How To Build Good Fitness Habits

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Excellence is a habitThe problem with starting on a fitness regime is that it’s basically a habit, and, as you very well know, habits are pretty easy to create (sometimes, at least!) and even easier to break.

So the question arises: how do you create a new fitness habit? You want to go running every morning … or you want to attend that yoga class you’ve been hearing about … or you want to eat more salads and other healthy foods instead of the junk you’ve been used to … but how do you make it a habit?

you will find a wayIt might seem simple enough … you just do it a few times and eventually it becomes a habit, right? Well, not really. The problem with that approach is that it assumes too much. It assumes you will do the thing a few times anyway, and if it’s something you’re not used to and it’s something that’s not easy or pleasant to do then there’s a very good chance you won’t do it more than once or twice. It also assumes you will carry on no matter what – meaning you’ll carry on even if the going gets tough.

Let’s face it, we both know that doesn’t always happen! And it assumes you’ll automatically remember to do the thing in the first place, and with the busy lives we live these days that’s not really a very safe assumption, is it?

Is there a way round this?

So, is there a foolproof way to create a good habit? Well, I can give you a few useful pointers, and you can take it from there. Once you put these ideas to work you’ll be far better placed to create habits that will serve you well, and that will stand the test of time.

First, decide what it is you want to do. I know, seems obvious. But very often we don’t make a clear decision on this very basic first step. We just make a sort of vague decision one day to start running every day before we leave for work, or every evening after work. Then we start the habit (or perhaps forget to), and within a few days it’s sidelined and completely forgotten about.

So first decide what you want to do. It’s an essential first step so don’t dismiss it as unnecessary. Decide on your new habit and then (and this is also critical) … then … write it down.

Write it down!

write it downWriting it down is a physical thing. It makes that vague, nebulous decision become physical. It makes it suddenly become very real. And the more real a thing is the more it’s likely to stick around. So write it down. If you keep a diary or a journal, write it there. In BIG LETTERS. This is an important thing, a first step to something new, so make A BIG THING of it!

Make it specific!

start dateNext, be specific. If you intend to start that yoga class, then visit the class and sign up. Again, you’re taking a physical step that will bring you closer to doing the thing you intend to do. And in the case of signing up for a class, that’s a commitment too.

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Make your diary or journal entry mean more to you … write it carefully and neatly, using a really good pen, or use coloured inks, or create some really fancy, decorative lettering. In other words, personalise it and make it more meaningful. It will make a far stronger impression on your subconscious!

Part of being specific is giving it a start date. Write down “I am going to start at the yoga class next Thursday evening”. That’s specific! It gives your intention a time, a specific time, something to stick to. And write down your hopes for your new habit. Write something like, “I’m going to get fit and supple and ease this back trouble that’s been plaguing me”, or “I’m going to get fit and slim in time for my holiday to the Seychelles”.