How to become addicted to training
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So you have come to this site. Perhaps you are thinking of starting up training and have a feeling of what it takes to become fitter. To have progress you need two things: effort and persistency. People starting up training usually have no problem putting in some effort, but after just a few days where they make excuses that they need to see some stupid tv program and they stop their exercising and never return.
If you want to make a difference and succeed with becoming a fitter you there are some important steps you need to take:
- Get angry with what you have. Make a pledge to yourself that you need to change and that you never want to go back.
- Set specific and obtainable goals. This one is a no brainer. Everyone say that a goal is important, but your goals need to be specific and measurable. If you want to lose fat you can measure your waist or hip size, if you want stamina you can measure your morning pulse or do a step test regularly, if you want strength you can se how much weight you are lifting. You get the idea. Write down these numbers once every or every second week and work towards a goal. You can use spread sheets or online services like gyminee to track your progress.
- Start preparing doing things on a regular basis. I recommend starting with something different than exercise. You want to go for a soft start. Try planning for having an apple between lunch and dinner every day. This seems simple, but it takes the steps of actually buying apples, bringing them with you were you are and remembering eating them.
- Make rituals out of the thing you want to do on a regular basis. Rituals are the most powerful tool you can use to become persitant. Rituals are when you connect what you want to do with something that you are already doing. Lets say that you usually are having a coffee at the time that you want to eat your apple. By clustering them together you remember the apple more easily. It actually takes some trial and error before you get it, but you get better after about four repeated rituals.
- Start preparing for the exercise: It is best if you find something that is fun or a necessary thing to do. I was addicted to brazilian jiu jitsu for several years because it was so damn fun to do. I never missed a single bout of training. The exercise you pick could be something that you have wanted to do for years but never set off the time for. The other option is to pick an exercise that you need to do. We sold our second car, so now it is necessary for me to ride my bicycle to work. I would usually not recommend that you plan to exercise with someone specific regularly. Training with a partner is motivating, but your plan falls to pieces the day your partner is missing.
- Start doing the actual exercise and build your ritual. I actually combine my lunch with a bout of strength training. When the coffee is gone I am off.
- Set a plan for when you want to exercise, what you want to do and stick to the plan. Write your plan out for the week and check off as you progress throughout the day.
If you follow these steps you build a strong foundation for continuing training. I need to emphasize that it is not a failure to take a few days off after you have had a holliday or similar happening. You have your plan and will return to it when you are ready. The rituals are there when you return.
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