"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. So find a motivation. Turn that motivation into determination, and with determination, turn it into a habit."
"Overeating feels good for a bit, but hurts forever. Exercising hurts for a bit, but feels good forever."
11 TIPS FOR DAILY EXERCISE
1. Always exercise on Monday. This sets the psychological pattern for the week. Along those lines …
2. If at all possible, exercise first thing in the morning. As the day wears on, you’ll find more excuses to skip exercising. Get it checked off your list, first thing.
3. Never skip exercising two days in a row. You can skip a day, but the next day, you must exercise, no matter how inconvenient.
4. Give yourself credit for the smallest effort. My
father always said that all he had to do was put on his running shoes
and close the door behind him. Many times, by promising myself I could
quit ten minutes after I’d started, I got myself to start—and then found
that I didn’t want to quit, after all.
father always said that all he had to do was put on his running shoes
and close the door behind him. Many times, by promising myself I could
quit ten minutes after I’d started, I got myself to start—and then found
that I didn’t want to quit, after all.
5. Think about context. I thought I disliked weight
training, but in fact, I dislike the guys who hang out in the
weight-training area. Are you distressed about the grubby showers in
your gym? Do you try to run in the mornings, but recoil from going out
in the cold? Examine the factors that might be discouraging you from
exercising.
training, but in fact, I dislike the guys who hang out in the
weight-training area. Are you distressed about the grubby showers in
your gym? Do you try to run in the mornings, but recoil from going out
in the cold? Examine the factors that might be discouraging you from
exercising.
6. Exercise several times a week. If your idea of
exercise is to join games of pick-up basketball, you should be playing
practically every day. Twice a month isn’t enough.
exercise is to join games of pick-up basketball, you should be playing
practically every day. Twice a month isn’t enough.
7. If you don’t have time to both exercise and take a shower,
find a way to exercise that doesn’t require you to shower afterward. Twice
a week, I have a very challenging weight-training session, but the
format I follow doesn’t make me sweat. (Some of you are saying, “It
can’t be challenging if you don’t sweat!” Oh yes, believe me, it is.)
8. Look for affordable ways to make exercising more pleasant or satisfying. Could
you upgrade to a nicer or more convenient gym? Buy yourself a new iPod?
Work with a trainer? Get a pedometer to keep track of your walking
distances? Exercise is a high life priority, so this a worthwhile place
to spend some money if that helps.
9. Think of exercise as part of your essential preparation for times you want to be in especially fine form—whether
in performance (to be sharp for an important presentation) or
appearance (to look good for a wedding) or mood (to deal with a
stressful situation). Studies show that exercise does help.
10. Remember one of my favorite Secrets of Adulthood, courtesy of Voltaire: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Don’t
decide it’s only worth exercising if you can run five miles or if you
can bike for an hour. I have a friend who scorns exercise unless she’s
training for a marathon—so she never exercises. Even going for a
ten-minute walk is worthwhile. Do what you can.
11. Don’t kid yourself. Belonging to a gym doesn’t
mean you go to the gym. Having been in shape in high school or college
doesn’t mean you’re in shape now. Saying that you don’t have time to
exercise doesn’t make it true.
find a way to exercise that doesn’t require you to shower afterward. Twice
a week, I have a very challenging weight-training session, but the
format I follow doesn’t make me sweat. (Some of you are saying, “It
can’t be challenging if you don’t sweat!” Oh yes, believe me, it is.)
8. Look for affordable ways to make exercising more pleasant or satisfying. Could
you upgrade to a nicer or more convenient gym? Buy yourself a new iPod?
Work with a trainer? Get a pedometer to keep track of your walking
distances? Exercise is a high life priority, so this a worthwhile place
to spend some money if that helps.
9. Think of exercise as part of your essential preparation for times you want to be in especially fine form—whether
in performance (to be sharp for an important presentation) or
appearance (to look good for a wedding) or mood (to deal with a
stressful situation). Studies show that exercise does help.
10. Remember one of my favorite Secrets of Adulthood, courtesy of Voltaire: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Don’t
decide it’s only worth exercising if you can run five miles or if you
can bike for an hour. I have a friend who scorns exercise unless she’s
training for a marathon—so she never exercises. Even going for a
ten-minute walk is worthwhile. Do what you can.
11. Don’t kid yourself. Belonging to a gym doesn’t
mean you go to the gym. Having been in shape in high school or college
doesn’t mean you’re in shape now. Saying that you don’t have time to
exercise doesn’t make it true.
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