How to Start to Exercise

Want to know how to get motivated to start to exercise regularly — AND stay motivated?

If so, the 3 surprisingly simple steps below will help you.

STEP 1 — Know the Benefits of Exercise

It’s always good for our motivation to know how something we want to do will benefit us. So, your first step in learning how to start to exercise is appreciating the benefits it has for you and your mental, emotional and physical health.

The Benefits of Exercise

Enhances your self-image, confidence and esteem.
Boosts the production of feel-good chemicals called endorphins that give you a natural high.
Improves your mood and helps pull you out of negative thought loops.
Helps you feel more in control of your emotions and can reduce anxiety and stress.
Reduces your risk of depression — with studies showing that regular exercise is as beneficial as anti-depressants.
Improves how you think, learn and remember — research shows it can increase your mental powers by as much as 30%.
Increases your energy and helps keep it more consistent throughout the day.
Boosts your productivity, and performance at work.
Helps you better manage your weight and burn fat by boosting your metabolism and burning extra calories you might have consumed. Plus, the more you exercise, the more your body learns to burn fat rather than store it.
Increases your strength, muscle tone, and flexibility. To help keep you youthful, feeling great and able to do everything you want to do as you age.
Improves the quality of your sleep — giving you more vitality, a clearer head and more stable emotions.
Boosts your immunity so you’re less likely to get ill or sick.
Reduces your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and even cancer.
Help ward off and possibly reverse some cognitive decline.
Is an opportunity to improve your social wellbeing. Exercising with someone makes you feel more connected and can improve your relationships.

STEP 2 — Know Why You Want to Start to Exercise

Do you keep saying to yourself you need to start exercising more? If so, have you ever asked yourself why?

If not, take a minute to consider this and see what comes up for you. I’d recommend grabbing a notebook (it’s always a good idea to think on paper as it clarifies your thoughts) and asking yourself this question: Why do I want to exercise?

Jot down anything and everything that comes to your mind. Then ask yourself the question again — 4 more times actually — stick with me on this, it’s worth it.

Finding Your True Motivation

When you get to your 5th answer, this is your true motivation. In other words, your 5th answer is your best and deepest motivation. This gives you the deep motivation you need to start exercising. And the reminder you need to keep going when you “don’t feel like it”.

For example, you might write:

Why do I want to exercise? I want to lose weight and look good in my clothes.

Why do I want to exercise to lose weight? I want to feel good in my body and about myself.

Why do I want to feel good in my body and about myself? I want to be a confident person.

Why do I want to be a confident person? I want to be the best possible version of myself and be proud of myself at the end of my life.

Internal Motivation is the Most Powerful

Now, that’s a powerful motivator to start and keep exercising — don’t you think? Can it get more important than “I want to be the best possible version of me and be proud of who I am at the end of my life”?

What’s great about this simple step is you end up with 5 clear reasons why exercise is important to you. So, be sure to put them somewhere you’ll see them daily. They’ll help keep you motivated and on track.

It’s easy to skip this step, but please don’t. It’ll take you 10 minutes.

STEP 3 — Do Less Exercise Than You Think You Can

I’m now going to share something that might surprise you — the best way to start to exercise regularly is to start with 5 minutes or less a day.

Or, in other words, start with the smallest amount of exercise. Make your first few days and weeks of starting to exercise super easy. So easy you know, no matter what, you’ll stick to it.

If you make your exercise goal 5 minutes a day or less, you know you’ll do it no matter how you feel, how good or bad your day is, or how busy you are.

5 Minute Exercises

For example, what not try starting with:

A 5-minute walk around your block.
5 minutes of stretching.
5 minutes of jumping jacks.
5 minutes of squats and push-ups.
Or, a 5-minute pilates sequence.

Bonus Tip

Once you’ve chosen your 5-minute exercise goal, for bonus points, decide when and where you’ll do it.

For example, you might say “I’ll do 5 minutes of jumping jacks every day at 7 am in my kitchen.”

This step boosts your chances of success even more — with research showing that 91% of people who planned when and where they’d exercise did it, over those who didn’t plan.

Your Goal is 5 Minutes of Exercise a Day — No More

Since your goal when you first start to exercise regularly is 5 minutes a day, that’s what you celebrate every single time.

If you feel like doing more some days, go for it. But remember over 5 minutes is extra credit, not the goal.

This small step sets you up for success by giving you a goal you know you can achieve no matter what. No matter how motivated you feel or how busy you are, you’ll find 5 minutes in your day.

And most importantly, it starts to build the habit of regular exercise into your life — and once something becomes a habit it becomes easier to do.

Make Starting to Exercise Easier

The hardest thing about exercise is getting started, but once you get into a routine of doing something daily for 5 minutes, you create a habit. And from this foundation of a small daily habit, you can build up your exercise routine from there.

For example, after a week or two of doing 5 minutes of exercise at home, you might start going to a gym class once a week too. After a month, you might also meet up with a friend once a week and go on a walk. After 2 months, you might start increasing your 5 minutes of exercise at home to 10 minutes, then 15 minutes etc.

No matter where your new habit takes you, never forget on your bad, low mood, no motivation days, that your foundational goal is 5 minutes — so just do that if you can’t face anything else — and you’ll find that you never get out of your exercise routine no matter how motivated you are.

What Will You Do

Now you know all the mental, emotional and physical benefits of exercise. And why starting to exercise is truly important to you. Plus, the best way to start to exercise, what 5-minute exercise will you start doing each day? Why not try it for 2 weeks and see how great you feel?

You’ll Love This Free Health Guide

If you’re looking for more tips, be sure to download my FREE Health Guide below — to learn 5 surprisingly simple things you can do in 5 minutes or less a day to improve your health and happiness.

With love,

Becky x

How to Start to Exercise – the #1 Motivation Secret You Need to Know