Start and Keep Your Exercise Habit

Weblog Zen Habits discusses how to start an exercise habit, first by examining why most of us don’t exercise, then by suggesting four steps for getting in the routine. Step one:

Set one easy, specific, measurable goal. There are several keys to setting this crucial goal:

• By measurable, I mean that you should be able to say, definitely, whether you hit or miss your goal today. Examples: run for 10 minutes. Walk 1/2 a mile. Do 3 sets of 5 pushups. Each of those has a number that you can shoot for.

I’ve found the first step to be crucial; a good, detailed plan of attack is a must if you plan on sticking to a workout. Get a calendar you can use to cross off workouts as you go. Fall is upon us, which means cooler weather and comfort food for most of us. Rather than pack on an extra five to ten pounds of winter weight this year, starting a good exercise habit could help you stay fit and healthy in the coming months. Let’s hear how you stay active during the cooler months to come in the comments.