The Power of Habits

In the New Year, many people set resolutions to start eating healthy, exercise more, sleeping a full night and so many other things. It’s a time where you can reflect on the previous year and have a fresh start to your path, whatever that may be.

No matter what your new goal is, it will start with small changes each day to eventually form a habit that will get you closer to achieving that full potential. Habits take approximately 21 days to form and require a lot of dedication. You may have to change your schedule, coordinate with your spouse, shift family commitments and be flexible in other areas of your life.

So, when you are ready to form your habit, the most important part is being consistent with it to achieve that repetition over time. You are ingraining this habit into your day-to-day activities and turning it into a part of your life. The more patterned we are with our habits, the easier it is to stick to it. It’s become less of an option and more of a given part of your day. Our habits become things that we do because we do them, like showering, brushing our teeth and cooking health foods. Now we do all these habits for important reasons, but it becomes a part of our life because we stick to it daily.

There are other factors that play into forming a habit and allow you to be successful. Being motivated each day to achieve your goal and stick to it is important. Ask yourself:

It’s also important to have family, friend, co-worker support for you new goal and habits that you are changing. For example, you decide to cut out eating fast food for lunch 95% of the time when you are at work. Getting your co-workers on board with your goal will help you to be that much more successful. At the next lunch for the office, turn it into a potluck instead of ordering out. Plan and make your lunch the night before so that you don’t run out of time in the morning. Do this with the rest of your household and turn it into a game of how many days can you go with bringing your lunch to work. Then the prize can be a family outing, game night or movie date. Having the closest people surrounding you on board with your goals will help you immensely and keep the support happening.

New goals and habits are commonly regarding health, wellness and being able to enjoy the best parts of your life. Feeling comfortable and confident in your skin as well as having enough energy to do any activity you want. Exercise is the start to this and a very widespread goal. Having positive effects on your physical and mental health, starting an exercise program is a great habit to form at ANY time of the year. It’s a great example to set for you children, grandchildren and anyone around you that exercise is important to you.

What are some things that can help you stick to your exercise routine and form it into a habit 21 days later?

Be Prepared

Lay out your workout clothes the night before so that when you get up to exercise, they are there waiting for you and ready. Make sure your resistance bands, dumbbells, foam rollers, exercise balls and any other equipment are all together where you plan to exercise. You can even have your water bottle prepped in the fridge to keep it cold so that you are ready to hydrate while you work out. 

Have An Accountability Partner

Pick a friend, partner or anyone that you are close to so that they will hold you accountable to your workout. Have them ask you daily how your exercise class or workout routine went. Yes, have them ask you everyday how your workout went so push yourself to keep exercising. You will know that they are going to check up on you and help you stick to your goal, so that is an extra push to make sure that you fit your work out into your

Mark it on Your Calender

Track your progress so that you can see your habit being formed. Or map it in your planner so that you see how many days in a row you have exercised and help yourself accountable. If you prefer electronics, put it on your phone so that you see the changes. Carve out that time needed each day to get your work out accomplished. 

Think Critically About The Timing of Your Exercise

Some people are “morning people” and some people are “evening people” and some are neither. If you thrive in the morning time and have you best energy then, plan your work out for the morning. Make sure that it doesn’t conflict with other obligations and give yourself extra time to make sure that it happens, and you don’t run into the time you need to leave for carpool. If you are a night owl, then plan your work outs for when your kids are in bed and then you can have some time to focus on you. Pick the best time that works for your body, your obligations, your life and what time your body will be operating at its best. 

Connect it to Something You do Daily

In addition to picking the best time to complete your workouts, make it easier for yourself and put it before or after another habit that you do unconsciously. Things like brushing your teeth or taking a shower are things that most people complete daily and don’t even think about it. Plan to do your workout after you brush your teeth and then you won’t forget because it’s already a habit to brush your teeth. Then your brain will automatically move into the next goal of doing your work out program.

Positive Feedback

Let’s be honest, exercise can be challenging and certainly difficult to start a new program. So, write down all the positives each day about starting your exercise program. What are the good things about your workout? How does it make you feel in a positive light? Read these thoughts when you are having doubts to push yourself to establish that habit. 

Start Small

I always say that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was our body. It takes time to build muscle, to build up your endurance and make true strength gains. Allow an adjustment time just like how it takes time to break in new shoes. A new exercise routine will need weeks to get into a groove. You may have to start with modifications during your workouts and eventually make it harder. Don’t allow yourself to feel defeated, remember that you are just beginning this workout program and it will take time to be stronger. 

Practice Makes Permanent (Not Perfect)

Many people say that practice makes perfect but really practice makes permanent. The more that we practice things or exercise to create this new healthy habit, the more it permanently just becomes a part of our daily life. Exercise turns into breathing and something that our body craves to do because of the positive benefits that it creates. It also means to put in your best effort when you are exercising because the energy that you put into your workout will come out on the other side. If you focus on your form during the workout, then you will have the best result because that will become the habit. Put in your best effort all the time!

Make it Fun

All habits can be fun and exercise is the same. You could commit to a workout class with a friend or try a new type of workout (Zumba, pilates, lifting, etc.). You could exercise to music or get a new exercise outfit that you enjoy to make it more fun. You could exercise outside to get fresh air or start your program with your spouse to have some bonding time while getting in your workout. 

Reward for Achieving Your Habit

Brainstorm for a good reward that will keep you moving forwards and completing your exercise routine each day. Pick something that compliments what you are working towards, a healthier you. The reward can also be some time to yourself doing things that you love – reading a book, painting, walking your dog or anything. 

As you can see, there are so many things that you can consider when trying to create a new habit. These considerations will help you to be successful in establishing your new habit and allow you to make this a new part of your life (for the long-run).

Exercise is such an important part of life and your health, which we are physical therapists promote daily. If you would like to start an exercise program, but don’t have a clue where to begin, then email us to set-up a FREE consultation –getbetter@breakawaypt.com. We will talk with you about what an exercise program looks like for you - help you understand what a good warm-up looks like, the importance of a cool-down and aide you in picking the best workout for YOU!