Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution to improve your health—both mental and physical—or it’s a new personal goal just for fun, starting an exercise routine can be difficult. Even though you may be all for it, it can still be hard to change your lifestyle, especially if it has been ingrained in you for years. The thought of it may even be impossible. Fortunately, beating that preconception is easier than you think. In this article, coach Seth Coffing shares six tips on how to establish an exercise habit this year.

Getting started on regular exercising doesn’t have to be intimidating; it’s all about being practical, patient, and starting slow. By following these six helpful tips, you, too, can establish an exercise routine.

  • Start Small

A huge mistake people make when starting to exercise is starting a big workout routine too soon.
This can make it much harder to get started since you’ll dread the workout. If you do manage to start it, this can take a toll on your body and leave you feeling fatigued. Instead, start with much smaller workouts.

They can be as small as taking a five-minute walk at first, but over time you can increase the duration and how rigorous they are.

  • The Little Things Count, Too

If you’re having trouble getting started with a workout, integrate exercise into your daily routine.
Miniscule choices like taking the stairs instead of the elevator might seem like they won’t make much of a difference, or any at all, but they really do.

You can burn five calories per minute of walking up the stairs, which might not seem like a lot, but it is more calories burned than if you took the elevator.

  • Schedule It

Devote a specific amount of time to exercising every day and put it in your schedule. This can help develop a steady habit of exercising by making it a normal part of your day and reminding yourself to do it.

  • Work Out with Friends

    Working out with friends makes exercising easier and more fun to do. It gives you a chance to hang out and converse with people you like, which makes the time go by much faster. It also means you’ll have others who will hold you accountable.

    • Put Any Gear Out the Night Before

    • Just like prepping for any other thing, place any gear you need by the door before you go to bed.
    By doing this, you won’t have to scramble the next morning because there will be another item on your to-do list; it’ll be ready for you when you are.

    • Just Go for It

    At the end of the day, you can prepare and motivate yourself all you can, but then it all depends on the moment you finally do it.

    Don’t give yourself the chance to contemplate whether or not you should work out. Simply, without thinking, put on your shoes and go for a walk. You don’t need a big plan or anything; just exercise.

Author's Bio: 

Seth Coffing is a devoted coach, mentor, and leader with a proven track record. Since high school, he has been accumulating victories in football, basketball, and baseball, and he has continued to do so in his 19-year-long coaching career. Seth Coffing is a team leader adept at working with people of different ages and backgrounds, helping them perform at the highest levels.