Skipping Regular Exercise
I want you to think about your grandmother for a second.
She didn't have a gym membership. She probably didn't own a pair of running shoes. She almost certainly never did a HIIT class or tracked her steps on a smartwatch.
And yet — I'd be willing to bet she was more physically active in a single day than most of us are in an entire week.
She walked to the shops. She hung the washing on the line. She scrubbed floors on her hands and knees. She cooked everything from scratch. She got up to change the TV channel — when there were only three channels. She moved. Constantly. Not as exercise. Just as life.
Now fast forward to today. We have remote controls, ride-shares, food delivery, escalators, office chairs, Netflix autoplay, and voice-activated everything. We have engineered movement almost completely out of our daily lives. And in doing so, we have created one of the most significant health crises of the modern era. Today we can quite easily go through an entire day without moving at all if we choose to!
Physical inactivity is now the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Let me say that again. Not moving enough is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. It kills more people than obesity. More than alcohol. The World Health Organisation estimates that physical inactivity costs the global economy over 67 billion dollars every year in healthcare and lost productivity.
And in Australia? Only one in two adults meets the minimum recommended physical activity guidelines. One in two. Half of us are not moving enough — and most of us know it.
I'm Cherine Chinnock, and this is Habit #4 in the 10 Worst Habits for Your Health series. Today we're talking about skipping regular exercise. Not just what it's doing to your body — but how much you actually need, what type of movement matters most at different stages of life, and — most importantly — the exact habits, mindset shifts, and systems that make exercise something you actually stick to. Not for a week. Not for January. For life.
WHAT IS "SKIPPING REGULAR EXERCISE" — AND WHAT IS IT COSTING YOU?
Here's the thing — most people don't think of themselves as someone who skips exercise. They just haven't gotten around to it yet. They're going to start on Monday. After the busy period at work. Once the kids are back at school. When the weather gets better.
Sound familiar?
Skipping regular exercise isn't always a dramatic choice. It's usually a series of small, seemingly reasonable deferrals that add up to weeks, months, and years of inactivity.
And the cost is enormous. Regular physical inactivity increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and early death. It accelerates the loss of muscle mass — which begins in your 30s and speeds up dramatically from your 50s onward. It reduces bone density. It impairs your sleep. It lowers your energy. It blunts your mood. And it makes everything harder — physically and mentally.
So how much do you actually need? Because I want you to have a clear, specific number in your head — not a vague sense that you should "do more."
The Australian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. That's 30 minutes, five days a week. Walking briskly, cycling, swimming. You don't need to be gasping. You don't need to be red-faced. Moderate means you can hold a conversation but you're working. Or as I like to say, you should be able to talk but not to sing. And in my case, I should never be allowed to sing 😊
OR 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity — running, fast cycling, circuit training. PLUS muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week. This is non-negotiable — especially as you get older. I'll come back to this.
30 minutes a day. That's the baseline. Not an hour. Not two hours. Thirty minutes. And even that — broken into three 10-minute chunks — delivers measurable health benefits according to the research. Sounds doable, Sounds rational, hey – it may even be enjoyable…. so why aren’t we doing it? When I talk to people about this they most commonly say – they’re too busy. And that’s actually true. We are busier than ever — or at least we feel that way. And when we're overwhelmed, discretionary time — the kind we'd use for exercise — is the first thing to go.
But here's what's interesting though: research consistently shows that people who exercise regularly don't have more time than people who don't. They just have better systems. They've made it non-negotiable. They've removed the decision from the equation.
Before I get into the HOW WE’RE GONNA FIX THIS with some practical tips. I want to take a minute to talk about YOU. Who are you? What do you love doing. What is your personality? What drains you and what energises you? The answers to these questions will give you an insight into you and we will use this to identify your “exercise personality”
Why is this important? If you don’t work with your exercise personality you will fail.
So back to you ! What kind of exerciser are you?
Not what kind of exerciser you think you should be. What kind actually works for you.
Because here's the truth: there is no universally right way to exercise. What matters is that you find the approach that fits your personality — because that is what you will actually sustain.
There are three main exercise personalities. See which one you recognise in yourself.
The first is the Community Exerciser.
This person is energised by other people. They love the buzz of a group class, the accountability of a running club, the shared suffering of a team workout. Being around others who are doing the same thing motivates them, lifts their energy, and — crucially — gets them through the door on days they don't feel like it. I'll put my hand up here — this is me. I love the community of group exercise. The energy in the room, the people pushing alongside you — it makes the whole thing something I look forward to rather than dread. If this is you, lean into it hard. Find your tribe. Book the class. Join the club. The social commitment alone will transform your consistency.
The second is the Solo Exerciser.
This person needs solitude. The headphones, the open road, the quiet — exercise is their thinking time, their decompression, their space away from the demands of other people. A group class feels like their worst nightmare. And that is absolutely fine. If you are a solo exerciser and someone keeps telling you to join a class, ignore them. Build your solo routine, protect it fiercely, and understand that what recharges you is also what will keep you consistent.
The third is the Goal-Driven Exerciser.
This person needs a target. Without something specific to work toward — a fun run, a triathlon, a hiking challenge, a specific event — the motivation dissolves. They are not lazy. They are just wired for purpose and direction. If this is you, you need something on the calendar at all times. Enter the event before you feel ready. Sign up for the fun run when you can barely run for the bus. The goal creates the training. The training creates the habit.
Take a moment right now and think about which one you are. Because once you know, you can stop trying to exercise in a way that doesn't work for you — and start building something that actually does.
Got it? Please drop it in the comments. I am definitely a community exerciser because I’m an HUGE extrovert. I have a natural love of running and its easy for me. The problem is resistance training – which I absolutely hate! But I know how important it is. The only way I can do it is in a group class. So I’ve joined a Xfit gym and honestly, it’s the people there that keep me going consistently.
Okay. Here are the habits, systems, and strategies that the research tells us actually work. Not motivation hacks. Not quick fixes. The real stuff.
THESE ARE THE SYSTEMS YOU NEED TO MAKE REGULAR EXERCISE A HABITS
System 1: Schedule it like an appointment — and protect mornings if you can.
Study after study shows that people who exercise in the morning have significantly higher adherence rates than those who exercise later in the day. Not because mornings are magical — but because mornings are protected. As the day progresses, life floods in. Meetings run over. Kids need things. Energy dips. Willpower depletes. By putting exercise first, you remove all of that interference. It happens before the day has a chance to steal it.
If morning genuinely doesn't work for your life, that's okay. But whatever time you choose — put it in your calendar as a non-negotiable appointment. Not "if I have time." An appointment.
System Two: Reduce friction ruthlessly.
The harder it is to start, the less likely you are to do it. This is basic habit science. So make it easy. Pack your gym bag the night before. Keep your running shoes by the front door. Sleep in your gym clothes if you need to. Have your workout playlist ready. Drive past the gym on your commute. The fewer obstacles between you and starting, the higher your consistency will be.
System Three: Habit stack — attach exercise to something that already exists.
Don't try to build exercise as a completely new standalone habit. Attach it to something you already do. Walk immediately after dinner. Do 20 minutes of movement before your morning coffee — not after, before. Cycle to work instead of driving. Stretch while you watch the news. When a new behaviour is anchored to an existing one, your brain has a ready-made trigger for it. That's how habits form.
System Four: Do exercise you actually enjoy. This is non-negotiable.
Emotion creates habits! You will do it if you love it! Obviously.
If you hate running, do not run. I mean it. There is no law that says exercise has to be running. Walk. Swim. Dance. Cycle. Row. Box. Hike. Do Zumba. Lift weights. Play tennis. Do whatever gets your body moving and doesn't make you miserable. The best exercise is the exercise you will actually do — and do consistently. Forcing yourself to do something you dread every single day is not a sustainable strategy. Enjoyment is not a nice-to-have. It is a predictor of long-term success.
System Five: Get the right support — from rest, nutrition, from gear from people around you.
The people in your life matter. A partner who respects your workout time. Friends who support rather than undermine your commitment. Family who understand this is non-negotiable. You don't need everyone to exercise with you — you just need the people around you not to work against you.
And the equipment piece — this sounds small but it isn't. If you're planning to run in the mornings and it's winter and you don't own a good running jacket, you will not run when it's cold. That is not weakness. That is human nature. We avoid discomfort. If your shoes are worn out and your knees ache every time you go out, you will stop going out. Good footwear is one of the best investments you can make in your health. It prevents the injuries that derail everything. The right gear removes the excuses before they have a chance to form.
Think of it this way: the jacket, the shoes, the packed bag — these are the infrastructure of your habit. And infrastructure matters.
System Six: Use social accountability.
People who exercise with a partner, in a group, or with any form of social accountability are significantly more consistent than those who go it alone — even for naturally solo exercisers. Tell someone your plan. Book a class you've paid for. Agree to meet a friend. Make a public commitment. A commitment made to another person is one you are far less likely to break than a commitment made only to yourself.
System Seven: Start embarrassingly small.
The biggest mistake people make is doing too much too soon. They go from nothing to five days a week at full intensity, feel destroyed, and quit within a fortnight. Start with two sessions a week. Twenty minutes each. Make it so achievable it feels almost too easy. Build the habit first. The intensity comes later.Two sessions becomes three. Three becomes four. And one day — without fanfare, without a dramatic moment — you realise this is just who you are now.
Build identity, not just outcomes.
The most durable exercise habits are not driven by weight loss goals or fitness targets alone. They are driven by identity. "I am someone who moves their body every day." "Exercise is just part of who I am." When you see yourself as an active person — not someone trying to become one — the behaviour follows the identity. Track your consistency. Watch your streak grow. Every session is a vote for the person you are becoming.
How do you know when you’ve nailed it? When its automatic, you are in a routine of exercise that to not exercise seems so wrong!
So here's your one action from today.
Right now — or as soon as this video ends — open your calendar. Find two slots this week. Two. Book them in as appointments. It doesn't matter what you do in those slots. A 20 minute walk counts. What matters is that you show up.
Because the habit comes before the fitness. The identity comes before the results.
And I want to hear from you — drop it in the comments below: what type of exercise personality are you? Community, solo, or goal-driven? And what's the one change you're going to make this week to protect your movement?
Tell me. Because naming it publicly makes it real. And real is where change happens.
If this resonated with you, please subscribe — there are six more habits left in this series and each one builds on the last. Share this with someone who keeps saying they'll start "soon."
I'll see you in the next one.