise and it has made me feel much better after and during my exercise. Also the results have gotten a lot better. It’s really all up to what works for you and what you need.

When I first started I was in a very bad shape after sitting on my ass for years. And going to health studios etc. was intimidating because of this and the fact that I knew nothing about training at all. Also, just getting out the door can be very hard at first.
So I decided to do my exercise at home.
And I can tell you it’s been very easy in fact.
I bought a cheap indoor cycle for only 90$ which I still use.
Now, the good thing about being at home is that you can do it in private if you’re uncomfortable with exercising.
Also, the most important part is that you can exercise whenever you want. You don’t have to go anywhere, it’s right there. You don’t have to go into another mood, or set off time to exercise when it’s right there in front of you.
You will always find the time to exercise when you don’t have to get out the door. 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, whatever.
The most important thing is that you stick to your plan.

Adrian Koh (www.couplehood.net) Says:

September 23rd, 2007, 11:25 am

Hey Leo, I’m not sure if I missed it in you other posts, but have you written about “listening to your body”? I’m suffering from a pretty bad case of disc degeneration, and while I’m committed to jogging for keeping up good health, I’ve got to keep track of how my body feels - if I run too hard, I may not be able to walk properly for days to come.

I think caring for your body is important - I can imagine how joggers starting off a jogging habit can run into problems with joints, dismissing a nagging pain as a normal ache, but see it build up into something more serious, like torn ligaments, muscles, etc.

Jon Says:

September 23rd, 2007, 19:37 pm

Honestly, probably the single most important thing to do if you want to get started is to pick a time you can exercise everyday (or at least 3 days a week) and do something, anything, active… the exact plan can come later. The first step is just to make it a habit.

Leo Says:

September 23rd, 2007, 21:16 pm

@moocat: Those are excellent tips! Thanks for sharing what worked for you. I’m enjoying reading the experiences of all of you guys.

@Adrian Koh: You bring up an important point, about avoiding injury. It’s something that’s actually on my list of topics to write about, but I won’t be able to get to it for a couple weeks (I have some guest posts scheduled for my health days for 2 weeks).

But you’re right … you have to take it easy and listen to your body. I think the most common mistake people make is overdoing it — running too hard, to much, too soon. A gradual and easy program is much smarter and healthier.

Iain Says:

September 24th, 2007, 11:45 am

I’m on my 15th month of an exercise/health habit. I’ve since lost 20 lbs. That averages more than 1 lb per month. Monday-Friday I wake up an hour early, work out with weights and my mini home gym system for 20-30 minutes, and go running for 20-30 minutes. Plus I have much better eating habits. I’m 40. It’s been 10 years since I’ve had an exercise routine. Anyone can do it.

I know from past experience that the only way for me to lose weight is to go running. It burns the most calories and is addictive. Very shortly after starting my running regimen I feel stronger, calmer, my brain works better, I feel less depression, and more energy.

The feeling I get from running makes me want to eat better. Crappy food doesn’t feel right in a body that exercises. A good diet prevents hunger for cheap snacks. Plus, I don’t want to eat garbage and ruin the work I’ve done that morning. Smaller meals more often work pretty well too. Eat snack-sized meals within 3 hours of each other to keep the metabolism going.

It doesn’t work to be food-focused only. Exercise and your body will crave a good diet. I eat the same things every day, instant oatmeal for breakfast and salads for lunch. My salads contain 2 Boca Burgers, coutons, and Newman’s olive oil and vinegar dressing. I buy all the items at store near my job so I don’t have to think about it when I’m doing my home food shopping. Dinners are some kind of veggie, rice, or grain. I’m hardly ever eating meat, chicken, cheese, chocolate, cake, or ice cream and I don’t miss them. Fresh fruit fills in the gaps to make sure I eat within 3 hours.

Running gives me great legs a and firm butt. The weights are so I can get the rest of me to look good too, and serves as a good warm-up.

In order for this to work I have developed some habits. First, I get to bed earlier. Getting to bed earlier means I need to plan out my evening, when I eat, when I shower, when I watch TV, and when I do my projects, so that I’m in bed when I’m supposed to be and not wake up too exhausted to get exercise. Second, I found that I must do my routine EVERY weekday morning. The “work out 3x per week” does not work for me because I’ll keep pushing it back to Wednesday, and by then I’m not used to getting up early enough. I don’t exercise weekends and I don’t worry about it.

Iain Says:

September 24th, 2007, 11:46 am

Sorry, I meant “15th week,” not “15th month”.

Iain Says:

September 24th, 2007, 11:47 am

… and that averages 1 lb/week.

Pril Says:

September 24th, 2007, 12:05 pm

I must say leo Setting your self up to win does work most the time!
but half the time i end up saying well it’s isn’t worth it and give up anyway!!!
errr maybe the posting and/or logging it may help!
I plan to do stretches once i get up early enought to do that!
slowly working on that 5 minutes early each day!
but i still snooze til 7 lol
i hate snooze buttons oh wait i have re program it you would think that wouldn’t make me snooze!
ERRR

Alex Says:

September 27th, 2007, 20:04 pm

Also, something that people really never touch upon is form. Most people start working out and never work out properly. After working out for a couple of days they start getting achy because they were never shown how to work out properly. It’s scary to see how ballistic people are in their movement when they first start working out. They usually hurt themselves and then quit working out. Most people don’t realize that light weight, good form and slow slow movements will work your muscles better than higher weights or long sets. It’s all about fluid steady control.

Thrifty Penny Says:

October 1st, 2007, 15:00 pm

I discovered it was easier to stick to working out when I used cardio as a method to release stress. Instead of turning to comfort foods, I turned to my running shoes. I lost weight and feel tons better!

Jonah Lisa Says:

February 18th, 2008, 11:29 am

Late to the party but when I needed it, this was here. Thank you for the great post, Leo.

I’m starting with 5 minutes of stretching first thing every morning to get back in an exercise habit. Getting out of bed is my trigger–I do it everyday! And I’m using my 2 year old as both inspiration and a workout partner. He thinks it’s a blast to “tretch.” Toddlers are creatures of habit so I’m quite confident that after a week of bedside sun salutations he’ll be demanding it!

Tad Says:

March 27th, 2008, 15:34 pm

Leo,

The most important thing is that when you start an exercise program, start it slow and stay the course. A lot of people will push their limits on the first day and for the next week, be to sore to move. You have to be able to understand your limits…working your way slowly up the ladder.

Tad
http://growingintoyou.com/

Rose Says:

April 25th, 2008, 5:34 am

Hi Leo,

I came by your website through a link and have been enjoying it immensely.

I just joined the gym last week and so far, I’ve been able to work out 3-4x this week. I feel great! Hope I can sustain this for the next year or so.

I started logging my exercise program every time I go to the gym. Great tip. ( http://www.selfdietclub.com)

Thanks for all the tips. Keep up the good work.

Muscle Post Says:

May 11th, 2008, 20:03 pm

I think you also really just need to make exercising part of your routine. If you are able to successfully workout 3 times a week for a couple weeks in a row, you will already have formed the habit. And you will have built up some motivation to continue, because you will have already started to notice some results. You will also likely feel the difference in your mood and energy level, because exercising helps to keep us happy and less stressed.

Lose Fat Says:

May 15th, 2008, 13:25 pm

Great advice Leo

Garri Says:

July 23rd, 2008, 8:59 am

Granted, the word we heard from charging small years. But, having become adults, most of us have forgotten about this miraculous tool. Why miraculous? Yes is easy! This set of simple physical exercises, performed daily morning .Wait out there - a morning charge plus motivation.

Morgan Aldridge Says:

August 25th, 2008, 22:03 pm

This is great advice for any type of exercise, whether physical or not.

While I definitely need to work on getting in the habit of exercising regularly for my health, I’m currently working on a mental/financial exercise. I’ve gone so far as to whip up a weblog to post to regularly to keep myself accountable: http://slottedpig.info/.

I hope it’s also helpful to others as I post my experiences. I know this site sure has been.

Miss Gisele B| myBeautyMatch.com Says:

September 30th, 2008, 7:15 am

Great advice. I have already implemented for myself and getting positive results.

Bindas Says:

October 5th, 2008, 2:18 am

I am happy after reading the workout plains of different people.I wnt to built my muscle.My weight is 75Kg and height is 6ft.But I don’t hv a good muscle.I will start my work out from today with a new goal.Thank you for the advice…..

Joanne Butler Says:

October 6th, 2008, 1:22 am

A great way to stay on track is to record everything and have to report to someone. I have my clients report several times per week to me re their workouts and dietary intake via email or as a comment on my blog. This makes them accountable for their own choices and also encourages others who read the blog as well.

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