How to Build a Fitness Habit

We are born weak, but we know how to empower ourselves.

As an office worker who hasn't exercised much since graduating from college, maintaining a consistent gym routine was a struggle for me. I would typically give up after only a month.

My sedentary lifestyle was further emphasized during a period of remote work, with my daily physical activity dipping to less than 2,000 steps.

Despite these challenges, I managed to establish a regular fitness routine. This transformation was made possible through the adoption of certain methodologies and mindset adjustments, which I am going to share below.

Methodology

Location, Location, Location.

What's the best gym? The one that's closest to your home or office.

The journey to fitness starts with the ease of commute, not the gym itself

Making the act of 'going to exercise' as easy as possible is the key to habit formation. This speaks to the concept of 'environment' from Atomic Habits, rather than relying purely on willpower.

Once you've settled on a location, you might prefer a gym with powerful air conditioning. The gym I frequent has spacious bathing facilities, making showering a pleasure. And there's even a sauna and a steam room for after your workout 😂.

(From my personal experience, I wouldn’t rely on contracts to compel yourself to go to the gym. I once signed a two-year contract with a gym, but ended up not going after changing jobs within half a year, wasting the remaining one and a half years.)

What if I don't have time?

Usually, finding a gym closer to your location can help solve the 'time' problem.

That's because you can incorporate your gym time into three parts of your day: "Before work", "After work", and "Before heading home". Without needing to commute separately to the gym, you can save a lot of time. It also makes the process of working out more comfortable, creating a smooth routine for your exercise regimen.

What If I Don’t Know How To Use The Equipment?

You may ask, "As a beginner, I don't know the movements and get overwhelmed by equipment. What should I do?"

1. Go with friends
   • First, go with friends who know how to exercise and follow their workout plan, slowly accumulating movements you can do.
2. Ask the gym staff
   • Don't be afraid to ask. Their job is partly to ensure no one is doing movements improperly and risking injury. The few times I've asked, they've been very helpful and I haven't experienced any pushy sales tactics.
3. Take a intro coaching class first (10-12 lessons)
   • Build foundational knowledge of proper movement and form. Then you can stop to focus on building the habit.
4. Youtube
   • Although there are many videos, as a beginner it's hard to filter good information. Videos also have some degree of misinformation and can't cover everything in one video. Try options 1-3 first before resorting to Youtube.

Don't Let Coaching Classes Be the End of Your Fitness

Many people, myself included, run into this:

Taking coaching classes at first without building an exercise habit. The cost was a burden. My form was still poor from lack of practice. When I stopped classes, I stopped exercising too.

Building the habit of regular gym sessions is more important than classes alone. Classes without practice puts the cart before the horse!

The Two-Minute Rule

This rule, also borrowed from Atomic Habits, suggests condensing a new habit down to just "two minutes". The crux is to make starting the habit as easy as possible.

When it comes to fitness, this means not aiming to lift too heavy or do too much at once. Even just doing two sets at the gym is acceptable. The most crucial part is maintaining the habit long-term.

A new habit shouldn't feel like a challenge. It can evolve into a challenge later on, but it should be easy to start.

Consistency is more important than intensity - the key is to just keep going!

Push Through the Valley of the Beginner, Creating A Positive Cycle

According to the Learning Curve theory , initial progress can be slow and difficult. But as we persistently invest effort and accumulate experience, the efficiency of learning improves, and the progress curve becomes steeper. I call this initial phase the "Valley of the Beginner".

In fitness, you will also encounter this Valley of the Beginner. At first, you might feel unsure about what you're doing, and the sensations or visible changes in your physique might be minimal.

But once you push through this period, you will gradually notice a difference in yourself. The same weight will feel less challenging, and you may start to see faint muscle definition on your body. Additionally, you might experience increased energy levels on a daily basis.

Once you begin to receive this feedback, you'll be motivated to exercise more. With increased frequency, the feedback becomes more tangible, creating a positive cycle.

Post When You Hit The Gym, Leverage The Power of Community

I often post on social media when I'm at the gym. Getting responses from people, like likes or comments saying "Strong", "Huge", "Looking good!" acts as motivation to keep going.

As my body starts changing, I also get more positive feedback. This feedback keeps me motivated.

People love feeling acknowledged, so don't hesitate to compliment others!

Seeing friends post their workouts often motivates me to hit the gym the next day too.

Habit Tracking

Recording what you do each workout can help remind you of your progress and how long you've been at it.

This applies the Paper Clip Strategy from Atomic Habits. Originally, a salesperson put a paper clip in a jar for each call made, getting instant feedback. Seeing the jar full of paper clips at the end of the day was satisfying.

I keep a list of my workouts, checking them off as I complete them. The satisfaction from checking things off helps me maintain the habit.

Have A Workout Schedule

Having a set workout schedule reduces cognitive load. You don't have to figure out what to do when you get to the gym - you already know your plan and just need to execute it.

My schedule includes two sets each for chest, back, and legs. I alternate between two different workouts. One schedule can last at least three months, gradually increasing the weight each workout.

In The Beginning: Compound Exercises > Isolation Exercises

For office workers, we usually don't have much time for exercise. Hence, choosing compound exercises, which work multiple muscle groups at once, can be more efficient than isolation exercises.

If you follow a typical "chest, back, legs" split, training each muscle group just once or twice a week, that's not enough stimulation and you may not get the results you want.

Note: This is not against isolation exercises. It's just from the perspective of "low training frequency", compound exercises can better stimulate all body parts.

As you increase your training frequency, you can gradually transition from compounds to more isolation work.

Mindset

Don't Beat Yourself Up Over Missed Workouts

Sometimes work or life gets in the way and you miss a workout. The key is not to spiral and give up entirely. One missed session doesn't mean you've failed. It's crucial to get back on track right away.

Treat each missed workout as an independent event. It's not the first mistake that derails you, but repeatedly missing workouts. After each mistake, stop the bleeding and recommit.

The point isn't the act itself, but becoming the person who doesn't miss workouts. —— Atomic Habits

Find Your Why

Finding an exercise purpose that resonates with you is key to maintaining the habit.

Maybe it's to have the energy to explore the world, or stay healthy to keep learning and growing. Personally, I enjoy the challenge of obstacle course races, like Spartan race.

Don't Be A Slave To The Scale

From March until now I've only lost 4 kg.

While the weight loss isn't huge, many people say I look healthier and have more noticeable muscle tone.

Throughout your fitness journey, focus more on your body's changes and your perception of health rather than the numbers.

In Summary

Aside from these methods, one thought keeps me going to the gym:

When I hesitate to workout, I ask myself - have I ever regretted a workout? The answer is always "NO". I might regret skipping the gym or wasting time I could've spent there. That would stress me out more.

That's it, I hope this article can give you a little more direction when cultivating fitness habits!