Achieving a sustainable exercise routine – set yourself up for success

A long-term sustainable health and fitness routine is harder to achieve than most initially think. Below are some ideas to help ensure you are doing the best you can to make your exercise journey a success.

Self-Efficacy:

Self-efficacy refers to the belief that you are capable of successfully completing an exercise AND you believe you can regularly exercise in the face of common barriers such as having a lack of time. One way we can increase our self-efficacy is by setting SMART goals. These allow us to identify what is needed to be successful and therefore instil confidence in our exercise ability. It is also just as important that we set short term goals as we do long term goals, so that we can receive feedback of our success on a regular basis. The SMARTS principle can be used to guide effective goal setting.

Specific: Goals should be precise.
Measurable: Goals should be quantifiable.
Action-orientated: Goals should indicate what needs to be done.
Realistic: Goals should be achievable.
Timely: Goals should have a specific and realistic time frame.
Self-determined: Goals should be developed primarily by the individual.

We are all at different stages of readiness (Transtheoretical Model):
Individuals are at different stages of readiness to make behavioural changes and thus require different interventions to help them progress. The Transtheoretical model includes 5 stages of change:
Precontemplation (no intention to be regularly active in the next 6 months)
Contemplation (intending to be active in the next 6 months)
Preparation (intending to be regularly active in the next 30 days)
Action (has been regularly active for less 6 moths)
Maintenance (has been regularly active for greater than 6 months)

If you believe you are in the early stages of the transtheoretical model, then having a clear understanding of the benefits of exercise is vital so that you can see that these outweigh the barriers you may have to exercise. E.g. exercise will assist in reducing your blood pressure and thus is vital for your health.

If you believe you are in the later stages of the transtheoretical model, then self-regulating and rewarding yourself are great ways to continue to encourage your habits. E.g., Using an exercise journal or step tracker.

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation:

Individuals with intrinsic motivation have the highest degree of self-motivation and are interested in engaging in exercise simply for the satisfaction, challenge or pleasure it brings. Whereas individuals with extrinsic motivation exercise for non-sustainable reason such as to look good. Ways that you can try to encourage this intrinsic motivation is by promoting choice in your exercise routine- picking exercise types you enjoy, and by starting small and making sure exercises are at a comfortable level to increase your feelings of competence.

I hope this helps you in your 2023 exercise journey!