Strategies for Sustainable Exercise Adherence: Prioritising Wellbeing and Enjoyment

Starting or Restarting your fitness journey is a fantastic step towards improving your overall mental and physical wellbeing. However, maintaining long-term adherence to regular exercise can be challenging without finding genuine enjoyment in your workouts. In this post, we will explore strategies that prioritise both wellbeing and enjoyment, helping you to make exercise part of your life.

1. Discover Activities You Love: A key component to sustainable exercise adherence is finding activities that you truly enjoy. Experiment with different forms of exercise until you find what brings you joy and excitement. Whether it’s strength training, hiking, swimming, or playing a team sport, choose activities that make you look forward to each session with enthusiasm.

2. Set Realistic Goals: Setting realistic goals is crucial for maintaining exercise adherence. Instead of fixating on weight loss or muscle gain, focus on goals that align with your overall wellbeing. For example, aim to increase your time outdoors, amount of exercise you do per week (while still allowing for rest and recovery) or boosting your mood through exercise. Setting achievable and meaningful goals will keep you motivated and engaged.

3. Try an Active Commute: Consider incorporating physical activity into your daily commute whenever possible. Instead of relying solely on motorised transportation, explore options that allow you to be more active, such as walking, cycling, or using public transportation combined with walking. Not only does an active commute contribute to your daily exercise routine, but it also been shown to have one of the biggest impacts on overall wellbeing in comparison to other forms of exercise.

4. Make it Social: Exercise doesn't have to be a solitary activity. Engaging in group workouts, joining fitness classes, or participating in sports leagues can make exercise more enjoyable and provide a social component. Exercising with others creates a sense of camaraderie, accountability, and support, making your workouts more fun and encouraging long-term adherence.

5. Listen to Your Body: Prioritise your body's needs and listen to its signals. Pay attention to your energy levels, and don't push yourself too hard when you're feeling fatigued or unwell. Incorporate rest days into your routine and make sure you are fuelling properly to allow for recovery and to prevent burnout. By honouring your body's limitations and providing adequate rest and fuel, you'll foster a positive relationship with exercise and promote overall wellbeing.

6. Find Joy in the Process: Shift your focus from solely outcome-oriented goals to the joy of the exercise itself. Instead of fixating on burning calories or reaching a specific milestone, enjoy the present moments during your workouts. Pay attention to the endorphin rush, the strength of your muscles, and the sense of accomplishment after each session. Embrace the process and celebrate the small victories along the way.

7. Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness into your exercise routine to enhance both wellbeing and enjoyment. Pay attention to the physical sensations, the rhythm of your breath, and the connection between your mind and body during each movement. By implementing mindfulness, you'll deepen your appreciation for exercise as a holistic practice, promoting mental clarity and helping to reduce stress.

8. Acknowledge Your Achievements: Take a moment to acknowledge the progress you've made, whether it's reaching a fitness milestone, maintaining consistency, or even simply getting outside more. Recognise your accomplishments, big and small, and give yourself credit for the effort and dedication you've shown. Recognising your achievements can help boost confidence, reinforce commitment, and find more joy in your fitness journey.

Applied tip: Spend time to recognise challenges you may face when getting active and consider ways you can work around these. For example, if you find it hard to go out for a run but enjoy the yourself during and after running, look at ways you can remove obstacles to starting your run (e.g. set your close out the night before and have your pre run food pre-prepared).

Conclusion: Exercise adherence is key to seeing and feeling the benefits of exercise and enhancing your overall wellbeing. By prioritising enjoyment, setting realistic goals, fitting in exercise when it works for you, utilising social connections, listening to your body, finding joy in the process, practicing mindfulness, and acknowledging your achievements, you can create a sustainable exercise routine that promotes long-term adherence and supports your wellbeing journey.

Remember, exercise should be a source of pleasure and self-care. Embrace the activities that bring you joy, listen to your body's needs, and make exercise an integral part of your wellbeing routine.

If you're interested in making exercise an enjoyable and sustainable part of your routine, please feel free to get in touch to see how exercise psychology can help.

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Note: this post is intended to provide general information and is not a substitute for professional advice or support. Please consult with a qualified sports psychologist or mental health professional for personalised support as needed.