Let’s face it, not everyone enjoys hitting the gym seven days a week. I definitely didn’t. It took me a couple of months to get into an exercise routine, and to stick to it.
Contrary to popular belief, it takes a whole lot longer than 21 days to form a habit. The truth is that it will most likely take you anything between two to eight months to build a new behaviour into your life. This time frame, however, will also depend on you as a person and your circumstances.
So, if you want to start an exercise routine to help you lose weight, you’ll need to know that you won’t just magically feel like going to gym after just three weeks. You need to be motivated and disciplined if you want to see progress.
ALSO SEE: Revenge body: how I lost 20kg and kept it off!
The first very important step to sticking to your exercise routine is to find an activity that you enjoy doing. There’s no point in spending an hour on the treadmill if you hate running, or waste your time in the weights section if weight training is not your thing.
If people motivate you, find a group class like boxing, a barre class or CrossFit to encourage you to go to gym at least four to five days a week. If you’re just starting your exercise routine, it might be best to start off slow – about three days a week – until you get a little fitter and stronger. You’ll also find that you often make friends at group classes who encourage you not to miss classes.
Whatever activity you choose, just make sure that you get some satisfaction out of it, otherwise you won’t be able to stick to an exercise routine.
ALSO SEE: Revenge body: how to stay motivated to lose weight
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