Make It a Habit

Walking Motivation: 5 Ways to Make It a Habit

Tricks that make walking a lifelong habit

1. Schedule it. If you treat walking as an automatic "must" on your daily list -- like brushing your teeth or taking your vitamins -- then there's no debate about whether you will or won't do it. Before long, it'll be a rock-solid habit.

2. Get a buddy. Having a friend (human or furry) waiting for you to take a walk gets you out there day after day. Your walking "buddy" doesn't even have to be somebody you see. It can be a pal with whom you check in every day, by phone or online. If your pal doesn't get your daily "I just walked" message, he or she knows to give you a get-going poke. Don't have a buddy? You do now. Talk to other Sharecare walkers.

3. Add some fun. Dying to play Boggle on your smartphone? Head outdoors or hop on the treadmill, and think up words while you walk. Addicted to recorded romance novels? Listen to them only while you stride along (just don't run into anything when it gets steamy!). Whatever makes walking more fun for you, do it!

4. Keep track. A walking log, a pedometer, even a little notation in your calendar -- it's all good. That's because keeping track of your miles and goals increases your odds of sticking to your plan.

5. Reward yourself. We're all for bribery when it comes to exercise. Give yourself a walking goal of, say, 10 miles per week for a month, or 60 minutes a day for a week -- and if you're successful, treat yourself to a massage or a gotta-see-it movie or a new MP3 player for your walking tunes or recorded books.