The Layman’s Little Guide To Making Exercise A Habit For Life

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it”  ~ Plato

Written by Kevin Tyler Smith. You can follow me on Twitter or Facebook

There’s no question, exercise is necessary. Our bodies were designed to move. Exercise can help prevent or delay many conditions. To name a few, heart disease, cancer, arthritis and depression.

Even though my body moves less than I would like at times (because of waxing and waning will power), I am much more aware these days than I was 2 years ago of the importance of maintaining a habit of exercise.

Trust me, my reminder was every time I slip on my slacks and the damn things would not freakin’ button.

It’s a sad story isn’t it?

But enough about me.

You have probably heard many proclamations before of New Year’s resolutions (you’ve maybe made one or two yourself) of going to the gym, getting a membership and starting an exercise program.

Unfortunately, most people quit after just a few weeks because of a variety of reasons.

A few of the main reasons for this failure is information overload and ignorance to the fact that fitness is a lifestyle.  If you want to achieve a future of optimal health, it’s a lifestyle for the rest of your time on the face of this planet.

The Birth Of A Habit

To make it easier for you to make exercise become a habit, positive results must be seen.  This serves as verification that you are on the right track.

A mindset of a short 4 week commitment of daily activity is just enough to solidify your actions.  Four weeks is an optimal time for a habit to form.  For anything to become a habit it requires at least 20 to 30 repetitions.

It is recommended we should aim for thirty minutes of exercise everyday of the week.  You may think that is an exorbitant amount but really, what constitutes exercise is constant movement.  This could be anything you may already do on a daily basis such as cycling, walking or dancing.

By committing to such activities for at least thirty minutes daily, just think of the repetition and how much you would be enforcing this as a habit over the course of a month.

“There is a necessity for a regulating discipline of exercise that, whilst evoking the human energies, will not suffer them to be wasted” ~ Thomas de Quincey

What Is Your Why?

Before getting started, it is beneficial to get an overall view of why you are exercising.

Is it because:

• you have never exercised intently before but want to get back in shape?
• you want to lose stubborn body fat?
• you were in shape before but have since fallen off the wagon and you want your old body back?
• your life is much busier now but you don’t want to spend 2 hours in a gym every single day?
• to help eliminate tension and anxiety?

Essential Preparation

Establish goals that are realistic and congruent to your physical condition. Men above the age of 45 and women over 55 should check with their doctors to ensure objectives and proposed plans are suitable.

Also make sure your exercise program fits into your schedule. For example, if you work more than 8 hours each day, it might be best to schedule your workouts during the weekends or at night.

Regardless, if your exercise objective is anything from running marathons to pumping iron at your local gym, it is recommended to start slowly and avoid over training to reduce risk of injury.

Some of the symptoms of over training include:

• fatigue
• lack of appetite
• lack of motivation
• decreased strength and endurance

Fitness Terms

If you are just a beginner in the wonderful world of fitness, here are some terms you will be aware of as you will hear them frequently:

• Aerobic/Cadiovascular Activity: these terms are used interchangeably. It means any exercise that increases your heart rate and the way in which you breathe.
  Examples: swimming, cycling and running.
• Maximum Heart Rate: this heart rate is determined by age.  To determine the maximum heart rate just deduct your age from 220.
• Stretching or Flexibility Training: as a person ages, tendons, ligaments and muscles have a tendency of shortening.  Stretching allows the joints to move more freely.  Before you start stretching any muscles, they need to be warmed up.
• Weight Or Resistance Training: this type of exercise works against the weight of your own body. This exercise improves muscle function and gives them strength.
• Repetition: this is the number of times you repeat a certain exercise.
• Warm Up: this refers to light movement to promote blood flow which warms up the muscles and joints prior to stretching.
• Cool Down: this is the period of time where the reduction of pace in which an exercise was done occurs.  This allows heart rate and breathing to slow down also.

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health” ~Hippocrates

Suggested Exercises For Beginners

Now that you have done your due diligence preparation on your exercise program and you are knowledgeable of some fitness terms, its time to take action.  This is where the rubber hits the pavement.

Here are some suggested routines for beginners broken down into 3 categories:

1. Cardiovascular Workout – walk or run, you make the choice.  Do this about 2 to 3 times a week for about 20 minutes.  A good barometer to see if you are executing this exercise efficiently, try to have a conversation. If you can talk with ease you are not working hard enough.
2. Weight Training – start of doing a set of exercises that isolates one muscle group.  Utilize a comfortable weight for you at first then gradually add more weight over time.
3. Flexibility Training – stretch muscles slowly and hold each stretch for a few seconds.

Other Options

If you choose not to exercise at your local gym, you can exercise in the comfort of your own home.  There are many exercises you can do at home that can whip you into shape such as push ups, sit ups and lunges.

You may also want to invest in some of your own equipment:

• Exercise ball
• Small dumbbells
• Exercise DVD’s
• Treadmill
• Universal Resistance System (example: Bowflex PR1000 Home Gym)

Further Study

By no means was this intended to be an absolute guide but yet one to whet your appetite to start.  There are plenty of resources available to gain more specific knowledge:

- Wikipedia – Physical Exercise

- Video: How To Start Exercising

- Your First Day

- The Gym Survival Guide: Your Road Map to Fearless Fitness

- WebMD: The 7 Most Effective Exercises

- The Biggest Loser Fitness Program

“Exercise: you don’t have time not to” ~ Anonymous

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*photo credit: mosippy