“Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

- Edward Stanley

You don’t have to remind yourself to brush your teeth every day; it’s simply a learned habit. Working out can become one too. But in order to make it a regular part of your schedule, you need to find the right motivation.

The truth about the formation of habits is that they start out as ideas - then you act upon them. And if you act upon them everyday for 3 weeks - sometimes less, the habit is locked in. Virtue or vice - the habit has YOU - you don’t have it.

Bad habits are easy to form and hard to break. Good habits on the other hand, take a little more guts to form - but once again, when they’re locked in you’ve got something that is an automatic reflex.

What about exercise? Regular exercise and physical activity are extremely important and beneficial for long-term health and well-being, it can help you:

Reduce the risk of premature death
Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
Reduce depression and anxiety
Improve psychological well-being
Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance

So you know you have to do it. You know it would help you lose weight faster. You know you need it for good health. You know you need it to get fit and stay so. But, you just don’t like it.

But don’t worry, everyone started just like you. All you need is enough willpower and this tips for getting into the workout groove:

1. Commit.

Begin by making a commitment, a conscious decision, to exercise.

An don’t let yourself off easy, blaming a “bad mood” or other things. Tell yourself, that you can make exercise a habit if you want to and if you work at it. Because it’s true.

2. Set goals and reward yourself.

Do you want to look better in a swimsuit? Lose that spare tire around your middle? Or build up your stamina? Pick a goal and keep it in mind. Then post those goals where you can see them constantly, like on the bathroom mirror or the fridge. And when you’ve met those goals, treat yourself to something like a movie or dinner out. Give yourself a reward every time you complete your exercise.

3. Start slowly and pick some exercises you really enjoy.

If you’ve been inactive for years, you can’t run a marathon after two weeks of training. Begin with a 10-minute period of light exercise or a brisk walk every day and gradually increase how hard you exercise and for how long. And remember small changes make a big difference.

Also be sure to pick an exercise you enjoy so that you look forward to it every day, rather than dreading it.

4. Exercise with a partner.

Exercise can be a solitary affair, and some people get too bored to keep it up. Making it a shared experience helps get us up and out.

But if you can’t find a partner, just join a walking club, a sports team or an aerobics class.

5. Exercise even when you feel tired.

Chances are, you’ll feel better after exercising. Researcher Diane Klein PhD, says “It energizes us, you breathe deeply, and your body makes better use of the oxygen exchange. You’ll get an exercise-induced euphoria during the activity and for some time after.”

6. Be creative and mix things up.

There’s no rule that says you have to go to a gym or buy equipment. Having a variety of activities like weight lifting, walking, running, tennis, cycling, aerobics classes, will ensure that you can do something regardless of the weather or time of day and it will help you avoid boredom.

7. Listen to some music.

You might think about listening to some music while you exercise, music can keep you in the right mood.

So spend at least 3 weeks “hooking” yourself on this good habit. Then, once it “has you” - think about adding something else that is good.

One of the great things about the exercise habit is that it grabs you from the inside out. You can be done with a body fat reducing, muscle-building workout in just about 15-30 minutes. You feel so good doing these exercises that you want to do them more often. They become a good habit quickly - and they give you the internal strength to drop negative, destructive habits.

Make exercise a regular part of your day, it takes time to have the results you always wanted, but it’s worth doing.

P.S. By the way with this post I’m participating in the ProBlogger Group Writing Project - ‘How To…’ , be sure to check the list of “How To” articles posted at ProBlogger.net, they are all great.

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