Want to be a lifelong exerciser?

Which describes you best? Are you someone who is active every day, without giving it much thought, or are you someone who jumps on a bandwagon of exercise for bouts at a time, in between periods of inactivity. I was very lucky to grow up being active nearly every day. I’ve remained this way pretty much throughout my life. If I’m unable to be active (due to injury, for example) I’m a bit lost, to be honest. But I know not everyone is driven this way about exercising.

It’s fairly commonly known that exercise has a multitude of health benefits. Not only does it help the immune system, it also improves our mood. So why do some people find it so hard to choose lifelong exercising habits?

One reason could be starting out a new exercise habit with too much volume or intensity. Depending on your age and past activity, this could be a recipe for injury. Injury leads to time off exercise, which leads to inactivity…a law of physics that I have never forgotten from high school was “a body at rest tends to STAY at rest” whereas “a body IN MOTION tends to stay in motion”. This is a bit of a mantra for me, when I start feeling a little sluggish. Slow motion is still motion! If you are just beginning to be active, start SLOW rather than blasting and then crashing!

 

An unfortunate finding from the America College of Sports Medicine is that 50% of people who begin an exercise plan drop out after 6 months. So what do the 50% of exercisers who sustain their exercise do differently?

 

Well, maybe they talk about exercise differently. Remember when you were a kid running around the neighborhood with friends, on bikes, building forts, making snow angels. Did you ever say “I HAVE to go out and play now” the way we might say “I HAVE to go to the gym after work”. Being active as a kid was natural and FUN. Is it possible to view exercise in your life as PLAY instead of more “work” to get done?

 

Becoming a lifelong exerciser is all about making it a habit that becomes integrated and natural. Experts say it takes 21 days to make a habit. I suspect it could take ONE day if you choose to accept the new habit as you. But if suddenly taking on a new persona isn’t you, and you’d prefer social support and a FUN focus, why not join our next 30 Day Challenge, starting May 3^rd. Everyday we will have an exercise “event” you can attend. Group exercise and a goal (completing 30 minutes of activity for 30 days in a row) can be what will take you from being an “dabbler” in the world of exercise to a full fledged “fitness-freak”! Find out how to sign up for our event by clicking here.

 

Sue Shalanski

Registered Physiotherapist, Clinic Owner and regular exerciser