How to Finally Stick to a Fitness Habit
Have you picked up a new habit—say, exercising—but keep falling off the wagon? Do you give up when things get tough? Does this whole idea of “chasing goals” seem really scary? You may have low self-efficacy. But don’t worry: self-efficacy is something you can achieve with practice. Here’s how.
What is self-efficacy?
Self-efficacy, as psychologists understand it, is related to the idea of confidence, but it is not just being cocky for no reason. It is a feeling of something like determination, associated with discipline and motivation.
When you have high self-efficacy, you believe that you can achieve your goal . Whatever it is. You may just be starting a long journey, but you know you will get to the end. You see obstacles in your path as speed bumps rather than barriers. If you encounter a problem, you will find a way to solve it. You just know it will happen.
These beliefs are not something you were born with or something you received through luck or miracles. You create them over time, with practice and experience.
At the core of self-efficacy is the idea that you can control what you do and that you can control at least some of the things around you in your life. For example, if there’s a snowstorm the day you were planning to go to the gym, you don’t just give up working out for the week. You can change your schedule to go another day, or do a home workout, or simply remind yourself that your routine will remain and that your long-term plan is still on track.
Here are some of the ways psychologists say we can increase self-efficacy:
Congratulate yourself for small victories
Past successes are the fuel for future successes . This applies to little things like habits: if you manage to come to the gym once , it is much easier to come the second day.
This also applies to larger projects. If you’ve completed a beginner running program and “graduated” by running a 5K , that’s great. You learned that you can follow the program. You’ve learned that you can run further than you ever thought possible. You’ve learned what it’s like to go for a run when you’re tired and still finish. You’ve learned what it really means to shine through the finish line. And you can use it all again when you start working on a new goal.
Another thing I like to do, especially when I haven’t seen success at something lately, is to look for something in the process that I can be proud of. I didn’t lift a 140-pound beam at my last strongman competition, but I hit 127 pounds in training, which is a lot more than I could do when I started.
Watch people doing what you want to do
The second best thing to reflecting on your own past experiences is experiencing the success of others vicariously. You should choose your role models carefully; pay attention to someone who truly inspires you.
For some people, watching a world-class athlete can inspire them in the gym. Others may benefit from looking at someone who is closer to you in skill level or experience. When your buddy hits a new personal best in the deadlift, you’ll be rooting for him, right? Even though you weren’t the person who walked up to the bar, you still felt a range of emotions from the nervousness of trying to celebrate your success.
Look for people who support you
Believing in yourself doesn’t have to be a solo project. Just like you can cheer your gym buddy on, your buddy can cheer you on too. Also, try to find instructors, coaches, and mentors who can help you feel unstoppable. If someone you trust thinks you can do something, you will start to believe it too.
Visualize success (and failure)
When you’re trying to stay on track, it helps to know where the path leads. What will achieving your goal look like? How will you feel when you cross the finish line, when you reach your goal weight, when you eat vegetables with your meals for a whole year?
While you’re at it—if you’re up to it—also imagine scenarios in which you try to do it but momentarily fail. How will you feel if you get injured, if vacation throws you off track, or if your gym buddy can’t go deadlifting with you? Your plan is big enough to get you through these obstacles, but it will help you think through them in advance and plan how you will deal with them. Then, when the time comes, you will carry out your plan without hesitation.