We all know we should be doing more, but how do we keep going when our motivation slips, the weather takes a turn for the worse, or life gets in the way?
Try these 25 tips from experts and parenting readers to stay fit forever:
1.Workout why, don't just workout
Our reasons for starting exercise are fundamental to whether we keep it up, says Michelle Seger, director of the University of Michigan's Center for Sport, Health and Activity Research and Policy. Too often "society encourages exercise and fitness with short-term motivation, guilt and shame". There's some evidence, he says, that younger people will go to the gym more if their reasons are appearance-based, but before our 20s that doesn't fuel motivation as much. Vague or future goals don't help either ("I want to get fit, I want to lose weight"). Seger, author of No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness, says we'll be more successful if we focus on immediate positive feelings like stress reduction, energy boosts and friendships. "The only way we prioritize time for exercise is if it's going to provide some benefit that's really compelling and valuable to our daily lives," she says.
2.Get off to a slow start
The danger with the typical New Year's resolution approach to fitness, says personal trainer Matt Roberts, is that people "jump in and do everything—change their diet, start exercising, stop drinking and smoking—and within a few weeks they're out of motivation. Or just too tired." If you are not in shape, it will take time." He likes the trend toward high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and recommends some people incorporate it, "but it's going to be too intense for most people." Do it once (or twice, at most) a week, with slow jogs, swimming. Combine that with cutting and brisk walking—plus two or three days of rest, at least for the first month. "This will give someone a chance to do high-intensity workouts as well as recovery sessions."
3 .You don't have to love it
It's helpful not to try to do something you actively dislike, says Seger, who suggests thinking about the type of activity — roller-skating? Ride a bike? - You liked it as a child. But don't feel like you have to actually enjoy exercise. "A lot of people who stick with exercise say: 'I feel better when I do it.'" There are elements that are likely to be enjoyable, such as your body's physical response and feeling stronger, and the joy that comes with mastering a sport. Comes with achievement.
"For a lot of people, the obvious choices aren't necessarily ones they'll enjoy," says Snihota, who is also director of the National Institute for Health Research's Policy Research Unit in Behavioral Sciences, "so they have to look outside of them. It could be different sports or simple things, e.g. Sharing activities with other people.”
4. Be kind to yourself
Individual motivation – or lack thereof – is only part of the bigger picture. Money, parental demands or even where you live can all be stumbling blocks, says Snihota. Fatigue, depression, work stress or ill family members can affect physical activity. "If you have a lot of support around you, you'll find it easier to maintain physical activity," she notes. “If you live in certain parts of the country, you may feel more comfortable doing outdoor physical activity than others. Concluding that people who don't get enough physical activity simply lack motivation is problematic."
Seger suggests being realistic. “Skip the norm of going to the gym five days a week. Be really analytical about work and family-related needs when starting out, because if you set yourself up with too big goals, you will fail and you will feel like a failure. At the end of a week, I always ask my clients to reflect on what worked and what didn't. Maybe going for a walk at lunch worked, but you didn't have the energy after work."
5. Don't rely on willpower
"If you need willpower to do something, you don't really want to do it," Seger says. Instead, think about exercise "in terms of why we're doing it and what we want to get out of the physical activity. How can I benefit today? How do I feel when I move? How do I feel after I move?"
6. Find a Purpose
Anything that allows you to exercise while putting off other goals will help, Snihotta says. "It gives you more satisfaction and the cost of not doing it is higher." For example, walking or cycling to work, or making friends by joining a sports club, or running with a friend. "Or the goal is to spend more time in the countryside, and running helps you do that."
Try combining physical activity with something else. "For example, at my workplace I don't use elevators and I try to minimize email, so I go to people when possible," says Snihota. “During the day, I walk to work, I do a lot of movement in the building and I actually get about 15,000 steps. Try to hit as many meaningful goals as possible with physical activity."
7. Make it a habit
When you start running, getting out the door can be tiring – where are your shoes? your water bottle? Which route are you going to take? After a while, Snihotta pointed out, "No more expenses with the program". Doing regular physical activity and planning for it "helps make it a sustainable behavior". No missing sessions.
8. Plan and prioritize
What to do if you don't have time to exercise? For many people, juggling two jobs or extensive caregiving responsibilities, this can undoubtedly be true, but is it really true for you? It may be a question of preference, says Snihota. He recommends planning: "The first is 'action planning,' where you plan where, when and how you're going to do it, and you try to stick to it." The second type is 'coping planning': "anticipating things that might get in the way and making a plan for how to get motivated again". Seger adds: "Most people don't allow self-care behaviors like exercise to become a priority."
9. Keep it short and sharp
A workout doesn't have to take an hour, says Roberts. "A structured 15-minute workout can be really effective if you're really pressed for time." For regular, long sessions, she says: "You tell yourself you're going to make time and change your schedule accordingly."
10. If it doesn't work, change it
It rains for a week, you don't go for a run once and then you feel guilty. "It's a combination of passion and lack of confidence that brings us to the point where if people fail a few times, they think it's a failure of the whole project," says Snihota. Remember that getting back on track is possible.
If previous exercise regimens didn't work, don't beat yourself up or try again—just try something else, he says. “We live in the mindset that if you can't lose weight, you blame yourself. However, if you can change it: 'This method doesn't work for me, let's try something different,' there's a chance it will be better for you and it prevents you from blaming yourself, which is not helpful."
11. Add resistance and balance training as you get older
"We start losing muscle around age 30," says Holly Grant, a personal training and Pilates instructor and owner of PilatesPT. Resistance training (using body weight, such as press-ups, or equipment, such as resistance bands) is important, he says: "This will help maintain muscle mass or at least reduce loss. There should also be some form of aerobic exercise, and we add balance challenges to people." I would recommend starting doing this because our balance is affected as we age."
12. Up the ante
"If you're running a 5k and you don't know whether you should push faster or go further, rate your exertion on a scale of one to 10," says Grant. "As you see those numbers go down, that's when you have to start pushing yourself a little bit faster." Roberts says that, with regular exercise, you should see progress within two weeks and push yourself if you feel like it's getting easier. "You're looking for a change in your speed or endurance or strength."
13. Work from home
If you have caregiving responsibilities, Roberts says you can do a lot in a small area at home. "In a living room, it's easy to do a routine where you can alternate between doing a leg exercise and an arm exercise," he says. "It's called peripheral heart action training. Doing six or eight exercises, this effect of going between the upper and lower body makes for a pretty powerful metabolic lift and cardiovascular workout." Try squats, half press-ups, lunges, tricep dips and glute raises. "You're getting your heart rate up, working your muscles and getting a good general workout." They don't take more than 15-20 minutes and tricep dips only require a chair - although dumbbells can also be helpful.
14. Exhale
We're often told that housework and gardening can contribute to our weekly exercise goals, but is it that simple? "The real measure is that you're generally getting hot, short of breath, and you're functioning at a level where if you're having a conversation with someone while you're doing it, you're panting a little bit," Roberts says. "With gardening, you have to do heavy gardening – digging – not just weeding. If you walk the dog, you can turn it into a real exercise session – run with the dog, or find a path with some hills."
15. Be prudent about illness
Jocelyn Thompson Rule, a personal trainer, says: "The general rule is if it's above the neck - a headache or a cold - you can usually do some form of exercise while being aware of how you're feeling. If it's below the neck - if you have Shortness of breath - rest. The key is to be smart. If you're planning a high-intensity workout, you'll slow down, but sometimes just moving can make you feel better." After recovering from an illness, she says, trust your instincts. "You don't want to go straight back to training four times a week. You might want to do the same number of sessions but cut them shorter or shorter."
16. Seek advice after injury
Obviously, how soon you can resume exercise depends on the type of injury and you should consult your doctor. Psychologically, though, the Thompson Rule says: "Even when we do everything we should, there are still bumps in the road. It's not going to be a linear progression of getting better."
17. Take it slowly after pregnancy
Again, says the Thompson Rule, listen to your body—and your doctor's advice at your six-week postpartum checkup. After a caesarean section, return to exercise will be slow, while pregnancy-related back injuries and abdominal muscle problems all affect how quickly you can return to training and may require physiotherapy. "Once you start walking and have a little more energy, depending on where you were before (some women never trained before pregnancy), starting a regimen after a baby is quite a task," Thompson rules. "Be patient. I get more emails from women asking when they're going to get their stomach flat again. Relax, take care of yourself and take care of your baby. When you're feeling a little more energized, slowly ease back into your routine. Come on.” She recommends starting with "very basic things like walking and carrying your baby [in a sling]."
18. Technology can help
For goal-oriented people, Grant says, it can be useful to closely monitor progress, but "allow some flexibility in your goals. You might have a stressful day at work, go out for a run and don't do it quickly and then think: 'I Don't bother.'" However, "it can start to get a little addictive, and then you don't listen to your body and you risk injury."
19. Winter is not an excuse
"Winter is not necessarily a time to hibernate," says Thompson's rule Make a decision, keep your trainers by the door and try not to worry about the cold/drizzle/greyness. "It's the same with going to the gym - it's that voice in our head that tells us it's a hassle, but once you get there, you think: 'Why did I put off doing this for so long?'"
Tips for readers
20. Keep it bite size
Alex Tomlin
I tried and failed a few times to establish a consistent running routine, but it was because I pushed myself too hard. Just because I can run for an hour doesn't mean I should. Running two or three times a week for 20-30 minutes each time has greatly improved my fitness and made it easier to get fit.
21. Reward yourself
Neil Richardson
I keep a big bag of Midget Gems in my car to motivate myself to go to the gym, allowing myself a handful before a workout. Sometimes I toss in some wine gum for an element of surprise.
22. reinforcement call
Neil O'Brien
I tapped into a huge network of fitness podcasts and online communities. On days when I lacked drive, I would listen to a fitness podcast and when I got home, I would be absolutely determined to make the right choices. In fact, I would be excited by it. Your brain responds very well to repetition and reinforcement, so once you make difficult initial changes, it becomes much easier over time.
23. Use visual cues
Siobhan King
I put a "star chart" on my calendar, after three years of being chronically unfit. I put a gold star on the days I exercise and it's a good visual motivator when I feel like a slug. I run, use our home cross-trainer and do ski fitness programs from an app. My improved core strength has helped my ability to run and carry my disabled child when needed.
24. Keep alarms out of reach
Sally Crowe
If, like me, you have to get up early to exercise or it just doesn't happen, move your alarm clock away from your bed and next to your kit. Once you get up to stop it, you might as well keep going!
25. Follow the four-day rule
Joan Chalmers
I have a general rule that can be applied to any fitness activity – I don't allow more than four days between sessions. So, if I know I have a few busy days ahead of me, I make sure I run ahead of them so I've "banked" my four days. Barring illness, injury or family emergencies, I've stuck to this regimen for 10 years.
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