“Don’t think that forming a habit will be a quick process. It is important to recognize from the beginning that developing a habit is something that will take time, especially for exercise,” Maher said.
She said it’s essential to not only commit to the exercise habit but also to create contextual cues that can help you develop the habit.
“Habits develop through the repeated pairing of contextual [cues] in one’s environment with a behavioral response,” Maher noted.
Like associating Tuesday night with that 45-minute aerobics class you sign up for week after week. Or associating your filled-up water bottle or a certain pump-up song with a visit to the gym.
“If you stay consistent with the behavior and the contexts in which you engage in the behavior, you are helping to accelerate the process of developing those context-behavior associations,” she noted.