You got off work today and thought about the gym. But dishes need cleaning, food needs cooking, and hey, your favorite show is on tonight. You’ll just go on a quick walk instead. Of course, you know this won’t cut it, won’t help you reach your goals. Getting fit isn’t so much about the type of exercise you engage in (so long as it is challenging), as it is a radical shift in habit.
Jay Dixit, a Psychology Today author writes, “People think moderate…changes are easier to stick with. But as with quitting drug addiction, drastic changes are actually easier.” If TV dominates your evening routine (like most of us), abolish it, and replace it with exercise. Studies suggest that forming a habit requires 22 days of consistent practice (though it can take longer). That means no more marathoning “Orange Is the New Black”, but instead working towards your own fitness goals.
First consult a fitness trainer at your local gym, and then stick to your desired plan. Habits are hard to keep and easy to break. Mark your calendar and create a checklist, meet people who will ask where you were if you miss a day (guilt’s an excellent motivator), or enlist your spouse and commit to exercising together – anything to keep up the momentum. And if you stick with it, in about three weeks you’ll get off work and just go to the gym. You won’t have to think about it, it’ll be habit.
