10 Tricks for Sticking to It

Now you’re exercising again, and it feels great. Of course, it felt
great last year, too, when you went to the gym every morning for
almost the entire winter! If it feels so great, why do you keep
quitting? You may be able to make your physical activity more
consistent by using some of these tricks. 

1. Start Looking at Exercise Differently. This is the big one, from
my perspective, says James Gavin, PhD, sport psychologist and
professor at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. All
movement is exercise. People need to give themselves more
options. Take the dog for a walk, bike to the store, take five-minute
stretch breaks. If you don’t count something as exercise unless it
happens in the gym, goes on for 40 minutes or requires a shower
afterward, you're missing some of your best opportunities to stay
active. 

2. Think Small. This advice can be hardest for people who expect
the most from themselves. Why bother walking around the block
when you should be running your usual four miles? Because when
you don’t have time to do all four miles, a brisk hike can keep you
from feeling that you’ve failed.

3. Set an Agenda. It helps to challenge yourself with a learning or
performance agenda, says Gavin. Set a goal, such as increasing
the speed, frequency or duration of your activity. Maybe it's time to
train for a marathon--or take a walk up the hill in the backyard
without getting winded. (It’s perfectly fine to think small for your
performance agenda, too). Your trainer can help you determine
appropriate goals. 

4. Get off the Beaten Path. Have you ever tried snowboarding?
Bowling? Swing dancing? Body surfing? Chi kung? How about
reversing your power walk route? Exercising at a different time of
day? Physical activity isn't boring, but how you participate in it can
be. 

5. Use Your Brain. The active mind needs to be engaged, says
Gavin. If you're new to exercise, dissociate tactics, such as
listening to music, watching TV or playing computer games may
help you stick with it--but stay aware of sensations that could
signal injury or overdoing it. As you become more experienced,
associative strategies, such as focusing on your breath or
concentrating on the movement of your body, can help you enjoy
exercise more. 

6. Get an Accountability Partner. Minneapolis lifestyle coach
Kate Larsen suggests finding a friend, mentor or coach to keep you
honest. You can either exercise with your partner, or simply check
in with him or her to report your progress.

7. Plan to Stay Active. Don't decide in the moment if you can
make the choice beforehand, says Larsen. Plan to park farther from
the office and put your walking shoes in the car the night before.
Plan to take that new yoga class next week, and call the babysitter
now. 

8.Face Your Fitness Foes. Does vacation throw your exercising
schedule out of whack? Do projects at work overtake your activity
time? Do injuries sideline you? Boredom? Fear of success?
Fitness foes can be beaten once they've been identified. You can
change your vacation style, set work limits, get guidance for
injury-free activity, find new challenges, or face your fears with
counseling and support. 

9.Go Tribal. Even if you are introverted, the presence of others in
your exercise environment can be motivating. We pick up on other
people's energy, Gavin points out. We get into the tribal rhythms of
being fully alive. Choose places and times to exercise where there
will be other people who are actively involved in exercise. 

10. Use a Script. We tell ourselves things like, Skipping this one
little walk won't matter all that much, according to Larsen. Next
time, be prepared with an answer for this excuse. Use images of
past successful experiences to remind yourself of how good
exercise makes you feel. Or repeat a simple phrase to yourself,
such as, Every little bit makes a big difference. If you use planning,
flexibility and imagination, you won't ever need to feel like a dropout
again.

This handout is a service of IDEA, the leading international membership organization in the health and fitness industry.