Have you ever been skeptical when a friend told you that something as seemingly small as a new exercise class has been “life-changing” for her? Sure, getting married, having a baby, and changing careers, are events with obvious “life-changing” consequences. But a new workout that takes up two or three hours of your week?

 

By Lee Sandford

 

Have you ever been skeptical when a friend told you that something as seemingly small as a new exercise class has been “life-changing” for her? Sure, getting married, having a baby, and changing careers, are events with obvious “life-changing” consequences. But a new workout that takes up two or three hours of your week?

 

In fact, a new workout can be just that. I recently read “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg, which affirmed many of the things I have learned and observed since I started working in the fitness industry, and shed light on others.

 

Keystone Habits

 

The explanation is that adding one positive change into your life can be powerful if it becomes a “keystone habit”, i.e. the central support of other beneficial and further-reaching habits. I wasn’t surprised to learn that aside from joining Alcoholics Anonymous (clearly designed to be a “life-changer”, which bases much of its method on substituting good habits for bad), the most effective and pervasive habit you can adopt is exercising regularly, even if infrequently.

 

In his book, Duhigg explains: “Typically, people who exercise, start eating better and becoming more productive at work. They smoke less and show more patience with colleagues and family. They use their credit cards less frequently and say they feel less stressed. Exercise is a keystone habit that triggers widespread change. “Exercise spills over,’ says a University of Rhode Island researcher. There’s something about it that makes other good habits easier.”

 

The Power of the Group

 

Many studies back up the effect that being part of a group has in changing habits, with AA a prime example. Since people often work out at a gym or in a group, and even those who focus on more solitary exercise like running, usually aim to compete in a few races or fun-runs through the year. The sense of community that accompanies exercise is significant in its strength as a keystone habit.

 

Social scientist Bill Lazarus, who was employed by the YMCA to analyze the main factors that would help the Y stay competitive, remarks:

 

“There’s something really powerful about groups and shared experiences. People might be skeptical about their ability to change if they’re by themselves, but … community creates belief. When people join groups where change seems possible the potential for that change to occur becomes more real. For most people who overhaul their lives, there are no seminal moments or life-altering disasters. There are simply communities — sometimes of just one other person — who make change believable.”

 

In Rye we are so lucky to have such a bustling YMCA, which along with my own business and Weightwatchers, immediately came to mind when I read that quote, as well as the following follow-up summary.

 

“We’re cracking the code on how to keep people at the gym. People want to visit places that satisfy their social needs. Getting people to exercise in groups makes it more likely they’ll stick with a workout. You can change the health of the nation this way”.

 

Willpower Runs Out

 

Most people say they find it hard to exercise at the end of the day. The Power of Habit suggests that this isn’t just due to being too tired – it’s because the willpower required to stick to your new good habits, is a limited resource that you use up throughout the day. So, if, for example, you’ve diligently worked through your to-do list, resisted the temptation to argue with your kids or colleagues, and denied yourself an afternoon cookie, chances are you don’t have enough willpower left to pull on your sneakers and go for a run.  

 

Don’t beat yourself if some of your good habits slip every now and then, but try to embrace the concept of concentrating on a few good “keystone” habits and hopefully others will naturally follow.