Exercise for more energy
As soon as you increase your activity levels- as soon as you actually start moving- you will experience greater energy levels. It's pretty much instantaneous and it forms a positive feedback loop- the more you do, the more you want to do, the better you feel, the more you are able to do, the more you do…
Even if it's just going from sitting around all day watching TV to going out for a half hour walk every day, you will have more energy more generally than you did before.
This isn't new information, of course. In a study dating all the way back to 2008, published in the Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, researchers from the University of Georgia reported that people who complained of often feeling tired could increase by 20% while decreasing fatigue by as much as 65% simply by taking in part in regular, low-intensity exercise.
Though it isn't new, it's still profound, however, and it's still overlooked by many. If you struggle for energy and know you aren't active enough- or at all- then resting more probably isn't the answer. Being more active will likely bring you far greater benefits both in the long- and the short-term.
How to form good fitness habits #8 set better goals
A good goal should be specific. It should be realisable, time specific, and tailored to the individual.
So, for example, if you want to lose weight, ditch the goal of 'losing weight'. Instead, aim to lose 1 stone/ 6.5kg in three months. This means losing a little over 1lb/ 0.5kg per week, so aim to do so. Weigh yourself at the same time every week to make sure you are on track. If you're not, change up your plan. If you are, keep at it.
Alternatively, if you want to 'gain muscle', give yourself a real goal. Aim to put on 1 stone/ 6.5kg over six months without adding much bodyfat. Or aim to add 45lbs / 20kg to your squat in the same time period. It is measurable and specific.
If you want to 'get fitter', work out what 'fit' means to you. If it means being able to run 5km, work out when you want to be able to do so and train for it.
To keep things realisable, keep them realistic. Obviously, trying to lose 10 stone/ 4.5kg in a month isn't going to happen, no matter how specific you make it. Tripling your bench press in six months is likewise not going to happen, nor is running a marathon tomorrow.