Pretty much everyone I know can produce a good list as to why you should exercise and maintain a healthy weight.
The benefits of regular exercise are frankly beyond doubt for most people*
You know you should exercise and you probably know how , either at a basic, or a super advanced level.
The issue is that you wont or can’t.
You have the shoes, the kit, the dumbbell, the exercise video ( gosh Im showing my age) and probably an unused expensive gym membership. You have probably worked out that instagram, and you tube are stuffed full of “follow along” exercise videos.
never before, in the field of humanity have so many non exercisers had such un-limited access to so much free fitness tuition.
Admittedly some are a bit dubious, but thats not really a reason not to find some motivation from the absolute pile of fitness stuff out there.
The problem is, and most people have been there: you prevaricate.
This is where your thought processes, beliefs and experiences make decision making impossible. You sit on the couch feeling guilty about not exercising. Even the lowest level on the “Couch to 5 k” programme seems like an impossible task! It’s too hard, you don’t like getting out of breath, its too sweaty!
However, the bad effects of being unable to decide to do something that is good for you, can undermine every aspect of your life. Our understanding of a mind body, body mind connection is in its infancy, but it makes sense that an indecisive, worried ” just cannot decide” mentality is going to be correlated with long term ill health.
It’s innately stressful.
There are several methods to build your ability to exercise that Im going to share with those of you who want to exercise. The regime I’m going to offer (for free btw, of charge or obligation) is for people who want to exercise. This system wont work for those being pushed into it.
So if you join my next (free) 7 day challenge, here is roughly the process.
I’ll send you a guideline that will help you decide and identify when you think you can realistically exercise (I’m assuming you will do this at home). Most people find it’s just after you get up, but we will find when the best time for you is. Im assuming you’ll be doing the regime at home, in normal clothes. No equipment. No special anything!
You will then “do a teeny bit of physical exercise’. Then you’ll do a quick, weird “ritual”. Then you’ll need to send me an email /or update a spread sheet/ or check into a facebook group (I’m yet to decide) and write the word “Yes”
I should make it very clear, the activity or exercise you will do will be minimal. I’ll suggest an activity for you, you are free to choose your own, but it must be super, super easy.
In other words, I don’t want the possible difficulty giving you a reason to debate doing it. For example, sit on a chair, then stand up and sit down 1-5 times, not doing a Crossfit workout.
Boom.
The you need to do the “ritual” I mentioned , but its basically a celebration:you can punch the air, do a war dance… whatever. I’ll help you choose if you get stuck
As weird as it sounds, if I can get you to do this for 7 days , the chances are I can fix your attitude towards starting an exercise routine.
You could also get a BONUS and benefit from from “success momentum.”
This weird regime seems to build persistence, resilience, and optimism. For some magical reason, the ability to break things down into the smallest thing possible, and anchor that teeny bit to an existing habit, and then to give yourself credit for doing a tiny bit makes most people more confident, initiates other changes in their lives and helps them tackle big problems that have nagged them.
It seems that many people need to be reminded that big complex tasks should be broken down. Once you break things down, everything becomes doable.
You can sign onto my next challenge by filling out this form
If you have any issues or problems, do email me on andrew@andrewstemler.com
The next challenge starts on Monday 28th September 2020
EXCLUSION CLAUSE:MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
*If you are in a rare category where your doctor has said ” for God sake don’t exercise otherwise your head will fall off.” You know to ignore anything I’ve said.
Reading list
If you get fascinated by this whole habit thing, there are 2 leading Habit books
By Fogg Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything
James Clear Atomic Habits: The life-changing million copy bestseller
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