Making Exercise “Automatic”

Since the pandemic, 50% of people are now more focused on their well being according to the Global Fitness Report.

Even still, only about 20% of adults engage in a regular fitness routine. If you are someone who exercises regularly already, congratulations! You are ahead of the majority when it comes to prioritizing your health and fitness!

We all know that regular exercise is one of the best things we can do for ourselves, but knowing something and doing something are two very different things. So, what is the 20% doing differently to maintain a regular exercise routine?

A research study from the exercise scientists at Les Mills Research Lab suggests its “automaticity” that is the key differentiator between active and inactive people. That means you make exercise a habit you don’t even think about, like brushing your teeth or putting on your seatbelt. You do it because you have to, and you have done it so many times, it’s just part of your regular routine. You don’t think about it anymore.

100% of regularly active people polled strongly agreed that exercise is an automatic aspect of their life.

In this study, regular exercisers were categorized as getting 150 minutes or more of physical activity each week for 10 years or more. The other group consisted of those who rarely exercised.

Not only did the study find that there were substantial differences in how the two groups viewed exercise, there were also substantial differences in how they viewed their own wellbeing.

77% of the regular exercisers said they strongly agreed that they were satisfied with their lives in general (health, work, relationships, etc.) while the inactive group only had 23% satisfaction.

62% of the inactive group reported they felt they lacked control in their daily life while only 23% of the active group felt that way.

Those in the active group were more likely to set goals and track their exercise progress. 77% of the active group scheduled their workouts while only 36% of the inactive group reported trying to schedule their exercise.

Another statistic from the study that stood out was that 84% of the active group were motivated by the social aspect of exercise versus less then half from the inactive group.

Although there is no magic secret to making exercise a habit and sticking to it, this study does help give us an idea of what works for those that are able to make it a habit and how important making exercise a habit really is to long term adherence.

Get into a program that works for your schedule, something that challenges you but isn’t overwhelming or overly complicated to do, and then schedule it into your weekly schedule. Have a plan to get back on track if you miss a workout or to modify your workouts for a period of time if you are really busy but still keeps you in the habit of exercising to avoid stopping and losing the habit. Add a social element to your workouts if you can by working out with a partner, getting to know some people at the gym to say hi to, or work with a trainer.

Easier said that done I know, but there really isn’t anything else you can invest your time, money and energy into that will yield you more lifelong, positive results in all aspects of your life! “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle