Adherence to exercise

Changing habits is no easy task. One of the most common New Year Resolutions we hear about involve starting an exercise program, losing weight or getting fit but months roll by without any change. There are many occasions throughout the year that sets us out of routine and we often struggle to start or restart our exercise patterns. Exercise adherence takes a lot of determination. So how do we do this?

Plan your exercise: create a diary where you plan out your weekly exercise and mark it off when you complete this. Taking into account your weekly schedule allows you to identify any barriers and plan/prioritise accordingly. This allows you to build routine and create good habits

Exercise with a friend: this assists in maintaining accountability, by working together you can provide each other with motivation and support each other in reaching your goals
Set yourself a goal: by creating goals you can cater your exercise to meet these goals. This gives you a path to follow, provides motivation and a sense of achievement when you reach your goals
Add variety: do you ever find yourself falling off the wagon due to boredom? There are so many types of physical activities you can do that to reengage yourself and provide different challenges while giving you a refreshing change.

Track your progress: take note of your distances, weights, times etc. This brings about awareness of your achievements, pushes you to achieve and set new goals. When you have a big goal looking forward it is easy to miss your smaller accomplishments!

You should always seek advice prior to starting an exercise program. If you would like to discuss what is best for you or need some help getting started, contact us.