How to make the gym a habit?

21/90: The rule is simple. Commit to a goal for twenty-one days straight. After three weeks, the pursuit of that goal should become a habit. Once you’ve established that habit, continue to do it for another ninety days. It should then become a permanent lifestyle change.

Here are some tips to get started!

1.       Set a time

 Make your workout an important aspect in your day by making it part of your routine. Pencil in your workout and schedule a time everyday to workout. Whether you’re a morning person or an evening person set a time to hit the gym. Sometimes showing up is all that matters. When you are finished you wont regret it!

2.       Small steps in the right direction

 Often times new clients want to start their journey off with a bang! They want to start by doing all the things – tracking food and getting in the gym, simultaneously. While that is a great way to see results it is best to start small.

 Perhaps the most useful suggestion of all, start small. Doing too much too fast can lead to burnout. Start by showing up to the gym and completing 30 minutes of exercise. Make an effort to choose healthier food choices. Eventually, track your foods. Set yourself up for success and not failure.

3.       Progression

 You should always be progressing during your health journey. Start by committing to the gym 2-3 times a week. After a few weeks, slowly progress by incorporating more days at the gym and/or increasing duration or intensity of your workouts.

4.       Pleasurable

If you associate a habit with pain, you will shy away from it. Make sure it’s fun! You’ll then look forward to going.

In the beginning stages of the gym, focus on making it pleasurable. Find a routine you enjoy at the gym. Hire a coach to help guide you. Bring your favorite book to read between sets. Jam out to some great music. Watch your favorite shows during cardio. Whatever your poison make the gym a safe place you enjoy!  

5.       Be prepared

 The fewer the obstacles and less friction there is in forming your new habit, the more likely you are to be successful. Be prepared for the gym. No one wants to wake up any earlier then they have too. Get your gym bag ready the night before and lay out your clothes. You’ll be ready to go with no friction at all.

6.       Get it done

Motivation is not always there. Getting started is sometimes the biggest obstacle. My rule, just get out and do it! Don’t worry about how long it will take or how hard it will be. Just get out and get it done. Once you’ve done that, it’s a piece of cake.

7.       Mix it up

 Make things more interesting by mixing up your workouts. There are a variety of different styles of programs. Whether you switch up your workout split or you incorporate swimming into your routine, keep things fun and interesting by mixing it up. Try something new!

8.       Incorporate a rest day

 Recovery is important! You need to give your body a chance to rest. You don’t want to completely skip the day, because then you are not being consistent with your habit. Consider an active cardio day or yoga/meditation. The key is to do something everyday, preferably something that gets your body moving and keeps your habit formation going.

9.       Don’t skip

 It’s easy to say “No, I’ll skip today.” But that will make your habit formation harder. Try not to skip a single day. If you do, don’t beat yourself up, everyone messes up sometimes and habit formation is a skill that requires practice. Identify the obstacle that led to you skipping and prepare for it next time. Remember..consistency is key!

Bottom line: It only takes twenty-one days to establish a habit and consistency is key.