Tricks and Tips Tuesday

30 Day Habit Builder

On my last birthday, December 22, 2011, I realized something very important - I was NEVER going to reach and keep my fit life goals if I continued making excuses and skipping out on being consistently active. Until that day, I had worked out and been a lot healthier than ever before, but I continued to dislike exercise and more often than not, it felt like a chore. So, in light of the new year just around the corner and an overwhelming desire to actually DO something to improve, I decided to make a change... I did not make a New Year's Resolution, I made a 30 Day Habit Builder pact with myself. Going off the idea that it takes 30 days to break a habit, I made a commitment to CREATE a habit of being active and exercising. I spent 30 days straight getting at least 30 minutes of exercise every single day - whether I liked it or not, whether I wanted to or not, whether it was convenient or not, whether the weather was nice or not, period, the end, suck it up princess no one ever drowned in sweat (as one of the best UC Irvine Kappa Alpha Theta football shirts once said). Yes, I even did it on the one incredibly memorable day during that period when I was too hungover to think I would even survive in any position other than a tight little ball on the floor - however, I DID listen to my body (and pain) and chose a nice long walk and yoga instead of something crazy and intense.

Since my 30 Day Habit Builder began, my view of exercise and feelings about its effects have completely changed. Since my 30 Day Habit Builder concluded, I have had no problem exercising 3-6 days a week, without fail (even when I was on vacation). I like it, I crave it, it makes me feel better, it makes me relax, it helps me focus, it helps me sleep, it's something I wish I had done sooner.

Tomorrow is a new day - will you add the 30 Day Habit Builder to your bag of tricks and start creating a healthy new habit, or look back and wish you had?