Starting to exercise isn't the hard part. The hard part is week three, when the novelty has worn off and the training has to carry itself. Most plans fall apart there, because they were built for the energy of week one.
A 2024 review of the research on habits found that it took a median of about two months before a new behavior felt automatic, but that it varied enormously between people: from a few days to almost a year. Habits people had chosen themselves, and habits done in the morning, became stronger.
So pick a way to start that suits you:
- Ten minutes at home if you want to start tonight with no equipment.
- The gym if you want a place where you only do one thing.
- Walking first if you haven't exercised in a long time.
- Running if you want cardio fitness and a goal to work toward.
Set the times in advance, count workouts rather than days in a row, and step it up only once the workouts have become a given.
A first workout today: 3 × 10 squats, 3 × 8 push-ups against a wall, 3 × 30 seconds plank and 3 × 10 lunges per leg. Ten minutes.
If you have an illness or an injury, or you're pregnant, talk to a doctor before you plan your training.
Starting to exercise isn't the hard part. The hard part is keeping going once the novelty has worn off, often somewhere around week three, and the training has to carry itself. People who keep going don't have more motivation than others. They have training that works even when motivation is missing: a way of training that suits them, fixed times and a plan for the weeks that go wrong. This guide gives you the whole picture, four ways to start and a first workout you can do today.
<The hard part isn't starting, it's week three
The first week carries itself. Everything is new, and every workout feels like proof that this time is different. Then what always happens, happens: a late night at work, a cold, a weekend away. The workout becomes a decision instead of a given, and decisions can be put off.
How long does it take before training runs on its own? In 2024, Singh and colleagues reviewed 20 studies on how health habits form, including exercise, diet and flossing. In the studies that measured the time, the median was about two months before the behavior felt automatic. But the range was enormous, from four days to almost a year. Two things made the habits stronger: having chosen them yourself, and doing them in the morning. The studies were few and several had flaws, so the numbers are approximate.
That tells you two things about training. Week three isn't the end of anything; it's the start of the hardest part. And it pays to pick a way of training you actually want to do, rather than the one that looks best on paper. You can read more about why motivation falls short in motivation isn't enough, and about how long it takes in the 21-day myth.
How much exercise is enough
The WHO recommends that adults move 150–300 minutes a week at moderate intensity, like a brisk walk, or 75–150 minutes at vigorous intensity. On top of that comes muscle-strengthening training for the body's major muscle groups at least two days a week. And a little movement is better than none.
The floor is lower than many people think: 150 minutes is five half-hour walks. And it's a goal to grow into, not a bar to clear in week one. Going from nothing to 150 minutes all at once is the path that most often leads back to nothing.
Four ways to start
No single way is best for everyone. The best one is the one you'll do on a Tuesday in November, not the one that feels most serious today.
Ten minutes at home. For you if you want to start tonight, with no gym membership and nowhere to travel. Squats, push-ups, lunges and planks train the major muscle groups and can be made harder without equipment: slower, more reps, shorter rest. First step: do the workout at the bottom of this guide tonight.
The gym. For you if you want a place where you only do one thing, with equipment for everything. Two or three full-body workouts a week go a long way at first. How to build a schedule that lasts, and know when it's time to step it up, is covered in gym workout schedule. First step: write down this week's times and four exercises: one for the legs, one push, one pull and one for the core.
Walking first. For you if you haven't exercised in a long time, something hurts, or you want to start gently. A brisk walk counts toward the recommendation, and you can make it harder over time. How is covered in walking as exercise. First step: walk for twenty minutes tonight, fast enough that you can talk but not sing.
Running. For you if you want cardio fitness and a goal to work toward, and you want something more demanding. Run most of your sessions at an easy pace, add strength work for your legs, and increase one thing at a time. How hard to run is covered in heart rate when running, and how strength protects against injury in strength training for runners. First step: alternate running and walking for twenty minutes, at a pace where you can talk.
Set the times in advance
"I'm going to work out three times a week" is an intention. "Monday and Wednesday at 6 pm and Saturday at 10 am" is a plan. The intention needs a new decision every day; the plan has already made it.
Every Sunday, decide the week's times and write them down where you'll see them. Also decide what you'll do if a time falls through: "if I can't make it on Wednesday, I'll do the workout on Thursday morning." That kind of plan, where the situation and the action are decided in advance, is one of the best-supported techniques for actually doing what you've set out to do. How to phrase it is covered in if-then plans.
If you can train in the morning, it's worth trying: the habits in the review above became stronger there, and the day doesn't get a chance to intervene. If you'd rather train in the evening, leave your workout clothes out for when you get home.
Step it up once the workouts have become a given
It's tempting to step it up right away when things go well. But the first month isn't about getting strong; it's about becoming someone who exercises. Step it up once the workouts have become a given, not once they've become easy. Easy often comes after a couple of weeks. A given, meaning you do it without negotiating with yourself first, takes longer.
Then increase one thing at a time: one more workout a week, a few more reps, a bit more weight, or a new way of training alongside the old one. If you want to see when it's time, a training log helps. If you're training to lose weight, read exercise and weight loss before you step it up, because the scale responds differently than most people think.
Sleep and food carry the training
Sleep and food decide how much energy you have, and it's hard to keep training going if they're limping. Most adults need somewhere between six and nine hours of sleep, and a good sign is that you feel alert during the day. If you're often tired, it may be wiser to start with your bedtime than with a new workout. A common obstacle is that the evening is the only time that feels like your own, which is what putting off bedtime is about, and stress that never lets up eats energy, which is what the guide to inner state is about.
Food doesn't need to become a project. Regular meals, something to eat a couple of hours before a workout and water during the day go a long way. If you have a specific weight goal or an illness that affects what you eat, that's a question for a doctor.
When a week gets lost
It will happen. A week of illness, travel or too much work, and suddenly you haven't trained in ten days. What decides what happens next is how you read it.
If you count days in a row, you see a counter reset to zero. If you count completed workouts, you see that you've done twenty workouts and missed a few. Count the latter. A missed workout is a missed workout, not proof of something about you.
Come back with the smallest workout, not with everything you meant to catch up on. A first workout that's too hard makes the next one harder to get to. More on that in getting back after a setback.
A first workout today: 3 × 10 squats, 3 × 8 push-ups against a wall or a table, 3 × 30 seconds plank and 3 × 10 lunges per leg. About ten minutes, no equipment. Do it again on Thursday and Saturday before you add anything.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I train when I'm starting out? Two or three times a week is a good start, with at least one rest day between strength workouts. That's enough to notice a difference and leaves time for the rest of your life.
How long does it take for exercise to become a habit? It varies more than most people think. In the research, the median was about two months, but for some people it took a few days and for others almost a year. Expect the first few weeks to take planning.
Can I train at home without equipment? Yes. Squats, push-ups, lunges and planks are enough for a long time when you're starting out. You make them harder by doing them slower, doing more, or resting less.
Should I exercise when I have a cold? If you have a fever, don't exercise at all. With a cold and no fever, the usual medical advice is to rest for the first few days and then start gently, and to wait if you have a sore throat, body aches or feel ill.
Is strength training or cardio more important? You need both, and the WHO recommendation includes both. Start with the one you find easiest to get going with, and add the other once the first has become a habit.
This guide gives you the understanding and a first workout. Atlas is where it becomes a habit. You add Health & training as its own part, and The minimum workout, The brisk walk and This week's three are there as suggestions to make your own. You log every time you do something and see your pace week by week, not a single good day. Try Atlas free for 7 days, and cancel whenever you want.