Riley Harris

If you want to get fit, try to find exercise that will blend into the background.

For me it’s my morning commute. My bike is faster than the bus and doesn’t only go every now and then. My bike is an easy hour of exercise, that doesn’t take willpower because it’s genuinely the best option.

This was a bit tricky to set up, but worth it. Here’s how to do it.

Start slow. I originally only rode to something much closer to my house than uni. Then I rode to uni only once a week. Now I usually take a break if I’ve ridden 3-4 days in a row.

Reset your habit. Every Monday is a new week, time to ride again (even if only once). I have a reminder on my phone for this.

Make it easy. I had to buy a nice bike before I would ride every day. The $50 one was just too annoying to ride. I had to tell myself consciously to slow down a bit, so it was more enjoyable. I had to find a nice route through the suburbs and along the river, avoiding the busy roads.

Make other options less convenient. I don’t have a car, so it was easier. If I needed one, I’d consider leaving it at work and cycling home and then back to work.

Try a bunch of experiments like this, see what makes you choose the exercise option. Be curious.

Part 2 of 2. The first part was about exercise you love.

Cover image by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels.