I attach exercise to something I already do. Coffee first, then movement. School run done, then walk. A 2020 study in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that behaviours linked to an existing routine were significantly more likely to be repeated. The cue matters more than enthusiasm.

2. Think of yourself as someone who exercises

Behavioural psychologist James Clear calls this the difference between outcome-based and identity-based habits. Instead of “I’m trying to get fit”, think: “I’m someone who trains twice a week.” Instead of “I need to lose weight”, think: “I look after my body for the future.” This reduces the all-or-nothing thinking that makes you more likely to quit.

3. Get outside and walk before your brain wakes up

I pull on clothes and walk the dogs as soon as I’m up. No phone, no decision-making. Fresh air and daylight. It always resets the mood.

4. Social connection

I try to do at least one walk a week with a girlfriend as it keeps you going far longer than any playlist. Not only are you accountable – put it on a weekly repeat in your diary – but you always end up walking further than you normally would.

5. Aim low

Ten minutes counts. On tired days, it ticks the box. I have done a 10-minute mobility routine first thing in the morning for more than 20 years. It wakes up the mind and the body. It’s not all about hours on a treadmill. As behavioural scientist BJ Fogg puts it in his “Tiny Habits” system, “Make the behaviour so tiny that you don’t need much motivation.”

6. Find something you love

I strength-train four times a week. That’s what gets me motivated. Your go-to could be swimming, dancing, running. Just find something you enjoy and you are more likely to stick with it.

7. Remind yourself how you’ll feel afterwards

Calm, clear-headed and stronger usually wins the argument. The focus and endorphins post-workout beats anything. I know that come 9.30am, after my class, I can climb a mountain. Always in a better mood.

8. Stop aiming to ‘make up’ for missed workouts

Consistency beats guilt every time. If I miss a workout, I think ahead to the next one. Schedule workouts like meetings.

9. Treat exercise as self-care, not self-improvement

On busy days, that mindset shift alone changes everything. It’s about looking after your health, not a number on a scale. Taking that pressure away really can change how you feel about starting.

10. Write it all down

There is NOTHING so motivating as seeing how far you’ve come – you’ve upped your weights, run a personal best, signed up for a challenge. Write it down and look back in three months. Do you have more energy to run up the stairs or is getting up off the sofa starting to feel easier? Keep a track of it.

11. Don’t wait for inspiration to strike

It won’t happen like that. Put your trainers on and take action, however small. You will overcome the initial hurdle of procrastination. Fitness is built in the imperfect weeks where you keep showing up and relying on habits and routines to carry you through when the motivation dips.