We can all agree that we need more exercise. When it comes to exercise, habit and behavior account for the majority of the success. Building a habit is more important than exercising itself. If you have never had the habit of exercising, starting by going to the gym for an hour a day, five days a week, is destined to fail. You will not last long if you do not establish your habit first.

To build the habit, start with five minutes a day because most people have five minutes to spare, even if it is something unpleasant. Now that the weather is getting better, just walk down the street for two and a half minutes and come back. Nothing intense, just a leisurely pace that you are comfortable with. Once you do that on a regular basis for a week or two, and you feel like you can do more, then increase the duration to ten minutes or fifteen minutes. Once you get this routine established, you can gradually add some other exercises to this routine, like three sets of ten air squats or heel raises. Gradual is the key here.

We have seen some success in the clinic from patients who have implemented this strategy. Give it a try, and it may just work for you.