Exercise releases feel-good endorphins, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Besides impacting mental health, daily exercise protects against chronic disease and can help increase your life span. Yet, less than a quarter of us exercise daily.
So why do we resist something so good for us? That first step—getting started—may be the biggest obstacle.
Here are the 5 simple steps I used to make exercise a part of my life.
- Understand and define obstacles.
- Determine the what (activity) and why (motivation).
- Start slow and commit to 10 minutes a day.
- Add a new activity or increase the time/duration.
- Remember that every day is a chance to start again.
Step 1: What is stopping you from moving?
Coming up with reasons not to exercise is easy: It costs too much, takes too much time, or is too boring. You might even buy into the myth that you get enough activity at work.
If you are like me, finding the motivation to exercise will take some personal exploration.
Around this time last year, I was getting sick and tired of being sick and tired. I knew that not moving was impacting my health, my sleep, and contributing to depression. But that wasn’t enough to get me started.
Motivation, for me, was in the future.
I knew people who had trouble walking a few blocks and I didn’t want to limit myself that way. Travel is one of the great joys in my life and exercise would keep me travel-ready. I had a vision of myself in the future as healthy, happy, and fit.
Motivation shifted with a shift in perspective.
There might be a different reason you resist daily exercise or give up quickly. If you want to feel better and make movement part of your life, start by exploring what will break through your resistance. It may take a couple of tries.
Step 2: Don’t do what you should; do what you will.
My first attempt was to join a gym.
The treadmill was too complicated, and lifting weights just felt silly. I couldn’t stand cold pool water or wearing a bathing suit in public. I found the whole process unpleasant. After a week, I gave up.
The gym wasn’t going to work for me. The only way I was going to get moving was to find something I enjoyed. So I made a list.
I loved gymnastics in my youth, but that seemed far-fetched—and probably dangerous at my age. So, stretching went on the list. Next, I highlighted walking, based on a love of being in nature.
Step 3: Start slow and build
A Tesla might be able to go from 0 to 100 in 3 seconds, but a human can’t. A gradual increase in activity is how to build a sustainable habit.
I started with a low-cost commitment: 10 minutes of stretching every day for one month. I even scheduled it on my calendar. And, no surprise, within a few weeks I was feeling significantly better.
After a month, I was ready to take the next step.
Step 4: Start adding new activities
In the classic animation, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Chris Kringle’s advice to the Winter Warlord is about as sage as it gets: to change your life, put one foot in front of the other.
I started walking a mile using the Christmas tune as my anthem. I still remember the sweat and muscle ache of that first outing.
Once a mile felt easy, I added distance until I reached my goal of three miles a day. With each step, the positive benefits of exercise – better sleep, feel-good endorphins, and more energy – multiplied, providing even greater motivation to keep moving forward.
Step 5: If you fall, get back on the horse
As a 4-H kid, we learned to get back on the horse no matter what. A fall is not quitting. It is part of the process and not getting back up is bad for both the horse and rider.
Many times on my wellness journey, a family emergency or a work project edged out exercise. When prolonged, my sleep and energy levels suffered. So, I always started again before I forgot what feeling good was like.
Choose not to let circumstances stop you from getting back on the horse. The horse is there waiting, without judgment, for you to start again.
A single step can be the start of something big
A small change can start a chain reaction. I put one foot in front of the other and not only walked out the door but 500 miles across Spain.
I have a message for my past self, the one who chose to keep moving: Thank you.
Getting started—and started again— was hard, but doable. If I can do it, I know you can too. Your journey may be different than mine but it won’t happen unless you take that first step.
“If you want to change your direction,” Kringle sang to Winter, “a good way to start is to stand.”
If you need help getting started, Blu Haven’s therapists are here to help, support, and guide you on your wellness journey. Set up a free call today to learn how you can find tranquility and feel replenished.