Why you don't exercise and how to trick yourself into exercising?
We all want to be healthy, fit and look good. There is only one recipe for that: live a healthy life (good food, no alcohol, exercise). Let's focus on exercising.
It is recommended to exercise at least 2 hours per week. An average American spend almost three hours per day watching TV. That's about 20 hours per week. Therefore, cutting only 10% of TV time will leave enough room for exercise. Why we don't exercise? The answer is simple: bad habits.
Actually, there are three principles involved: the principle of minimum energy, the principle of safe ground and the principle of habits.
The principle of minimum energy says that if we have to choose between two tasks, we would chose the one that requires less energy. For example, if you have to choose between digging a hole 6 x 6 x 6 (216 cubic feet) and mowing your 6 x 6 lawn, which one would you choose? When you have to choose between 5 miles jogging and watching TV, what is your choice? Average answer is quite obvious.
The principle of safe ground says that when facing the choice between two activities we choose the one that is "safer" for us. If the choice is between fighting with a tiger with bear hands and buying some candies, it clear what an average person would do. It is safer to stay at home than to go to the gym.
The principle of habits is quite obvious. Facing the choice between something that we usually do and something we have never done before an average person choose the first one. If we usually watch TV and only occasionally exercise guess what will happen if we have to choose between them.
A recipe for success
It is the best to fight all three principles at the same time:
1. Try to make the energy difference smaller between tasks. For example jogging for 3 minutes doesn't look that energy consuming as five mile jogging.
2. Try not to make tough choices. For example don't choose between going to gym and eating a chocolate. Choose between going to gym and digging a hole that was mentioned before. You could choose to exercise at home.
3. Try to make it a habit. Make a habit of exercising after work on Monday and Thursday. Do it every week. Without exceptions. It takes one month to form a habit, and one day to ruin it.
Here is one example:
1. Start jogging every day first thing in the morning.
2. Start with 20 minutes walking. Every week replace one minute of walking with one minute of jogging.
3. After four months you should jog for all 20 minutes. After that maintain this level.
4. Optional: increase the time to 30 minutes or the pace of running.
It is recommended to exercise at least 2 hours per week. An average American spend almost three hours per day watching TV. That's about 20 hours per week. Therefore, cutting only 10% of TV time will leave enough room for exercise. Why we don't exercise? The answer is simple: bad habits.
Actually, there are three principles involved: the principle of minimum energy, the principle of safe ground and the principle of habits.
The principle of minimum energy says that if we have to choose between two tasks, we would chose the one that requires less energy. For example, if you have to choose between digging a hole 6 x 6 x 6 (216 cubic feet) and mowing your 6 x 6 lawn, which one would you choose? When you have to choose between 5 miles jogging and watching TV, what is your choice? Average answer is quite obvious.
The principle of safe ground says that when facing the choice between two activities we choose the one that is "safer" for us. If the choice is between fighting with a tiger with bear hands and buying some candies, it clear what an average person would do. It is safer to stay at home than to go to the gym.
The principle of habits is quite obvious. Facing the choice between something that we usually do and something we have never done before an average person choose the first one. If we usually watch TV and only occasionally exercise guess what will happen if we have to choose between them.
A recipe for success
It is the best to fight all three principles at the same time:
1. Try to make the energy difference smaller between tasks. For example jogging for 3 minutes doesn't look that energy consuming as five mile jogging.
2. Try not to make tough choices. For example don't choose between going to gym and eating a chocolate. Choose between going to gym and digging a hole that was mentioned before. You could choose to exercise at home.
3. Try to make it a habit. Make a habit of exercising after work on Monday and Thursday. Do it every week. Without exceptions. It takes one month to form a habit, and one day to ruin it.
Here is one example:
1. Start jogging every day first thing in the morning.
2. Start with 20 minutes walking. Every week replace one minute of walking with one minute of jogging.
3. After four months you should jog for all 20 minutes. After that maintain this level.
4. Optional: increase the time to 30 minutes or the pace of running.
posted by Zoran Maksimovic at
6:00 AM
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