Nine ways you might become addicted to fitness

We often lament that we are not in good shape, but when it comes to exercise, we are intermittent and cannot stick to it. Often, the plan cannot keep up with the changes. After investigating the cause, it turns out that what we lack is a fitness mechanism, a mechanism to turn daily fitness into a habit. Fitness experts and coaches have distilled 9 methods to help you become addicted to fitness.

1. Find a suitable partner

Right: A friend with a fitness plan.

Wrong: Working out alone.

Going to the gym with friends can help you stick to your fitness plan. But this does not mean that every friend can do this. Your friends should have a higher level of fitness awareness. People who have a fitness plan and beginners working out together will achieve better fitness results than beginners working out alone, and the two can support and encourage each other and benefit from the sense of group responsibility.

2. Multiple sports options

Yes: A brilliant fitness program.

Wrong: Only work on projects that you enjoy.

People's enthusiasm for a certain fitness sport may fade within a few months, so we should learn to control our enthusiasm for sports. If you feel like you've lost your enthusiasm or can't improve any further, switch to another form of exercise immediately. Hire a personal trainer to help you create a monthly fitness regimen, such as taking martial arts lessons or dance classes with your child. Professional coaches say, "As your physical fitness improves, you will have more energy to participate in other sports, and this will also help to keep your motivation high. The human body will adapt to a certain form of exercise after a few weeks. This period of time is the "exercise cycle", and after this period, it is difficult to reap significant results unless you make changes.

3. Exercise every day

Yes: Exercise 3-5 days a week.

Wrong: I haven’t exercised for more than 2 days.

If you want to make fitness a daily habit, don't skip more than two days in a row. People who only work out 1-2 times a week are more likely to give up than those who work out 3-4 times a week. Because the frequency of fitness can affect your fitness perseverance more than the time or form of exercise. Exercise 3-5 days a week. If you can only spare 3 days a week to exercise, then you should distribute these 3 days evenly to maintain a certain momentum.

4. Develop a backup plan

Yes: If you miss it, you miss it. Just work harder tomorrow.

Wrong: Cannot proceed because there is an obstacle.

Consider factors that may affect your fitness, such as vacations and work schedules, and have a backup plan. Write down in a notebook how to overcome "fitness obstacles" so that you can be prepared whenever you encounter difficulties. Most importantly, don’t give up at the first sign of obstacles. You might be thinking, 'I don't have time to go to the gym today, and I can't go at the weekend, so I might as well stop and start again next Monday'. In fact, you don’t have to feel guilty for missing one or two fitness sessions. You should learn to accept the fact that if you missed it, you missed it. Just work harder tomorrow. ”

5. Aim high, but not out of reach

Yes: Specific goal – I will walk for 20 minutes every day.

Wrong: Abstract goal – I will exercise harder.

Whether it's improving your endurance, competing in a triathlon, or hitting 25 push-ups, setting a goal can help you stick to it. It's easier to stick to your goals if they are short-term, specific, and realistic, such as "I will walk for 20 minutes every day" rather than "I will exercise harder." If you are easily reaching your goals, set higher goals and review them every 4-6 weeks to make sure you are not straying from the right direction.

6. Keep track of your progress

Yes: Keep a record of your fitness process.

Wrong: What did I do yesterday? I forgot!

People who stick to a diet or keep a fitness journal are more likely to lose weight. Additionally, in one study, people who kept detailed records lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t keep detailed records. Pay attention to the form of exercise, exercise time, intensity, distance, calories burned and exercise location, as well as your mental state, physical fitness level, sleep and diet the night before.

Pedometers, heart rate monitors, and stopwatches can help you keep detailed records, which can give you an immediate sense of accomplishment and help you understand how far and fast you have run or walked, how many calories you have burned, and how much progress you have made. Use these tools to challenge yourself and set new goals.

7. Micro fitness

Yes: move anytime, anywhere.

Wrong: I’m very busy today and really don’t have time to exercise.

If you really have too little time, you can take only 10-15 minutes a day to exercise to keep your body and mind in a good state (endurance training or strength training are fine). Although doing micro-exercises once a day can help strengthen your fitness habits, if you have time to do them three times a day, it can also help you lose excess weight. Studies have found that people who find time to exercise every day can accumulate more fitness time than those who stick to regular 30-45 minutes of fitness programs. If you can't guarantee a 1-hour walk, it is better to exercise whenever you have time, even if it is only 15 minutes.

Women can exercise and go shopping anytime and anywhere. This most popular leisure activity among women is a good aerobic exercise. Women go shopping for at least one or two hours, and at most three or four hours. The constant walking can increase leg strength, consume most of the calories in the body, and achieve a fitness effect. Compared to boring equipment training in the gym, shopping allows women to exercise their bodies unconsciously and also cheer up their mood. It is a best of both worlds fitness method.

Skipping rope may bring back childhood memories for most adult women. They may not think that this most familiar childhood entertainment is one of the most effective ways for women to keep fit. Put your legs together, jump lightly, circulate your arms, rotate your wrists... Don't underestimate a simple skipping rope, it is a whole body exercise when you dance it. Rope skipping does not require much space and the technique does not require very sophisticated skills, making it a convenient choice for women to exercise.

Women who sit in the office for a long time without exercise are most worried about a decline in physical fitness. Climbing stairs is another simple and feasible way to do this. For women who sit for a long time, spending a few minutes climbing stairs several times a day can increase the pulse rate when still and enhance cardiovascular function. The key to this method is persistence. You need to climb stairs every day to see good results.

8. Make time for fitness

Right: 8:00 am, it’s time for my gym time!

Wrong: Forget it, I have to work overtime tonight and won’t go to the gym.

Put a timely note on your computer or set an alarm to remind you to exercise at a fixed time every day. When you do the same thing at the same time every day, you develop a habit. Once you develop a regular routine, your daily workout will become as important as your company meetings. People who exercise in the morning will get better results than those who exercise in the afternoon or evening, because people are more focused and have more physical strength in the morning. You should find the best time to exercise.

9. Learn to reward yourself

Yes: As long as you stick to fitness for 1 year, you can go to...

Wrong: What does this have to do with fitness?

Compared to those who never reward themselves, there was a fitness enthusiast who bought himself a new pair of shoes after 2 months of fitness and a new set of sportswear after 6 months. The reward system can be simple, anything important in life can be combined with fitness."