Stop Trying So Hard and You'll Keep Going. A Physical Therapist Shares How to Create 'Small Habits' to Build a Lifelong Exercise Routine

Have you ever resolved to 'keep exercising this year,' bought new workout clothes, and joined a gym, only to find yourself drifting away from it before you know it? Have you ever felt disappointed in yourself for that?

Actually, the reason you can't keep up with exercise isn't because your willpower is weak. It's because our 'brains' have a nature that dislikes change.

As a physical therapist who has worked with over 10,000 bodies, I can state with certainty that the secret to habit formation is not 'trying hard,' but 'tricking your brain effectively.'

In this article, I will share steps based on the perspective of neuroscience to help you incorporate exercise into your daily life without strain.

5senses, which supports a 'healthy body' in Miki City and Ono City, Hyogo Prefecture, will fully back you up in 'graduating from being a three-day quitter'!

Why does the brain 'reject' exercise?

Our brains have a function called 'homeostasis' that tries to maintain the current state.

• 'Change' for the brain: The brain mistakes 'new things you haven't done before (exercise)' for 'dangerous changes' that threaten your life.

• Energy conservation: The brain loves to save energy. It puts on the brakes, telling you 'let's not do that' when it comes to exercise that consumes energy.

In other words, trying to force yourself to start by relying on motivation is like flooring the accelerator while pressing the powerful brakes.

First, you need to release these brain brakes.

The 'Micro-Start' Strategy to Dramatically Increase Success Rates

The golden rule of habit formation is to start with a step so small that your brain doesn't even notice, 'This isn't a change, it's no big deal.'

• Utilizing the '2-minute rule': Instead of setting a goal like 'jog for 30 minutes,' set a goal to 'just change into workout clothes and go outside (2 minutes).'

Humans are strange, but just by taking the initial action, it becomes surprisingly easier to move on to execution.

• 'Stacking' onto existing habits (Habit Stacking): It is difficult to start a new habit on its own, but if you attach it right after a habit that is already established, you can move surprisingly smoothly.

  • Do 10 heel raises while brushing your teeth.

  • Do squats only while the water is boiling.

  • Do just one stretch after getting out of the bath.

How to create an 'environment where you won't fail' proposed by 5senses

If you try to do it alone, you tend to lose to your brain's 'habit of slacking off.' That is why designing your environment is important.

• Get a professional partner: Going to a studio with experts like physical therapists is a way to systematize your promise to yourself in the form of a 'reservation.'

• Visualize your 'successes': Put stickers on a calendar or record it in a smartphone app. By giving your brain a small sense of accomplishment as a reward, your brain will start to learn that 'exercise = pleasure.'

At our studio, 5senses, we don't just teach exercise; we work with you to create a 'sustainable plan' that fits your lifestyle.

Let go of the assumption that 'exercise equals working hard'.

What you need to make exercise a habit is not rigorous training, but a 'system' that allows you to cherish yourself and enjoy small changes.

【3 Rules for Habit Formation】

• Use the brain's mechanisms instead of willpower

• Start so 'small' that your brain doesn't even notice

• Attach it to an existing habit so you can act without thinking

If you are anxious about starting alone, please come visit 5senses. With my professional expertise as a physical therapist, I will be your partner in helping you achieve a 'body that can move for a lifetime'.

We are cheering for your new step forward from Miki City and Ono City!

Making Hyogo Prefecture the place with the highest 'health literacy' in Japan.

Thankfully, many people are now able to find us through Google searches. However, our challenge starts here.

Moving from our 'point' activities in Miki City and Ono City to the entire Hyogo Prefecture.

We want to increase the number of places where people say, 'If you go to 5senses, the essence of your body will change,' and make Hyogo Prefecture the place where preventive medicine is most deeply rooted in Japan.

If you wish, 'I don't want to repeat these health issues anymore' or 'I want to have a body that can move even better 5 or 10 years from now than it does today,' please follow this note to get the latest information.

We will help you rewrite your body's history, starting from your 'brain'.

5senses Representative Hiroshi Fujiwara (Physical Therapist)