8 simple steps to make exercise work for you

In this post, performance coach Keith Antoine will help you make exercise work for you with just 8 simple steps:

Is exercise beneficial? I think most people already know the answer to that one.  So why does doing exercise not work out (excuse the pun) for so many? Typically, because they make some common mistakes, which if avoided, increases the success rate of exercising and reaping the benefits.

First, let’s be clear about a few things.

• Appropriate exercise will positively impact the functioning of all 10 systems in the human body.  7 directly (skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, endocrine & lymphatic) and 3 indirectly (digestive, urinary & reproductive).

• Your body will adapt to the level of challenge you give it.  No challenge, and it will operate at the lowest level it can get away with.

• Exercise should be considered as part of the whole and not in isolation, therefore view it holistically, which means also taking into account nutrition and overall lifestyle.

• Whatever your reason for exercising, establishing a starting point helps to track your progress which provides added motivation.  This could be a health check by your friendly health professional (like the Well Woman or Well Man check by Health Klinix), or some relatively simple measurements you can take yourself, including things like resting heart rate, blood pressure, sleep patterns, weight, body measurements (often best in combinations like hips and waist, because we all come in different shapes and sizes).

• Other things worth noting before you start might include overall mood, energy levels, feeling of well-being etc. 

Having put a large number of athletes through many painful training sessions, I am very aware that exercise can be challenging, however it does not have to be as hard as many people make it. So, here are some things to consider if you would like to improve your chances of success.

Identify a real reason

People come to me because previous exercise attempts have failed. I always ask why they want to exercise. I hear; “To get fitter.”  “To lose weight.”  “To fit into that outfit.” I’m afraid these are vague reasons that will not provide sufficient motivation and explain why their previous attempts were unsuccessful. The reason needs to be clearly defined, means something to you, and you have to believe you can do it. For example, I started to cycle more because if my son continued to ride into his mid/late teens, I wanted to be able to keep up with him in both speed and distance.

The reason will be as individual as you are. I start by helping people to identify their reason because the unavoidable truth is that without a real reason, when things get a bit testy, and they usually do, we tend to give in. So this is always a critical first step.  

Set a goal that helps

As previously mentioned, “I want to get fit” is not a helpful goal. Perhaps a general aspiration, but that’s as much credit as it deserves. Doing the opposite is just as unhelpful. Setting our sights on going from nothing to the London Marathon in a couple of months may not serve us well. I’m not saying it’s impossible, however it is more likely to end in tears and a visit to A&E rather than triumphantly running down The Mall waving at family and friends. 

The purpose of a goal is to help, not add an additional burden. A goal should give meaning, energy and purpose, not “I achieve this or I fail.” Once a goal starts to feel like pressure, review it or even ditch it and set another. Set a goal that requires you to exercise on a regular basis. That’s it. Remember, it’s about your exercise adventure, not the goal.

Choose an activity that you like

If I had a penny for every time someone told me they disliked going to the gym, I’d have £8.67! Choosing an activity or location that you don’t really like is only going to make things harder than necessary, increasing the likelihood of failing to achieve your desired outcome. As obvious as it may sound, wherever possible, choose an activity that you actually enjoy. Regardless of how “good” an activity may be, choosing one that feels like a grind or that flattens your mood before you even start is not particularly helpful. 

Exercising should have exactly the opposite effect on your mood. Any activity that allows you to change the 3 key variables of duration, intensity and frequency will work nicely.

Keep your options wide open

People sometimes get a bit too specific. For example, walking is a good exercise, however choosing regular trekking on Kilimanjaro when you have a full-time job and a family of six to raise might prove to be a teeny bit unsustainable. Choose something that fits into your existing lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be a recognised sport or prescribed activity. Any activity that raises your heart rate and that you can sustain for a sufficiently long period is worth considering. 

Your end goal will influence whether an activity will be sufficiently challenging. Also, it’s a good idea to have more than one activity in your exercise bag so that elements like equipment, location, time etc do not restrict your ability to keep challenging your body.

Start small and build

I’m all for giving positive support. That said, starting by needing to wear a cape and your pants over your tights is not so sensible. Going from nothing to everything is not sustainable, and usually ends in destructive fatigue, injury, or the realisation that you’ve bitten off more than you can chew. None of these are confidence boosters. At the outset, you’re sending messages to your body about what you want it to notice and start adjusting to, therefore the primary purpose of the initial period is to establish a consistent pattern that you can sustain. 3 – 4 weeks is a useful timeframe to consider. Plus, starting small gives some easy wins which builds momentum and more importantly, builds confidence and enjoyment.

Make your exercise routine fit your life routine

Similar to starting too big, attempting to start exercising in a way that wreaks havoc on your normal life routine is unlikely to be sustainable. Most of us have to continue working, caring for others, or doing whatever we do. Exercise routines succeed when they fit in with our lives rather than take over. For sure, some change will be required.  That’s the whole point. But keeping it manageable will give the greatest opportunity to succeed.

The easiest win is reallocating free/unproductive time. If free/unproductive time is limited, adapting routines like cycling or walking on short commutes rather than driving may be an option. When I have to travel and cannot exercise normally, I take opportunities to use stairs instead of lifts/escalators. I avoid travellators in airports. I might even get off the train one stop early – if the weather is good! 

Be consistent

A 50-mile cycle ride might be a great piece of exercise. However, not getting back on the bike for a month loses any benefits and next month we’re back to square one.  Your body adapts to the level of challenge it receives. This is why consistency matters.  Inconsistency gives mixed messages, so the body doesn’t know what to adapt to, so little or no change occurs. Instead of riding 50 miles once a month, riding 10 x 5 miles at a challenging intensity spread throughout the month will generate much greater adaptation. And this approach fits with starting small.

Once a consistent pattern has been established, we can start playing with the 3 key variables, so the rides can get longer, or get faster, or get done more frequently, or any combination to suit.  

Measure something

I’m a self-confessed data freak, so I’m making a big effort to be balanced with this one.  The point is, without sufficient measurement, it isn’t possible to know if your exercise routine is progressive, standing still, or perhaps getting too easy for you. You don’t have to go overboard with data collection, however you do need enough to know that your exercise programme is taking you towards your desired outcome. And we’re back to our 3 key variables:

For any exercise programme there is volume (how much you do), intensity (the effort level you work at), and frequency (how often you exercise).  Frequency is linked to recovery. Always remember, any exercise programme is only as good as the quality of the recovery. We adjust these variables to keep you heading in your chosen direction.

That’s it really. It doesn’t have to be overly complicated. However, it does require some change and some effort.  And those in turn require a very good reason. To start making exercise work for you, email me at keith@realthought.co.uk.

Written by:

Keith Antoine

Keith Antoine is a people and performance coach who has honed his skills through over 30 years of helping people achieve their objectives in elite sport, corporately and personally. His sporting resumé includes over 10 years as Great Britain Sprints Coach on both Olympic and Paralympic pathways, and personal coach to over 20 international athletes. Corporately he has worked with people leaders at all levels across multiple sectors and geographies. He is practical and uncomplicated, finds the right balance between person and performance, helping clients reduce the noise and increase their clarity by addressing the internal narrative that undermines performance.

Approved by:

Dr Ravi Gowda,

Consultant Physician in General Internal Medicine

MBBS, MRCP(UK), DTM&H, MRCGP, DCH, DRCOG, DFFP