by: Stefan Simonovic
Creating new habits can be both easy and hard. While we can get hooked on certain things like binge-watching TV shows or trying to find love online without difficulty, other habits can be hard to attain, such as eating vegetables or drinking water instead of soft drinks.
One of the hardest habits to create is, unquestionably, the habit of exercising. That's why we want to discuss certain tips and tricks on how to easily create this habit without having to force yourself to do anything you don't want to do.
1. It's All in Your Head
So, you've decided you want to start working out regularly. Regardless of whether you've chosen a gym or just going for a jog every day, it's going to be difficult at the beginning, no doubt about that. However, you can make these first steps easier by doing one simple thing - convince yourself that it's all in your head.
Although our bodies appreciate exercise, it's not like working out on a regular basis is something humans require to survive. Sure, you'll be healthier and you'll probably live longer and get sick less often if you exercise, but your body will never actually crave exercise, even when it's in its worse state.
People exercise because they decide to do so, not because of some physical need. It all comes down to your thoughts and decisions, so if you've decided to start working out, you have to realize that it's only going to be as hard as you allow it to be in your mind.
2. Plan Ahead
Simply deciding that you're going to start exercising is not enough to create an exercise habit, mostly because you'll quickly realize that working out takes up a lot of time. This is why it's always best to create a workout plan that you'll have to respect in order to get results.
The most useful part of this will surface once you start getting used to exercising at the same time each day or on the same days of the week. You'll gradually stop dreading the reminders on your phone and you'll subconsciously expect a workout session that always comes at the same point during your day or week.
3. Setting Goals
One of the worst mistakes people make while trying to establish a habit of exercising is setting unrealistic goals. Wanting to lose all excess fat before the end of summer even though it's June or trying to increase the weight you can lift from a bench press by 100 pounds in one week are fine as wishes, but not as actual goals.
You need to set realistic goals you can achieve, not because you're not allowed to dream, but because this way you'll actually see some palpable results and you'll get a feeling of fulfillment with each goal achieved. Otherwise, you'll just be stuck in a rut trying to achieve the impossible, which usually leads to giving up as soon as you pass one deadline without really achieving any of those unrealistic goals we've mentioned.
About the author:
Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.