Exercising regularly can feel like a daunting task. Not only do you have to deal with the physical strain as you build up your fitness levels, but you also have to contend with the mental strain of creating a new habit. The positive impact of exercise can feel uninspiring when you are feeling tired or sore or unmotivated. That is why it is so important to work on building habits slowly and from the ground up. We can’t just wake up tomorrow and decide to be avid exercisers. We need to slowly build up our fitness levels, so it becomes easier on our body and we need to slowly build the habit, so it becomes easier on our minds.

When it comes to creating an exercise habit you should be focusing on three things: cardio, strength, and flexibility. Let’s focus on cardio for this blog post as we explore why running or jogging is a great option, especially for frequent travelers.

Why is running good for you?

There are so many reasons running is a great exercise to get into. Let’s start with the health impacts. Running is a great cardio exercise. It gets our blood pumping through our body, helping to strengthen our hearts and energize our muscles. Improved cardiovascular health also positively helps to reduce blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, and strengthens your immune system.

Running also has a positive effect on your mental health. Studies have shown that running can enhance your mood, relieve stress, and ease the effects of anxiety. Running also helps to improve and regulate your sleep which has a positive impact on your mental health.

A popular reason people avoid taking up running is the perceived impact it has on our knees. However, that is not exactly proven. In a study published in 2016, researchers found that people that ran regularly were less likely to suffer from knee pain. The key to protecting your knees from damage is to exercise and stretch your knee specifically. This will help build strength and protect from injury.

Aside from all the physical and mental health benefits, there are lots of other reasons running is a great exercise habit to form, especially for frequent travelers. Firstly, you do not need any specific equipment to run other than a good pair of running shoes. You also do not need to go anywhere in particular to run, i.e. you don’t need to go to the gym to run, all you have to do is step outside your door and start running!

Now that we have explained why running is such a good habit to get into, you may be thinking about giving it a go. That’s great! But it is also important to do it right. If you are not a runner it is highly unlikely that you will be good at it right away. We’ve put together a list of tips and advice to help you get started and to help you keep going when you feel like giving up.

Here are ten tips to start (and keep!) a running habit.

1. Use the run/walk method to get started

You need to build both physical and mental stamina when starting to run. The run/walk method helps you to slowly improve your fitness levels and build your physical stamina. Simply alternate running and walking, slowly increasing the amount of running time and decreasing the amount of walking time. The Couch to 5K training schedule is a popular and effective routine to follow that incorporates the run/walk method.

2. Start slow

Building the stamina to push past the mental blocks is as important as improving your physical stamina. However, pushing past mental blocks becomes a non-issue if you physically can’t go any further. In the beginning, make sure to start at a slow pace so that you can focus your energy on overcoming that voice in your head that says to stop.

3. Make sure you stretch so you are not sore

Running can be tough on your muscles and you will feel sore after a good run. Even experienced runners need to stretch after running to help loosen out their muscles. Check out this quick 10-minute post run stretch from Sanctifly’s Travel Wellness agent, Sara Quiriconi. Save it so you can stretch after your next run.

4. Try running in different places

If you feel you are not looking forward to going out for a run, not because it is hard but because it is boring, you may want to change up your routine. Yes, the fact that you don’t need to go anywhere in particular to run is a great benefit, but that doesn’t mean you have to run right outside your house. Perhaps running on a treadmill while watching something on your phone works better for you. Or perhaps you would find trail running out in nature more interesting, although we recommend getting some basic experience before attempting trail running. The point is if you feel uninspired to run, change up your surroundings to make it more interesting.

5. Try different things to listen to

This is a similar point to the one above. What you are listening to can help distract and motivate you while you are running. Perhaps a podcast or audiobook will work better than music. Perhaps you run better when you don’t listen to anything and instead use the time to process your own thoughts. Find out what works for you and change it up every now and again to keep it interesting.

6. Eat smart

The food you eat is an important part of your exercise routine. What you eat has a direct effect on your energy levels and can even impact your mood. Make sure you are eating energy food that is high in carbohydrates such as bananas and nut butter. Avoid stodgy, low-energy foods that are high in fat and processed carbs such as white pasta and pizza.

7. Stay hydrated

This is important all the time, not just while you are running. If you make sure you are adequately hydrated on your off days, you will have an easier time while you run. When you are running make sure you sip water rather than gulp it down. It can be tempting to drain your water bottle when the thirst hits you try to refrain. Running with a stomach full of water is not comfortable and may even make you feel ill.

8. Run with a friend

If you find yourself making excuses and avoiding going for a run, try to find a friend to run with. Having an accountability buddy is a great way to build and maintain healthy habits.

9. Finding it hard to find the motivation? Sign up for a 5k.

Having a tangible goal with a deadline to work towards can help with motivation. Signing up for a 5k is another great way to keep yourself accountable and make sure that you put in the work. 5K is a good starting point as it is very achievable.

10. Record your progress so you can see how far you have come

We build healthy habits over time, they become part of our regular routines. The goal is to make a healthy habit become the norm so that it no longer requires effort. Although this is the desired result, we often lose sight of how far we have come as we slowly build the habit. Keeping a record of how far and for how long you can run each week is a great way to see your progress.

 At Sanctifly we are here to support travelers build healthy and lasting habits. Even though we are not flying right now, maintaining healthy routines is still important. Although most of the content on the Sanctifly app was designed for traveling, it is applicable and helpful in all walks of life. Building good habits around exercising both at home and on the road is one of the main pillars of support we offer our members. Find exercise and stretch videos, fitness tips, and more in the Sanctifly app today and start your journey to better health and wellness.

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