11 tips for sticking to a schedule of regular exercise.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.
This Wednesday: 11 tips for sticking to a schedule of regular exercise.

Exercise is a KEY to happiness. Research shows that people who exercise are healthier, more energetic, think more clearly, sleep better, and have delayed onset of dementia. They get relief from anxiety and mild depression, comparable to medication and therapy. They perform better at work.

Also, although it’s tempting to flop down on the couch when you’re feeling exhausted, exercise is actually a great way to boost energy levels. Feeling tired is a reason to exercise, not a reason to skip exercise.

But even when you admit that you’d feel better if you exercised, it can be very hard to adopt the habit. My idea of fun has always been to lie in bed, reading, preferably while also eating a snack – but I’ve managed to keep myself exercising by using all these tricks on myself:

1. Always exercise on Monday. This sets the psychological pattern for the week. Along the same lines…

2. If at all possible, exercise first thing in the morning. As the day wears on, you’ll find more excuses to skip exercising. Get it checked off your list, first thing.

3. Never skip exercising for two days in a row. You can skip a day, but the next day, you must exercise, no matter how inconvenient.

4. Give yourself credit for the smallest effort. My father always said that all he had to do was put on his running shoes and close the door behind him. Many times, by promising myself I could quit ten minues after I’d started, I got myself to start – and then found that I didn’t want to quit, after all.

5. Think about context. I thought I disliked weight-training, but in fact, I disliked the guys who hung out in the weight-training area. Are you distressed about the grubby showers in your gym? Do you try to run in the mornings, but recoil from going out in the cold? Examine the factors that might be discouraging you from exercising.

6. Exercise several times a week. If your idea of exercise is to join games of pick-up basketball, you should be playing practically every day. Twice a month isn’t enough.

7. If you don’t have time both to exercise and take a shower, find a way to exercise that doesn’t require you to shower afterward. Twice a week, I have a very challenging weight-training session, but the format I follow doesn’t make me sweat. (Some of you are saying, “It can’t be challenging if you don’t sweat!” Oh yes, believe me, it is.)

8. Look for affordable ways to make exercising more pleasant or satisfying. Could you upgrade to a nicer or more convenient gym? Buy yourself a new iPod? Work with a trainer? Get a pedometer to keep track of your walking distances? Exercise is a high life priority, so this a worthwhile place to spend some money if that helps.

9. Think of exercise as part of your essential preparation for times you want to be in especially fine form -- whether in performance (to be sharp for an important presentation) or appearance (to look good for a wedding) or mood (to deal with a stressful situation). Studies show that exercise does help.

10. Remember one of my favorite Secrets of Adulthood, courtesy of Voltaire: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Don’t decide it’s only worth exercising if you can run five miles or if you can bike for an hour. I have a friend who scorns exercise unless she’s training for a marathon -- so she never exercises. Even going for a ten-minute walk is worthwhile. Do what you can.

11. Don’t kid yourself. Belonging to a gym doesn’t mean you go to the gym. Having been in shape in high school or college doesn’t mean you’re in shape now. Saying that you don’t have time to exercise doesn’t make it true.

People often ask me, “So if I want to be happier, what should I be doing?” and I always say, “The first thing to do is to make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep and plenty of exercise.”

I know, that answer doesn’t sound properly transcendent and high-minded on the subject of happiness, but research shows that you’d be wise to start there. And I’ve found that if I’m feeling energetic and well-rested, I find it much easier to follow all my other happiness-inducing resolutions.

*
Yesterday and today, I attended a MediaBistro conference on "Change the Way You Think About Media." There were many fascinating speakers; one of the most provocative presentations was by the fabulous digital marketer and idea maven Steve Rubel -- and you can read his presentation here.

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Comments

[Cynthia]

Gretchen, I love your blog, but I must say that there is a neurotic and somewhat hectoring tone in your posts about exercise that makes me wonder if your attitude about exercise is really a source of happiness for you.

You write, "You can skip a day, but the next day, you must exercise, no matter how inconvenient." This, to me, is a fairly extreme statement and a red flag that signifies a not-so-healthy attitude toward exercise and body image.

Also, you repeatedly emphasize the point that people who don't exercise often enough aren't "really" exercising. Okay, point made -- several times! It just seems like a really judgmental, harsh tone emerges in your writing about exercise (and to some extend, food) that sets it apart from your other writing.

As someone who struggled throughout her teens and early twenties with eating and exercise issues, I might be overly attuned to this -- or I might just be extra-perceptive.

Anyway, as I said, love the blog. Just had to chime in on this.

[Lynn]

The thing that really works for me is going to a group fitness class at a scheduled time. I treat it like an appointment, marked on my calendar and everything. Plus, it is a great way to meet people and have fun while exercising. Now, if I miss my kickboxing class, I actually get very cranky for not exercising!

[Lynn]

Sorry - another thought... sometimes when I cannot fit exercise in at my usual time, after work, I plan to wake up early and exercise in the morning. I am not a morning person, so this isn't always easy. When I have that fight with myself whether I should stay in bed or get up and go, I try to think of how awesome I feel after I exercise. That thought alone is enough to get me out of bed and on to the gym.

[Genevieve]

Hi, Gretchen! Great tips. I know you love reading Zen Habits from your interview with the author. I can't remember if you mentioned his exercise blog- leoruns.wordpress.com. Keeping a log helps keep you accountable- even if you skip one (or two) days, you have a greater incentive to keep going, particularly if you use DailyPlate.com or another online fit log, that can provide you with graphs or other visuals to show your progress.

[Geneveve]

One more thought- sorry. If you've been exercising regularly, you might want to do some kind of competition. Like, if you found that you like running, train for a 5K. You don't have to be the winner- your goal can be "not last," (you'd probably have more fun that way anyways), and it gives you a reason to exercise regularly. Afterwards...you tend to get hooked!

[Stephanie]

What sort of exercises / weights do you do that provide a challenge without the sweat factor? I would love to have a routine like that on hand...

I agree with Cynthia about the way this article sounds; a little bit harsh.

For me: exercise isn't a source of happiness, but it does help ward off random bouts of depression, which lead to more depression. And in the end, I feel better about myself; if not happier.

[Cheryl Miller]

I personally love your tone and what you've said. Instead of thinking you're harsh or something - I just feel you're determined, clear thinking, and decisive. I'm a wellness director and will definitely link your list to my blog - definitely inspirational. Thanks much! Cheryl

[TasterSpoon]

Exercise can also have happy-making side effects - when you do it outside you interact with nature; on a nice day you expose yourself to sunlight; when you do it with friends you find that social connection; it improves your sleep; it improves your circulation and your skin. I think all these things (nature, light, society, sleep) have been shown to contribute to happiness independently. But this post isn't about why, it's about how.

I totally second Genevieve on signing up for something. Also that it doesn't have to be a 'race' if you're not a competitive person (although you might surprise yourself by being more competitive than you think - I've seen this happen to people I'd never expect it to). It could be a ballroom dancing competition or an informal track meet or tennis tournament organized among friends, or a mountain climbing or sea kayak adventure. Sometimes the quirkier the better, because the intrinsic excitement can be enough to shake you from your habits to prepare.

An event makes for a crisp, clear, measurable goal with a deadline. But then you need to find another one when that's done!

Or just learn something new for its own sake - learn to windsurf, learn to play squash, learn mixed martial arts. And allow yourself to play - our lives are stressful enough. I love hearing about "Bollywood dancing" workouts or hula-hooping or "the playground workout." Exercise should be a relief, not just another chore.

I hear Cynthia, but I have to defend Gretchen on this one. I'm sure Cynthia isn't blasting the blog, I think she's just concerned about Gretchen's well being. But as a reader, I appreciate posts like this. Exercise IS important to health, and health is important to happiness. Nobody talks about being judgmental when a person advises, say, getting enough sleep. I agree it can be a touchy topic when we give unsolicited advice in sensitive areas...but this blog is *supposed* to be advice - and a lot of people, like me, need help motivating to do what we already know we should do.

I think Point 6 (exercise often) is balanced by Point 4 (celebrate little efforts). Point 4 is important, to keep a positive attitude towards movement. But at least for me, consistency is crucial to staving off my sedentary inclinations. Once I fall out of the habit - it's exponentially harder to get back going!

[fathersez]

This is a good list.

Exercise, being important but not urgent is always being put off for other so called urgent matters. Including a nap, and TV!

I have made the promise to exercise regularly so many times and have always been able to beak this promise.

I'll give it yet another go. Your list gives me some firm directions.

Thanks for sharing.

[Gladys]

This is a good list! I've got one to add, that works for me - whenever I'm whining to myself about having to get up early and exercise, I remind myself that I am physically able to get up and work out. Considering the physical limitations others deal with, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. Being grateful that I can work out motivates me to get up and get going.

[Leah]

Love the list! I think the tone is fine; exercise is important, and it's one of those things we really need to do even when we don't feel inspired. It's not like taking some photos or making art. Exercise is something we should all be doing each and every day. And, like you said, you don't have to push yourself to run a daily marathon. The important part is getting those little bits in. It sounds like Cynthia has perhaps missed this.

I too have struggled with body image, but I don't find exercise to exacerbate that problem. Weighing myself? Sure, that's not always so good for me. Obsessing over sizes? Also not good. But lacing up my shoes and even just going for a walk almost always leaves me feeling much better. In fact, I often have my best workouts on days when someone else (typically my brother or dad, via the phone) said "dude, just suck it up and go to the gym already."

I'd definitely add "join a team!" to this list. I play softball and ultimate frisbee, so I know I will be getting 2-3 nights of exercise a week even if I'm not disciplined to hit the gym every day. To me, it's much worse to skip a game and let people down than it is to skip a gym workout. I also consciously live close to work, so I walk the 0.7 miles in; it's another little way I make sure I'm getting some sort of exercise every single day.

[Martin Polley]

Thanks for the great post. It comes at exactly the right time.

A question, though (for whoever wants to answer).

The only way I can make time to exercise is to either go to bed later or get up earlier (i.e., trade sleep for exercise). I did this for a while, and I always felt that I wasn't getting enough sleep.

So, is it a good trade-off? Which is better for long-term health and well-being? Exercising or getting enough sleep?

Thanks,

Martin

[Gretchen Rubin]

Zoikes, that's so interesting about the tone. These days, I exercise enthusiastically, but it's true for years I really had to use all these strategies to get myself out the door. Sounds like the stern internal prodding I had to give myself for years made itself heard in that post!

And I do think that people (i.e. myself and my friends) often kid themselves about how much they are actually exercising. I once had a friend who talked about how she'd "taken up" biking, roller-blading, etc. Actually she would spend a month or so buying all the clothes and appurtenances, then switch to something else. But she really, truly, believed she was exercising. I don't want to be harsh -- but just to remind people (including myself!) how easy it is, if you're not naturally inclined to exercise, to think you're doing it more than you are.

Interesting point about teams. A huge epiphany for me was that I didn't like SPORTS. I'm really, really bad at sports, and I'm very competitive, and that's a bad combination. Once I realized that I could exercise without being on a team or playing a game, it got a lot easier for me. As one of my Secrets of Adulthoods holds: Just because something is fun for someone else doesn't mean it's fun for me. For me, lifting weights is far more fun than playing softball. That's not true for everyone, obviously. The key, as in so many aspects of happiness, is to know yourself.

The choice between sleep and exercise!! Don't make that trade-off! Find another way! I know it can seem impossible, but really try to find time for both. They are so important.

[karyn]

I "fool" myself into getting a bit of exercise by dancing around the house to my favorite music. I don't think of it as exercise which makes it a fun thing to do. I can dance around for 45 minutes without thinking about it. My heart gets going and I am happier. If I try to make myself go for a walk, or lift weights or do sit-ups, it's pure torture.

Dance like no one is watching!

[Genevieve]

Martin: Do you watch TV or movies at home? THere are a lot of exercises (hand weights, pilates, yoga, if you have a bike/treadmill/cardio machine) that you can just do while you're watching a movie. Even if you just exercise during commercial breaks, it will be something! Maybe not such a good idea if TV/movie time is traditionally spent w/someone else for you, but if it's not, there you go. Another tip is if you take public transit and it's not too far or in a bad neighborhood, or bad weather, is to get off one stop early every day and walk the extra bit.

[m]

what helps me with exercise is to make sure it is something I love. So I love the sea so waking along the beach for 25 mins is a pleasure and the sand makes all my muscles work. I love taking photos so walking around the city with my camera gives me exercise as a by product.

When I was ill I gave myself permission to do only 5 mins if it was what I could do

[MJ]

I'm happy when I don't beat myself up about not exercising.

Last week I had at least 3 one hour early morning walks, and on Sat and Sun at least 3-4 hours of exercise and vigorous yard work.

This week I am on pre-holiday weekend deadline city, working 7 am to 9 pm, and I "might" get to exercise Friday. I refuse to feel guilty - I'll make it up Sat - Mon. As soon as something becomes a compulsory activity with guilt attached to failure, you are out of luck.

[lieb johnson]

For years consistent exercise has been a struggle. Then late last year i mused, "Why can't i exercise as consistently as i play World of Warcraft?" Then it hit me. The discipline needed was to not do the thing i wanted to do every day until i did what i had to do. As a result, i haven't missed a workout since the beginning of the year. Down 40 lbs and sleeping much better. Thanks Blizzard. :)

[AA]

Don't forget to look at community options. Many REC centers have classes that are cheaper than other locations for yoga, dance, pilates, and the like. The most important part of exercise is to make it FUN. And, yes, it's possible. (:

There are MANY adult options for dance and I've found this works for me. By signing up, I force myself to go to make the most out of money spent. There are days I look forward to the classes and days I would rather sit and do nothing, but no matter which kind of day it is, once I'm IN the class everything seems to fade away and I enjoy myself. It doesn't even feel like "exercise" anymore .. just something I love to do (:

[adora]

The reason I skip exercise is because it is boring. I feel like a hamster when I go to the gym. But I just bought the Wii Fit game! I've been playing/exercising an hour a day! Highly recommended for people who wants to make exercise fun.

[Lexica]

There's a fascinating book out recently called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, by John Ratey, MD (an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School) -- his website at http://johnratey.com/ has more information. I'm only about halfway through reading it, but based on what I've read so far, I don't think Gretchen is being at all too harsh.

Exercise is *essential* for good physical health and mental health. We live in a society that's set up to actively discourage us from movement and it's killing us.

Pete Egoscue's books also deal with the absolute necessity of physical movement and the consequences when we don't get enough.

As for whether it's too stern to say "you MUST exercise every day, you CANNOT skip more than one day in a row" -- that's just psychology. Maybe you (generic "you") are different from the vast majority of people and don't get demotivated when you take time off. I know that for me, if I've skipped exercise for two or more days, it takes an effort to talk myself into getting started again. If I've been exercising every day, or if I've only missed one day, it's more a matter of "okay, back to it -- here we go!"

I don't think it's surprising that people don't want to become more active. Like I said, our society is set up to actively discourage it. But as a person who has made life changes in order to improve my health, I get really frustrated hearing people say things like "Yeah, I need to lose weight and get in shape, but no, I can't stop driving to work because EXCUSE1, and I can't take the stairs instead of the elevator because of EXCUSE2, and I can't go for a walk around the block because I *have* to watch my TV show, and I can't eat healthier because..." It's like Thomas Edison said: the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing while expecting to get different results.

And "hectoring"? That's far too strong a word, IMO. If you wouldn't call it hectoring to have your doctor tell you "you are pre-diabetic and you MUST get your blood sugar under control if you don't want to become sick and die early", this shouldn't count as hectoring either.

[Martin Polley]

@Gretchen - Thanks. That answer feels right. Giving up sleep for anything else is probably a bad idea. (OK, _almost_ anything else...)

@Genevieve - I watch very little TV, and when I do, it's those must-see things that my wife and I watch together. And unfortunately, my commute is way too long for public transport. I guess I could park further from the office though. Maybe I'll try it!

[Maria]

Um... am I the only one who thinks this advice seems quite familiar? Nothing wrong with that, but you could've mentioned this fact.

[Healthy Librarian]

Wow,what a list of comments!

Totally agree with Lynn about group exercise--it's what makes me LOVE TO EXERCISE!

For anyone under 40 reading this--if you're not exercising now, you'll be so happy with yourself if you start.

I'm 58 & have been exercising since my 20's & I can say without a doubt it's what has given me good health, energy,a good mood, weight control & flexibility.

I've been at the some fitness center for over 30 years & I'm inspired everyday by the ladies in their 70's & 80's who still "work-out"! Their health, energy, & attitude is my inspiration.

I got a heart rate monitor (watch) for my b-day 3 years ago - & if you're so inclined to this sort of thing, it's so motivating. Keeps track of how long you've exercised, how hard you're working out, & calories.

Exercise improves your brain among other things, & who wouldn't want that?:
http://www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2008/03/where-did-i-lea.html

[KCCC]

Whenever life (or parenting)is rough, my first step is to check the basics: Healthy food, enough rest/sleep, exercise. I realized when my child was young that he could be difficult if he didn't have all three. It took me a while longer to realize *I* could be difficult when *I* didn't get all three!

I totally agree with "you can skip one day but not two," just because "a body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest." (Yeah, that was about physics, but it applies to exercise as well.) Counting small efforts makes that dictum manageable. I count just 15 minutes on a rough day - and those minutes do add up. So does the chain of habit, which can be equally important.