How do you go from couch potato to exercise aficionado? Unfortunately it does not magically happen over night. It takes a base of micro habits to get there. What does this look like? One of the best examples I can give is running a marathon. Many people think that running a marathon is one of the most difficult tasks you can do, but it isn’t. The hardest part is not running 26.2 miles on race day, the most difficult part is the 18 weeks of running before the race. As a runner you have to consistently build up mileage before you can go out and successfully complete the race.
If you are looking to incorporate physical fitness into your life, I suggest adding one one micro habit to add . A micro habit is something that is easy to add into your current routine. It doesn’t involve a 180 degree change in your current behavior. Instead it is a slow gradual change that is easier to implement into your daily life.
Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. If you are not consistently getting 7k-10k steps per day, start by adding steps each day until you get to where you can consistently reach this step count. After you are able to consistently maintain 7-10k steps per day add another micro habit. Try a once per week total body workout for 30 minutes. Once this become a habit, add another day of strength training.
Will your body change overnight by adding micro habits into your daily living? NO. Would it change faster if you were to go from couch potato to strength training 4 times per week, running 5 days per week, biking 2 days per week and going to a yoga class? YES. But, is that sustainable? Probably not.
One of the most common questions I get is “how to do get motivated to exercise?” The answer is: You don’t get motivated. Exercise just becomes part of your normal habits of living once you incorporate micro habits into each day.