Better Health Level 1 is the Hardest, Here’s Your Cheat Code
When I was a kid you had to pay to buy a book with cheat codes. This one is free. 2-3 minutes is all you need.
Up to 50% of people make resolutions to exercise. You are in plentiful company.
To be in good company, you have to stick it out for one to two months. Roughly 80% give up on exercise by February, just halfway through. James Clear says forming a habit can take around 60 days, depending on factors.
At one point, I was a 280-pound chain-smoker. Now I’ve lost 100 pounds and run a marathon.
I’ve been a gym regular for years, but I started my journey in my home and my hood. If you are getting started from nothing, I recommend my path for you too. Here’s why.
Home workouts save time.
People who choose a gym closest to home are most likely to stick with the plan. There is no gym closer to home than home.
It’s your cheapest option.
You don’t need gear. You don’t need special shoes or clothes. You don’t need more space than it takes to lie down and stand up.
Habit building is your first goal. Not losing inches or pounds.
“Success is the product of daily habits—not once-in-a-lifetime transformations,” ~James Clear
Physical fitness is a long-term hobby, not a goal you “get”.
The first month will bring subtle changes in energy and mood. In three months, your performance will improve without much visible change. The change you are looking for takes longer.
In those early months, people’s discipline fails to sustain them.
Habits get you through this wall. Start with two small ones.
Commit to a new food rule you can stick to. I recommend cutting out as much sugar as you can. Substitute reasonable portions if you desire.
Do 5-10 minutes a day of whatever movement is work, but still within reach. For me, it was walking, push-ups, sit-ups, and the like. Depending on the weather.
Spend time on YouTube finding new simple exercises you can try. Keep it fresh, and focus on whole body fitness over time.
Doing it as soon as you wake up is best. It sets the tone for the day, and activity-based cues are better than a time. As you wake, after you eat, before you shower.
Don’t negotiate with yourself. The energy miser in your brain will argue for laziness now. Easy life now, hard life later. Hard life now, easy life later. Be a lifesaver.
Why are you hitting yourself? ~My Brother
Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. Keep coming back to it. More good days than bad is a start. As you progress, the goal is more good days than in the last year. Eventually, it’s just who you are.
The great part about being at the beginning is how much progress you have in front of you. It gets fun long before you reach any goals. Good luck, and let me know how you got on.
For more on my personal journey and how and when to turn it up a notch, check out my video