Holistic Habits: Exercise
Exercise: I will set aside a minimum of seven hours a week for exercise. This includes hiking, swimming, running, weightlifting, yoga, stretching, biking, etc.
You must set a minimum time aside for exercise every week and stick to it. Using seven hours a week allows you to exercise an hour a day. This exercise needs to be as vigorous as possible, given your health considerations at the time. For some people, this might mean some simple walking and stretching, for others this may be a long run or intense weightlifting session. Always consult with a doctor about what type of exercise you should do if you have not exercised for a while.
The important thing is that this becomes a habitual habit. Maybe you choose to stretch and walk in the morning for thirty minutes, and then do an hour of weightlifting in the evening. Or maybe you would rather spend your time swimming and hiking. The important this is that the regular, daily habit of exercise is performed, particularly if you are in a sedentary job.
Routine exercise has many benefits that have been well stated in our places, so it is unnecessary to list them here. The important thing is to develop a habitual routine that works for you, that you can do every day. The key to this is to exercise in ways that you find enjoyable. Even better is to frame your opinions about exercise to make all manners enjoyable.
This manifests in my life as waking up early and lifting weights. The pandemic has enabled me to develop a well-functioning home gym. I typically spend five minutes stretching, and then 50–60 minutes lifting weights. I have a five-day exercise routine. This enables me to either double up if I am energetic every morning or taking a morning or two off if I am feeling sluggish. During the day I walk a minimum of 12,000 step which I track using a fitness tracker. A few evenings a week I go for a run after work. On the weekends I try and hike. This variety means that I usually get about ten hours or more of exercise a week in. Since I have made this a holistic habit, I have much more energy and feel healthy and trim.
