How to start exercising when you keep putting it off
The gym membership is paid, the trainers are by the door, the workout plan is saved on your phone. Yet every morning there's a reason: didn't sleep enough, it's cold, there'll be time this evening. If that sounds like you, here's the good news: the problem isn't laziness — it's how you start.
Why "gym from Monday" doesn't work
The first step is too big
An hour's workout means packing a bag, travelling, changing, the workout itself, a shower and the trip home. For someone who doesn't exercise at all right now, that's a huge effort that has to be repeated every time. Enthusiasm carries it for a week, then it stops.
There's no specific plan
"I'll work out three times a week" leaves every day as an open question: today? what time? doing what? Each of those questions is an excuse to put it off.
Waiting for motivation
Many people wait for the desire to show up on its own. But motivation usually comes after you start moving, not before. Waiting for it means waiting forever.
How to start: a step-by-step plan
Step 1. Start with preparation, not a workout
The first action doesn't even have to be exercise. For example: at 9:30 pm, put your kit and trainers by the door. It's an absurdly small step, but it removes one of the biggest morning obstacles — getting ready — and builds the link "evening → getting ready to move".
Step 2. Choose an action you can't fail to do
Ask yourself: could I do this on my worst day? If not, shrink it:
Not "run 5 km" but "go for a 10-minute brisk walk".
Not "an hour's workout" but "10 squats by the bed after the alarm".
Not "yoga every morning" but "5 minutes of stretching to one video".
A small action isn't giving in to laziness — it's a strategy. Habits form through repetition, not volume.
Step 3. Tie it to a time and place
The action should be triggered by a situation: "at 7:10, right after the alarm, by the bed — 10 squats". It works best when tied to something you already do every day: waking up, brushing your teeth, getting home from work.
Step 4. Prepare a plan for the main obstacle
Think back to why you quit before. Usually it's "didn't sleep enough", "too cold" or "no time". Write your answer in advance:
If I wake up and decide it's too cold, then I get dressed and go out anyway, even if it's just for one kilometre.
More on plans like this in If–then plans.
Step 5. Increase slowly
Once the action happens without a fight — usually after 2–4 weeks — add a little: 15 squats instead of 10, 15 minutes instead of 10. If you start missing days after an increase, go back to the previous amount.
Step 6. Mark every day
Visible progress is one of the strongest motivators. Mark every day you did the action, even in its smallest version. After a few weeks, the chain itself becomes a reason not to stop.
How much exercise do you actually need
The World Health Organization recommends that adults get 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week (such as brisk walking) plus strength exercises twice a week. That's a target to work towards, not a starting point. Starting with 10 minutes a day is more than nothing, and any movement is better than none.
If you have a chronic condition or an injury, or haven't been active for a long time, talk to a doctor before increasing the load.
What to do when you want to quit
It will almost certainly happen — usually in week two, when the novelty wears off. That's normal. Don't raise the bar: shrink the action and keep going. More in How not to quit in week two.
How Ritm does it
Ritm has a ready-made "Health and fitness" set with ideas for a daily action — from "at 9:30 pm I put my kit and trainers by the door for the morning" to "at 7 pm at home, before dinner: 10 squats and 10 push-ups against the table, two sets". One tap and the action goes into your day card. Every morning you write what you'll do, when and where, and what you'll do if something gets in the way. 66 days is enough for movement to become a habit.
Frequently asked questions
What's better to start with — the gym or working out at home?
Whatever you'll actually do. For many people home is easier: no travel, no packing. You can add the gym once the basic habit has formed.
Morning or evening?
The best time is whichever is most stable for you. Mornings are convenient because the day is less likely to "eat" your plans, but if mornings don't work, choose the evening with a clear trigger.
What if I miss a workout?
Nothing terrible. The main rule is not to miss two days in a row. More in Missed a day? What to do.
Sources
- World Health Organization. WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva, 2020.
- Lally P. et al. How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 2010, 40(6), 998–1009.
- Gollwitzer P. M., Sheeran P. Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2006, 38, 69–119.