How to make exercise a natural habit

Going for a brisk walk, a run or even a trip to the gym every now and then is both refreshing and healthy – but how do you make it a routine habit?
Elin Ekblom Bak, associate professor at GIH and former national team player in football, points out some important things: “It is so incredibly important that the motivation comes from within if it is to become a habit,” she says.

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Experts tend to point out that we need to exercise, or at least do something moderately strenuous, for 150 minutes a week, which is about 30 minutes five days a week. This is for better heart health.

But exercise and physical activity also have other health benefits.

– If you look at what both the research and the recommendations say, 30 minutes a day is a level where you see real health benefits. But you can also experience positive things with less time than that,” says Elin Ekblom Bak, associate professor at GIH and former national team player.

Make your own motivation plan

Making your own motivation plan is a good way to start making physical activity a habit, says Elin:

– First you should ask yourself? What do I want to get out of my exercise? Is it to get fitter, lose weight, get stronger? It is so incredibly important that the motivation comes from within. 

If you are a relatively inexperienced exerciser, you should aim to get going once the first week and then increase the dose over time.

– It is the small steps that are important. If you have only managed the first week, you can definitely reward yourself a little afterwards. It can be buying a sweater you’ve been craving, some candy or an extra hour of video games. Whatever suits you, quite simply. We are quite good at spoiling ourselves, but less good at rewarding ourselves,” says Elin. 

How to get started

So how do you get started with exercise?

– Firstly, you should find something that you enjoy doing and start with fairly “low thresholds” and “easy goals” to achieve. Otherwise, you run the risk of feeling like a failure and quitting if things don’t go as planned. You must find joy in what you do. 

If you get started, you will quickly find that you become more alert, happier and more relaxed.

– At the same time, we know from research that just after a pulse-raising workout, we can lower blood pressure a few hours after the workout, which is very positive. The same goes for blood sugar levels. When we move our muscles, the sugar in our blood is used for energy. So we can also lower blood sugar levels by moving. 

How do you make physical activity a habit?

But how do you make exercise a regular activity, a habit?

– Once you’ve started, you should almost always be prepared that sooner or later there will be a dip that makes you stop. It could be something as simple as the children getting sick and you need to take time off. Maybe you have a financial statement at work in front of you for two weeks and it’s too much work. You have to be prepared for the possibility of a setback for various reasons. 

However, you should not see it as a failure, but really get to the bottom of questions like “why did I start exercising, what is my goal and what motivated me to start moving?” You can also think a bit about “what are the obstacles for me to make physical activity a habit – and what are the success factors that would help me succeed?”

– Perhaps it is not the exercise itself that is the goal. Maybe exercise is just a way to get to that goal. Then my advice is: Lower your threshold, take a leisurely walk around the block rather than forcing yourself to the gym when your energy is low. 

Elin: “Feeling good about this”

How do you motivate yourself to keep going?

– I would never stop being physically active and exercising, but it can definitely happen that I reduce my amount of exercise in periods if, for example, it is stressful at work or if a loved one gets sick. These things do happen. But then I’m back on track because I know I feel good about this – and that’s my goal. 

A habit is formed when you accept and cope with these fluctuations, according to Elin:

– “But take it in small steps and think about ‘why am I doing this? Personally, I feel stronger and sleep better when I have moved and it usually makes me happier. This is my way of really feeling good. 

3 TIPS – HOW TO MAKE EXERCISE A HABIT

• It can’t be said too many times: Find what you enjoy and what motivates you to be physically active.
• You don’t have to feel that it’s the physical activity that gives you the ‘wow’ feeling or the motivation to keep going – think of it as your way, your means, to reach your real goal.
• Do you feel like you don’t have enough time to be physically active? It is perfectly possible to be active for shorter periods several times a day: a little faster up each flight of stairs you climb, a faster walk to the subway, playing with the dog in the park.

Source: Elin Ekblom Bak, Associate Professor at GIH