10 Easy Ways to Make Exercise a Habit

1. Incorporate planned outdoor hikes, bike rides and 5K races into your weekend plans.

2. Commit to another person. Accountability is key for fitness success for most of us. Just telling people what you are doing helps, and of course meeting up with people or bringing a friend to your work out class is extremely helpful too.

3. Make exercise a priority…it has to be a non-negotiable. “Just Do It”!

4. Exercise first thing in the morning.  Boot Camp at 6:00am anyone?

5. Or, exercise on your way home from work. …or at 6:00pm?

6. Exercise even when you’re "too tired." Chances are you will have more energy after working out.

7. Log your activity. Write down the things that are important to you. It could be how much time you exercise each day, how many steps you walked, how far you ran or cycled etc. It’s also a great plan to keep a food log – you can combine these into one daily entry of your fitness and food.

8. Be aware of all the indicators of progress. It’s not just about the scale! It’s great when your clothes are loose and you can lift heavier weights or work out longer without getting exhausted.

But there are a slew of other progress indicators, such as:

• Getting a good night’s sleep.
• Thinking more clearly.
• Having more energy.
• Receiving compliments.
• Realizing your muscles aren’t screaming after you’ve helped a friend move furniture.
• Seeing your resting heart rate drop over time.
• Hearing your doctor congratulate you on improved cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density, triglycerides, and blood sugars.

9. Walk — with a pedometer (or a dog). Use a pedometer, and work up to 10,000 steps a day.

10. Reward yourself. Are you telling yourself that you don’t deserve a reward for something you should be doing anyway — or that once you can zip your jeans without lying on the bed, that will be reward enough? Set a goal and once you meet it try rewarding yourself with something really good – a hand bag or shoes…a trip to the spa. Something you really want – it works!