Thanks to Sir Isaac Newton, we know that objects in motion stay in motion, while objects at rest remain at rest. Likewise, sedentary lifestyles are hard to break out of. In other words, if life has you chained to your desk or couch, it may quickly become your default state of being.
But what’s so great about staying in motion? Well, according to a 2020 study, 31% of the global population 15 years of age and older do not get sufficient physical activity and face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and more negative health effects.
Consistently moving your body is one of the best ways to benefit both your physical and mental health. If you want to know how to stay consistent with working out, here are seven simple and actionable strategies to break the chains of sedentariness.
1. Set Realistic Daily Movement Goals
Whenever we set grand, rigorous goals for ourselves—expecting change to happen overnight if we can meet our lofty expectations—it usually doesn’t work. We burn out too quickly and return to our regular habits.
Instead, here’s how to be consistent with working out: You have to make small, realistic changes that lend themselves to forming healthy lifestyle habits. In other words, if you set realistic, attainable movement goals that you can achieve regularly, that movement will become a habit.
The best part? Once daily movement is a habit, you don’t have to expend the same mental energy to motivate yourself, and you won’t stress about the need to exercise because it’ll be second nature. Ultimately, you’ll be able to stay in motion with tremendous success.
How Much Exercise Do I Need Per Week?
What is a realistic expectation or goal for your daily physical activity? The CDC defines physical activity as anything that gets your body moving—walking, running, swimming, sports, etc.—and recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week for adults.
Additionally, adults should try to complete two days of muscle-strengthening activity per week.
To make your daily fitness goals more manageable, break up the 150 minutes over multiple sessions over multiple days. For example, you could walk for 30 minutes, 5 days each week. If you prefer athletic physical activity, like running, you only need 115 minutes of vigorous activity per week, allowing you to work in shorter intervals. Plus, incorporating outdoor exercises into your routine not only aids in meeting these goals but also maximizes the benefits of being outside, such as fresh air and Vitamin D exposure.
2. Create a Sustainable Daily Movement Schedule
Pre-planning your day or week can help you strategize how to allot your time to complete tasks, chores, and errands. And if you commit time to creating a plan, you’re more likely to stick to it and complete your objectives.
Creating a schedule for your daily movement is equally important. According to an article by the Association for Psychological Science, as many as 20% of people may be chronic procrastinators, and people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower levels of well-being.
Daily movement is easy to avoid via procrastination. It’s easier to say, “I’ll do it tomorrow,” than “I’ll do it now.” To avoid daily procrastination and keep your ritual fitness habits developing on track, create a sustainable movement schedule at the top of the week or the night before.
3. Track Progress and Stay Accountable
Any Snapchat or Duolingo user knows there’s nothing more compelling than an activity streak—and nothing more disappointing than breaking a long streak of check-ins or performances. Streaks motivate us by adding structure to an activity and creating rules and quantified outcomes similar to a game or challenge.
We can apply the same psychological principles to our daily movement to keep us focused on hitting our goals and having fun doing it. Many fitness apps allow you to track your daily activity and even set a daily goal, motivating you to hit your “streak” for the day. The more successful activities you log, the more accountable you’ll be in continuing to stay active.
It’s also gratifying to look back on past activity logs and admire the hard work you put in over long, consistent periods.
For even more accountability, gather a group of like-minded friends or family to join you in daily movement, and keep tabs on each other’s progress—a daily step challenge is a perfect way to get everyone moving and engaged in (healthy) competition.
4. Find Joy in Diverse Daily Movement Activities
What if pounding the pavement isn’t your style? Are you tired of your treadmill or stationary bike and find you aren’t motivated to work out in the same routine setting? Consider switching things up.
Diversifying your daily movement can be both mentally and physically rewarding, not to mention essential for staying consistent with your daily activity goals. Aside from keeping things fresh, spicing up your movement routine can challenge different muscle groups that you may not usually don’t exert.
So, if you’re a walker, try rowing or rock climbing. Or, try picking up a sport like pickleball or tennis. If your movement activities also provide social engagement or build a sense of community, you’re more likely to stick with the activity and be more motivated to work out.
Ultimately, the goal is to find an exercise that’s enjoyable enough not to feel like exercise.
Adapt to Any Activity with Vionic
Having the proper equipment can often be a barrier to entry for many athletic sports and activities. And that applies to footwear as well. If you don’t have the proper shoes for a particular type of exercise, fear of injury or poor performance might keep you from the experience.
For versatile, top-tier athletic footwear ideal for a range of indoor or outdoor activities, consider Vionic’s 23Walk Classic Sneaker. Featuring certified arch support from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), Vionic prioritizes foot health, ensuring your performance remains optimal without compromising on comfort or safety. While the 23Walk offers forefoot flexibility, it’s worth noting it’s not designed for high-impact activities like running, making it perfect for a variety of exercises excluding running.
5. Overcome Obstacles to Daily Movement Consistency
Sometimes, factors outside of our control will force us to pause our momentum. In these situations, do you know how to stay consistent with exercise?
Perhaps someone is using the machine you need at the gym for what feels like a lifetime. Or maybe the parking lot is full at your favorite trail. Is your community pool closed for cleaning? Maybe you just feel a little off, a little bored, or a little meh.
Don’t worry—the following strategies from Harvard’s School of Public Health might help you find your way out of your activity rut or skirt the obstacles that would otherwise thwart your fitness plans:
- Play that funky music – Studies have shown that music can increase the enjoyment of exercise and reduce the perception of fatigue and “work.” If you’re not in the mood to work out, music might help, too. Research shows us that music can foster a positive mood compared to those who don’t listen to music while exercising.
- Split it, don’t quit it – If you’re running late and only have half the time you usually do to exercise, don’t skip it altogether. Instead, split your activity into multiple parts, if you can. As long as you’re meeting your daily activity goals before the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how or when you do them.
- Heat up your lounge time – If your typical daily movement activity is unavailable (i.e. the gym is closed, it’s raining on your hike day, etc.), try incorporating movement into typically sedentary activities. For instance, you can get in some squats or calf raises during commercial breaks while watching TV, pace while talking on the phone to someone instead of sitting, or dance while doing the laundry.
6. Develop a Supportive Daily Movement Environment
Improving and maintaining your daily activity doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor. In fact, the more supportive your community and environment are, the more likely you are to stay consistent in your activities and meet your goals.
Take advantage of the clubs, recreational sports, and classes in your community or gym. If you can’t find an in-person group that interests you, there are many virtual communities of like-minded people who share your goals and interests. Facebook groups and online leaderboards on fitness apps or websites can be great motivators to take advantage of.
7. Understand the Impact of Proper Shoes on Daily Movement
The right footwear can enable us to move for longer periods with greater performance, comfort, and enjoyment. After all, your feet are the foundation for most athletic activities, so why not take proper care of them and set yourself up for success?
A great shoe offers stability, flexibility, comfort, and style, like the 23Walk Classic Sneaker or Walk Max Lace Up Sneaker from Vionic. Designed to keep you moving step after step, this customer-favorite sneaker is perfect for maintaining a high level of comfort in your on-the-go lifestyle.
Need to upgrade your work shoes or casual footwear for enhanced comfort during enhanced activity? Vionic has your back—and feet—with supportive, high-quality insoles. Built to elevate any pair of shoes to Vionic standards, these insoles are a must if you want the flexibility to stay moving in any situation life throws at you.
And, after a long day of healthy movement, remember to treat your feet to a little recovery time with the Rejuvenate Recovery Sandal. It’s built with maximum foot contact and pressure distribution for optimal foot relief.
Experience Steady Support for Consistent Activity with Vionic
Vionic has the footwear you need for a healthy, flexible, and agile life. Leap into any activity confidently and find your fitness community with the support and comfort offered by Vionic’s recovery shoes or walking sneakers with arch support.
Wondering what is physical well-being or how to boost your physical activity, in general? Look to Vionic! No matter how you move, move often with Vionic.
Sources:
National Library of Medicine. Sedentary Lifestyle: Overview of Updated Evidence of Potential Health Risks. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7700832/
CDC. How much physical activity do adults need? https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm
APS. Why Wait? The Science Behind Procrastination. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination
Clemson News. Keeping a streak alive can be strong motivation to stick with a chosen activity.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Staying Active.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/staying-active/
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