How to continue exercise

Everyone knows that regular exercise is beneficial to your health. But few people can carry it on.

It seems to be difficult to make exercise a habit not only in Japan but also in the UK. Recently, The Guardian introduced some suggestions of Helen O’Connor, a psychologist for continuous exercise.

The Guardian: How to make exercise a habit

She pointed out five elementary idea that encourage you to continue exercising as below;

Be armed and ready
Start as you mean to go on
Don’t just focus on weight loss
Know yourself
Don’t lose heart

Each of them, I completely agree with. Her opinion is quite rational, looks based on the cognitive psychiatry. Among them, the last one is the most important. When you fail to make an exercise, you are in a peril of withdrawal. On this occasion, you should make a compensation using a tiny alternative to prevent you from dropping out, as she mentioned.

Just after starting this blog, I wrote an entry about habituation. In this entry, I mentioned the necessity of rewards as a reinforcer to do a thing regularly.

My past entry: Good habit is Mikka-Bouzu

Regarding exercise, I can suggest some extra tips.

1. Integrate exercise into your daily life.
Exercise is a torture for whom hate it. But you can put yourself in a situation you cannot avoid the agony. If you dismiss the season bus ticket, you have no choice but to walk to the office. Selling your car and considering to move your home to a little distant from the station are aggressive, but effective option.

2. Prepare a visible measure for performing.
You may see the proof of your continuous effort. However, exercise offers no rapid benefit to you. Physicians are willing to show you the data of serum cholesterol in order not only to make you aware of the risk of heart failure, but also to raise your motivation. Agree with Helen, I think the body weight is not a proper standard. It is sometimes fluctuating. Rather, you can count the day you have walked and the amount of money you have saved for patrol.

3. Utilize your friend as a partner.
Making an effort alone is challenging. You would like to be lazy when tired. Couple and group exercise are more joyful for most people. Promising the next match of tennis with your friend prevent you from sabotage.

I emphasize that you should not trust yourself. Binding yourself in the future with many chains is essential to succeed.