Opening Thoughts

As someone who used to only want to lie around watching shows all day and found even taking out the trash exhausting, I completely understand that feeling of being intimidated by exercise. Every time I saw friends posting their workout check-ins on social media while I was lounging on the couch eating snacks and scrolling through short videos, the guilt was overwhelming. But after two years of trial and error, from giving up on my fitness plans after three consecutive days to now maintaining a stable exercise routine, I finally found an approach that works for me. Today I'd like to share my journey, hoping it might inspire others who are also struggling on their fitness path.

Start Slow

I remember the first time I firmly decided to start working out - I was more excited than during New Year's celebrations. I bought a bunch of fitness equipment online, downloaded several fitness apps, and made myself a brutal training plan: running 5km at 6 AM every morning, doing 100 push-ups at night, spending 3 hours at the gym on weekends... The result was predictable: on day one, I turned off the alarm and went back to sleep; on day two, I barely ran 1km before getting exhausted; on day three, my muscles were so sore I could barely walk; day four... well, I just gave up.

This experience is all too real, and I'm sure many people can relate. Later I realized that you really can't rush into exercise. Like starting a game from the newbie village, developing an exercise habit requires a gradual approach.

My new start was incredibly simple: just requiring myself to stand up and move around for 5 minutes each day. It could be simple stretching exercises, marching in place, or even dancing along with TikTok videos - anything as long as I wasn't lying or sitting down. This goal might seem laughably easy, but it's precisely because it was so simple that it was easy to maintain.

Only after this simple habit was established did I gradually increase the duration and intensity. From 5 minutes to 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, 20 minutes... Now I maintain 3-4 sessions per week, 30 minutes each of moderate-intensity exercise. While this might not seem like much to others, for me it's a quantum leap.

Most importantly, this gradual approach didn't create much psychological pressure. Even if I couldn't complete my planned workout one day due to overtime work or other reasons, I wouldn't feel guilty or give up, but instead tell myself: "It's okay, just move for 5 minutes." This relaxed mindset actually made it easier to stick with it.

Time Management

"I'm too busy, I really can't find time to exercise" is definitely one of the most common excuses. But when I seriously tracked my time allocation, the truth was a bit painful: 2 hours scrolling through short videos, 1 hour on Weibo, 2 hours watching shows... These "time-killing" activities added up to at least 4-5 hours a day. If I could spare 30 minutes from that for exercise, could I really say I had no time?

Later I learned a small trick: treat exercise time like an important meeting. Every Sunday night, I would open my calendar and plan out my workout times for the next week, just like scheduling work meetings. For example, strength training from 7:00-7:30 PM on Tuesday, cardio from 8:00-8:30 PM on Thursday, yoga class from 10:00-10:30 AM on Saturday. Once these time slots were set, I wouldn't easily change them.

More importantly, I would receive calendar reminders 15 minutes in advance. Even if I was scrolling through my phone at that time, seeing the reminder would make me immediately put it down and prepare to exercise. It was like setting an unbreakable appointment with myself, and gradually, exercise became an indispensable part of life.

I also discovered that choosing the right time to exercise is crucial. Since I'm a night owl and can't wake up early, I schedule my workouts for the evening. Specifically, after returning home from work and resting a bit after dinner - when I'm neither too tired nor too late to affect sleep. Everyone's biological clock is different, so finding your suitable exercise time is important.

Environment Matters

Speaking of exercise environment, I really learned its importance the hard way. I remember during last year's Singles' Day sale, I impulsively bought a treadmill. On delivery day, I enthusiastically set it up, but due to limited space at home, it could only be placed in the storage room. The predictable result was that every time I wanted to use it, I had to move a pile of stuff away, struggle to pull out the treadmill, and then put everything back afterward. After doing this a few times, the treadmill gloriously became a clothes rack.

Later, after learning from this painful experience, I decided to reorganize my home space. I cleared out a corner of the living room specifically for exercise. I laid down a yoga mat, arranged a few dumbbells of different weights, and put up some motivational fitness posters on the wall. Most importantly, this spot was right next to the TV, so I could exercise while watching shows without getting bored.

Every time I return home, seeing this exercise area first thing naturally makes me want to move around. Especially seeing the workout clothes and towel on the yoga mat, it's like a silent reminder saying, "Come on, get moving!" The power of these visual cues is truly amazing.

Besides the home environment, I also made some changes in the office. I switched my office chair for an exercise ball, which took some getting used to but now feels completely natural. Sitting on the exercise ball naturally engages core muscles, unconsciously completing core training throughout the day. I also placed a mini stepper under my desk, so I can step while working during meetings or while reading documents.

Fragmentary Time

To be honest, when I first tried utilizing fragmentary time for exercise, I felt a bit silly. Rising up on tiptoes in the elevator, doing small jumps while waiting for the bus, doing squats while watching TV... But when I tracked my daily activity with a fitness band, I found that these seemingly insignificant movements actually increased calorie burn quite a bit.

So I started seriously planning how to use these fragments of time:

While brushing teeth, I practice standing on one leg, which helps with both dental hygiene and balance training. Over time, I've noticed my balance has really improved.

While waiting for water to boil, I do push-ups against the kitchen counter. Though I could only do 2-3 at first, now I can easily do 10.

After sitting in the office for a while, I use bathroom breaks as an opportunity to walk quickly up and down the hallway a few times. It might feel awkward when meeting colleagues, but health comes first.

TV time is perfect for exercise. Commercial breaks are great for a set of squats or planks. Even during exciting plot points, you can watch while standing or stepping, without missing any of the story.

Even phone time can become exercise time. Instead of lying down to watch short videos like before, now I stand or walk around while watching. It might look strange, but it really adds to the daily activity level.

The advantage of these fragmentary exercises is that they don't feel like "deliberate exercise" but naturally integrate into daily life. This approach is especially suitable for truly busy people. After all, it's better to start with these small activities than to stress about not finding a large block of time to exercise.

Maintaining Motivation

Honestly, the hardest part isn't starting exercise, but continuing it. The initial enthusiasm easily fades, especially when you don't see obvious results, making it easy to give up.

My first secret is finding workout partners. I met another beginner at the gym, we added each other on WeChat and agreed to go to the gym together twice a week. With this "appointment," even when feeling lazy, knowing someone is waiting makes it harder to skip. Moreover, exercising together is more fun - we can supervise each other, encourage each other, and even joke about the trainer (just kidding).

Music is also an important tool for maintaining my exercise motivation. I created a special workout playlist with very rhythmic songs. Sometimes when I really can't get motivated to exercise, just putting on headphones and playing music gets me moving. Especially those energetic songs - they're like natural stimulants.

I also set up small reward systems for myself. For example, after exercising continuously for a week, I reward myself with a favorite meal; after a month, I buy a new piece of workout equipment. These small rewards might not cost much, but they bring great satisfaction and sense of achievement.

Additionally, recording my exercise progress is important. I record the time, intensity, and feelings of each workout on my phone. Watching these records accumulate creates a sense of responsibility to not give up halfway. Especially when looking back at previous records and seeing progress from only being able to do 5 push-ups to now doing 20, that sense of achievement feels really good.

Social media is also a good supervision platform. I share my workout photos or thoughts on my moments, and although not many people might see them, this public commitment creates some pressure to keep going. And occasionally receiving likes and comments from friends adds extra motivation.

Lifestyle

Gradually, I discovered that exercise isn't just an isolated activity but drives changes in the entire lifestyle. Like dominoes, once you start paying attention to exercise, other aspects naturally follow.

First is sleep schedule. I used to stay up late routinely, often scrolling through my phone until 2 or 3 AM. But after starting regular exercise, I found that insufficient sleep really affected my workout performance the next day. So I started adjusting my schedule, trying to get to bed before 11 PM. It was uncomfortable at first, lying in bed unable to sleep, but after persisting for a while, my body automatically adapted to this rhythm.

Eating habits also changed quietly. I used to love junk food - chips, cola, and fried chicken were staples. But after exercising, I found eating too much of these foods affected my workout performance and made me feel tired. So I consciously started reducing these foods and increasing fruits and vegetables. Though I still occasionally eat junk food now, it's no longer uncontrolled like before.

Water intake also increased significantly. Previously I might only drink one or two cups of water all day, but now I carry a water bottle and maintain at least 2 liters daily. This not only helps with exercise but also greatly improves skin condition.

The most obvious change is having more energy. I used to feel groggy all the time, but now I feel energetic every day. Even with busy work, I don't get tired as easily as before. This positive cycle gives me more motivation to maintain my exercise habits.

Conclusion

Looking back on these two years of exercise experience, the biggest realization is: change doesn't need to be radical, but it must be continuous. Just like how I transformed from someone who only wanted to lie around all day to someone who can exercise regularly now, the key isn't about how strong your determination is, but about finding your own rhythm.

When it comes to exercise, there really isn't a standard answer. The important thing is to listen to your body and not force yourself too much. Even if it's just standing up and moving for 5 minutes each day, as long as you can keep it up, you're getting closer to a better version of yourself.

If you also want to start exercising but don't know where to begin, why not start now by standing up and moving around? Trust me, after taking that first step, everything will become different.

Do you have any exercise experiences to share? Or any concerns you'd like to discuss? Feel free to tell me in the comments. Let's encourage each other and progress together on this fitness journey!