How to make working out a habit.
The beauty of working out is that your results are 100% a reflection of your effort: Fitness is also great for your mental health, proven to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, while also improving your memory and ability to learn. As a person who considers himself a member at Sweatdreams, I’ve experienced these effects firsthand: working out clears my head, calms me down, and gives me the mental space to work through whatever I’m going through at the moment. While exercise isn’t a replacement for other mental health treatments like therapy etc, it can be a great mood-booster to add to your arsenal.
Beyond the effects on your brain and body, finishing a workout can leave you feeling accomplished and proud, which strengthens your confidence. Every time I workout, it feels like a reminder that I’m mentally tough and can endure hard things. In moments of stress, this has a positive domino effect on the rest of my day or week, giving me a little more confidence to navigate whatever stressors I’m facing in my work or personal life. At Sweatdreams we have a saying: “One hour of the day, that inspires the other 23”.
Nevertheless, working out is hard! There is a reason why 95% of New Years resolutions each year revolve around getting in shape, and further more the reason why 90% of those goal setters never see those goals through. But the saying goes, anything worth having isn’t easy, and that’s why fitness is such a confidence builder, It’s something money can’t buy. Again, it comes down to effort.
The key is to take the pressure off yourself and focus on how you feel above all else. To find a workout option that you enjoy (At least most of the time lol) and to think long-term with your fitness goals, choosing a program that is sustainable. To develop a workout habit that won’t burn you out, follow the steps in our guide, below.
HOW TO BUILD A WORKOUT HABIT
1. Start slow:
Working out can go from being something you dread to something you love with the right plan of action. The key is to start slow and make it manageable enough to sustain.
Try setting a goal of working out 5 x/week your first few weeks, then gradually adding training volume from there to the point in which you’re maintaining a training volume that is in line with your goals.
Check your speed: It’s common for people new to working out to start off too fast and burn out quickly, so make sure to start slow. Prioritize good form and enjoying the process first, the intensity and inner competitive side will come out naturally soon enough.
2. Be consistent
The key to forming any new habit is consistency. The more you make time for working out, the easier it will feel to do it.
Keep it regular: Try to workout at the same time of day on the same days each week (again, starting at least 5x/week and then building from there if you like). Consistent cues like this help to form new neural pathways in your brain that help with long term habit formation.
Set yourself up for success: Lay out your workout gear the night before to encourage you to follow through the next day and track your progress to see how far you’ve come.
3. Have fun with it
If working out feels like a punishment, it will be difficult to keep up, so make sure to have fun with it along the way. To keep it enjoyable, try:
Joining a group training program, community is everything when it comes to enjoying the journey. We are biased but we think Sweatdreams is the best option.
Get yourself an accountability partner by inviting a friend to join you.
Set some S.M.A.R.T goals so you have something to work towards
Reframing it as a moving meditation (focus on your breath, instead of the outcome)
It takes anywhere between 3-8 weeks to build a new habit and make it routine. This is why we offer programs from our Sweatdreams28 4-week challenge to our 3,6 and 12 month PIF memberships.
