Adopting an Exercise Habit
How can you make exercise a part of your lifestyle? Adopting new habits can be a challenge, but there are certain tricks you can use to help yourself stick to a new routine. For example, if you enjoy walking outdoors, begin adding this as a habit a little at a time. First, set a time every day to walk and eliminate any potential excuses. If it is raining, have an umbrella handy. If you are feeling tired, just do a very short walk. It can be easy to say no, but if you make it out the door it really is a victory you can claim every day.
Once you have one habit down, start another the same way. Find a time to do a particular activity and work at getting rid of the obstacles. If this approach doesn’t work well for you, try combining the exercise with something you enjoy instead. For example, if you hate walking but love reading, tie the two together. Walk from one end of the house to the other before you settle in to read a chapter or an article, and then when you finish that section, do it again.
Have been walking since week 2 after surgery and increased it to twice a day now. It sure would be a lot easier if it was cooler outside here in North Texas! I am also using a pedal exerciser inside to work my arms and upper body as well as peddling excersizing my legs. It is getting easier as the weight leaves. I look forward to all the new places I can go now that walking is becoming easier!
I started walking and read in a fitness magazine that 30 min was the min to get the max out my workout. Then after 30 min was easy I started jogging and once that was easy I went to running for 40 min. Now I am up to 50 min and I love it. You see I actually feel bad if I miss my run. It is a habit and it only took 18 month to make it a habit but I stuck with it. I love the results. I love the clothes I can wear, the fact that I don’t get tired, the looks. Being heavy is hard but I was told it didn’t take 1 night for me to get that way. It will take time to get the weight off. To date I have lost 70+ pounds and counting. You can do this, I promise!