Have you ever told yourself you would start running every day, only to give up a few days later? Or maybe you keep making plans to “get in shape,” but can never find a way to keep up a routine—we’ve all been there. Forming new fitness habits can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve failed to do so in the past. However, having strong fitness habits is important for both your physical and mental health. Understanding how habits work and how to make them stick can have a large impact on your fitness. Try out ikaria lean belly juice.  

what are habits?

Habits are behaviors that are performed as an automatic reaction to an environmental cue. [1] They are developed by performing a certain behavior repeatedly in a similar context, which creates a mental association between the situation and the behavior. Over time, with more repetitions, the behavior takes less motivation and effort to perform. Fitness has a habitual component to it, so understanding how to form strong habits can help you build a lasting fitness routine! Below, you’ll find five tips to help you form strong fitness habits.

start small

There have been numerous occasions I’ve gone to the gym, only to get flustered by the amount of choices available and intimidated by all of the people who seem to know exactly what they’re doing. It is easy to get overwhelmed when starting a new workout routine, so when you are just beginning, it is best to start small. Not only can big changes be difficult to incorporate into a busy schedule, but they also require a great deal of motivation. That’s why it is much easier to commit to something small, meaning something that isn’t time consuming or too difficult. [2] Instead of telling yourself you will do a Chloe Ting core workout multiple times a week, try starting with something simpler, like a 45 second plank every day.

Everyone has different experiences with fitness, which means what you consider “small” will be different from everyone else. For some people, “small” will mean a 3-mile run, while for others, it may be a long walk. All of these options are perfectly valid. When deciding what “small” means to you, try to choose something that feels manageable to repeat every day. Performing a behavior daily is better than doing an intense workout a few times a week, as it will help you form fitness habits faster, since habits are strengthened with repetition. [1]

Starting small can also help you build confidence in yourself and your fitness abilities. Confidence is extremely important when trying to change your behavior; it has been proven that belief in your own abilities influences whether or not you will perform a behavior. [1] Imagine the feeling you get when you complete a difficult task, and how that feeling of accomplishment, combined with familiarity, makes it easier to do it the next time. Small fitness tasks will help you achieve this feeling of accomplishment and success, making it easier to push yourself to complete more difficult workouts.

Setting smaller goals can also help you build the motivation to start a new routine. Try setting a few small goals in addition to a larger fitness goal you may have. Not only do these small goals help you track progress towards a larger goal, but they also help you feel accomplished and may motivate you to continue your new routine.