6 tips that will help you stick at a new sport

Inspired by Rio 2016 to take up a new sport this autumn? Here's some expert advice on how to stick at it
Kate Lough24 August 2016

Rio 2016 might have come to a close, but sporting fever is still running rife throughout London. If watching Team GB strike gold has inspired you to take up a new sport or up your fitness game, then it's worth knowing how to make sure you stick at it. Starting off is often easy, but many of us can lack the willpower to to make a real lifestyle change.

Here are six tips from Bupa wellness and behaviour expert Jennifer Davies on how to turn a new behaviour into a long-term habit.

1. Don’t run before you can jog

You maximise your chances of success when starting off small. This helps us to achieve big goals by getting us in the ‘habit of starting’ – and by setting small goals you can easily complete them every day.

It is small, consistent actions, repeated daily, that lead to big change. For example, if you start by going jogging for ten minutes a day, soon you will want to and feel physically able to stay out for longer.

2. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Research tells us that it takes an average of 66 days of daily repetition for something new to become a habit, which means that you only need to complete your daily goal for two months before it becomes second nature – whether that’s attending a boxing class or cycling home from work.

Repetition rewires the brain and is the secret to developing healthy habits. We create habits by repeating an action until it becomes ingrained in the parts of our brain responsible for executing our automatic behaviours. When a new behaviour becomes a habit, it stops being a hassle and it starts simply happening.

3. Go public

You’re more likely to see your goals through if you publicly commit to them. For example, if you tell your roommate, partner or colleague that you’re going to play badminton twice a week this will add a gentle pressure to help keep the promises you made to yourself. And, importantly, it’s also an extra person to offer you encouragement.

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4. Get your friends involved

Roping a friend in to join you can have a huge impact on your motivation. Some studies have shown that playing sport with a friend not only means you’re more likely to exercise harder and for longer, but you’re also much less likely to ditch the game for an afternoon on the sofa. Knowing a friend is already there waiting to meet you is a powerful incentive to get going.

5. Get yourself in the right mindset

We all feel unmotivated at times. But you can shift your mindset and regain that energising feeling by reading a health magazine, watching an inspiring programme, or listening to a related podcast. If you’re typically going to exercise after work, get yourself in the right frame of mind by listening to a motivational podcast on the way home.

6. Be proud of your achievements

Whenever we complete an important task we’ve set for ourselves, our brain releases a little dopamine – one of our feel-good hormones. So it’s not just healthy living itself that makes us feel good, but also the act of simply completing the tasks we set ourselves.

Tracking progress provides us with a sense of achievement and satisfaction, which acts as momentum and motivational fuel for the long term. You should feel proud of yourself each and every time that you attend a gym class or go swimming – it’s a great first step for health towards longer, healthier, happier lives.

Follow us on Twitter @kate_lough and Instagram @kateloughtravel

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