Do you have a Fitness Habit?
With my new assignment comes new opportunity.
One of those opportunities is the time to exercise a bit more (I just eliminated a rather long commute).
What to do and when to do it? How to arrange my new schedule efficiently to get in a work out , do my job, do my user group activities, write blog posts, attend school functions, etc.
Several years ago I had a very regular exercise routine. Then things changed, as happens in life, and my routine had to change.
Now that things have changed again, the hardest part is getting started again. I got out of the regular habit.
Seems to be a common problem as evidenced by this recent post on Zen Habits:
In the last few months, I’ve spent a bit of time working with a group of fantastic fitness experts to create a fitness program that I think could change people’s lives.
But what I’ve found in doing research and working with beta testers is that the most important thing isn’t some secret ideal fitness plan … but forming the habit of fitness.
It’s the habit, not the plan, that makes all the difference in the world.
It’s fascinating, really. I’ve found that you can give beginners 10 different fitness plans — yoga, running, Crossfit, TurboFire, P90X, bootcamp workouts, MoveNat, etc. — and they can all fail. Why? Because it doesn’t matter how good the workout is, or how good the diet is … if people don’t actually follow the plan.
The problem isn’t that people don’t know what kinds of exercises to do … they generally do know what they should be doing. And really, no matter what people choose, it’ll generally be better than nothing.
via » Why the Fitness Habit is More Important Than the Plan :zenhabits.
So that’s where I am. I know what I should do…I just have to do it.
What about you – do you have a fitness habit? How did you form yours? Please share your experiences (and suggestions) in the comments.
To your health.
Kent
The Data Warrior 
Hi Kent, I have been working out with both weights and cardio via racquetball and basketball for years. Same routine for years. You are right. You have to put a plan in place and stick with it. Setting goals is a good way to stay focused. If you have a goal or several goals to accomplish then you will stick with the plan to acheive the goals.
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My fitness habit involves walking the dog a couple miles a day, running annual half marathons for the last 8 years with USA Fit Houston, and the occasional sprint triathlon. I formed my running habit in elementary school PE and ran track and cross-country through school. I really like your new lunch break habit; glad it is working so well for you. Enjoy the koi pond and other scenery!