make exercise a habit

Ever since my last post I’ve been going to the gym at least every other day. I’ve been using the elliptical trainer for thirty minutes, except for the day before yesterday when I used it for an hour.

I haven’t exercised regularly in like three years, so I’m trying to ease back into it by not doing anything too difficult. I enjoy using the elliptical trainer, and since I know I need to enjoy exercise in order to make it a habit that’s why I’ve been sticking with what I enjoy. But I’m starting to think I need to change it up. Or go longer, or something. Basically, I haven’t lost A SINGLE POUND in the three weeks that I’ve been exercising regularly. Why would that be? I’d been losing weight fairly steadily until then.

Slightly discouraging…

I put in 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer tonight, supposedly burning 325 calories. I made a workout playlist on my ipod, and it helped a lot. It was actually kind of enjoyable. The hardest part, really, is getting myself out the door.

Obviously this is not a tangible thing. However, I couldn’t really think of anything I liked more. I could have said something like “exercise five days a week for a month,” or something, but who’s to say I wouldn’t just stop exercising after completing that goal? What I really is for exercise to become a lifelong habit.

For the sake of having a point at which I can cross this one off, though, I’m going to say that if I can exercise at least four times a week for six months I will have successfully formed a habit of it.