Make Exercise A Habit

Exercise by doing things that you enjoy and commit to your exercise time. If you enjoy the park, walk or ride a bicycle in the park two or three times each week. Involve others in your exercise time. Take the kids to the park with you and play a game of touch football. Commit to taking your kids or a friend to the park every week. You will spend valuable time with your friends and family and get the physical exercise you need to stay fit. Your commitment to physical exercise should be a priority in your life. Don’t reschedule your exercise time to do something else. Schedule other events around your exercise time.

Exercise in the morning before everyone else is awake. People who have small children or school age children know how hectic mornings can be. Once the kids are awake you may not have time to exercise or it will slip your mind as you try to help your teen find her favorite pair of shoes before school. It’s easy to make excuses and find reasons not to exercise when the house is buzzing with activity. Take some quiet time early in the morning just for yourself and do some sit-ups, push-ups, stretches, Pilates or yoga. Invest in some free weights, resistance bands, an exercise ball, a treadmill or a stationary bicycle so that you have your own mini gym at home. 

Make exercise after work part of your daily routine. On your way home from work, stop at the gym for a 30 minute workout or half an hour on the treadmill. Once you get home, it will be more difficult to convince yourself to go out again. Simply make that stop at the gym a normal part of your day. You may be tired after work, but exercise can help you feel more energized and the endorphins released by your brain will improve your sense of well-being. You will leave the gym feeling better than when you walked in after work.