customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Associated Press

As simple as it sounds, Lindsay Kee’s revamped exercise routine began with standing up to take the dog out.
She decided to do a few standing stretches before leaving, and did some squats or jumping jacks when she got back home. Over time, she added to the routine, and now it has been over a year that she consistently exercises around the dog walk.
“Adding it to something I was already doing, it just took so much pressure out of it,” said Kee, an executive coach in Portland, in the US state of Oregon. “I’ve found it to be really effective in helping me be consistent with things that I really do want to do.”
What Kee was doing is called habit stacking, a term coined by author SJ Scott in his 2014 book of the same name. It also goes by habit pairing or piggybacking.

The premise is intuitive: attach a behaviour you want to start doing to something you already do automatically every day.
A classic example is flossing after brushing your teeth, although it can apply to many aspects of daily life. Kee, for instance, also places vitamins next to the coffee machine to help her remember to take them every morning.
Fitness experts say pairing habits is particularly helpful if you are trying to increase your time spent exercising.
Dana Santas is a mobility expert who has trained more than 50 professional sports teams. She said that while using an electric toothbrush, she does squats or lunges or works on her balance by standing on one leg.
“The cool thing about an electric toothbrush is that it has a timer for two minutes, and it should buzz every 30 seconds for you to change your quadrant,” said Santas, who also does 22 push-ups before every shower. “So you can switch your exercise at the buzz. It’s perfect.”

While two minutes of exercise will not get you in shape, every little bit helps, experts say. The US Centres for Disease Control recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as brisk walking per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity like jogging per week, plus two days of strength training.
Habit pairing is hardly a magic bullet, and most people find maintaining new habits difficult.
But New York-based Gretchen Rubin, author of Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives, said pairing is among the best ways to start and maintain new habits. That is because it can remove the barrier of deciding when or if to do something.
“Decision fatigue is the enemy of habit formation,” said Rubin, who added that when she was in college, she allowed herself to shower only if she had exercised that day.
She recommended pairing the new behaviour with something you have to do or deeply want to do. “So you have to do the shaky habit before you get to the strong habit. If I want to listen to a podcast, I have to be on the treadmill.”

Or try a technique recommended by veteran trail runner and triathlete Lisa Jhung, author of Running That Doesn’t Suck: How to Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It).
“If you have an errand to run, why not run it?” she said. “Literally, run it.”
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


Acne, eczema and insomnia can signal poor gut health; here’s how to safeguard yours

The best plant-based milks for the lowest calories and better protein quality

Seed oils lower stroke risk, cholesterol despite social media warnings, according to expert

How art helped heal a breast cancer survivor hit hard by chemotherapy side effects

Wellness

What is habit stacking? How to get fit by adding exercise routines to daily tasks

Pairing a new habit with something you have to do or want to do, such as running on a treadmill while listening to a podcast, can help you remain consistent. The practice is known as habit stacking. Photo: Shutterstock

Lindsey Kee created an exercise routine around walking her dog. Photo: Lindsey Kee via AP

Dana Santas is a mobility expert who has trained more than 50 professional sports teams. Photo: YouTube/danasantas

If you have an errand to run, why not literally run it? Photo: Shutterstock

‘Astonishing’ news on obesity and exercise: 30 minutes a week can offset heart health risk

Obese people with belly fat who do 30 minutes of vigorous exercise a week such as running have the same risk of cardiovascular disease as non-obese people, a study found. Photo: Shutterstock

Obese people who cannot manage vigorous exercise can do moderate exercise instead, such as a light jog or walk, to offset the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, but will need to do 8-9 hours a week, a study suggests. Photo: Shutterstock

Some activities, such as balance training and stretching, are light in nature, but should still be encouraged, says Professor Melody Ding, who suggests everyone should be as active as they can be. Photo: Shutterstock 

Researcher Melody Ding is a professor of public health at The University of Sydney. Photo: Melody Ding

What is the Morning Banana Diet trending on social media? An expert reveals how it works and how to use it for long-term weight loss

The Morning Banana Diet, which prescribes eating bananas for breakfast to lose weight, is back in vogue. We look at why there’s more to the diet than meets the eye, as a nutritionist explains how to incorporate it for healthy, long-term weight loss. Photo: Shutterstock

Eating bananas for breakfast to help lose weight is trending on social media – again. Photo: Shutterstock

Bananas are rich in fibre and nutrients, offering a healthy boost of energy while contributing to a sustained feeling of fullness. Photo: Shutterstock

Delhi-based nutritionist Ruchika Sodhi. Photo: Ruchika Sodhi

The Morning Banana Diet may be a good kick-start to a weight-loss journey, but a balanced diet and regular exercise are necessary for long-term success, according to Sodhi. Photo: Shutterstock

For dietary diversity and sustainable weight loss, incorporate a range of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains into your diet, Sodhi says. Photo: Shutterstock

How shorter, more intense bouts of exercise – like brisk walks – may be as healthy as 30-minute daily workouts; experts weigh in

Sitting around for 12 hours increases your mortality risk by 38 per cent, but a daily 22-minute brisk walk or a more intense 11-minute exercise can lower that risk, according to recent studies. Photo: Getty Images

Edvard Sagelv, a researcher at the Arctic University of Norway in Tromso, was part of a team that found being sedentary more than 12 hours a day was associated with a 38 per cent higher mortality risk. Photo: Edvard Sagelv

The cover of Shane O’Mara’s book. Photo: Penguin

If you want to decrease time spent exercising, you need to up the intensity. Photo: Getty Images

Walking up and down hills increases intensity. Photo: Getty Images

A Japanese study suggests walking after fasting can help you lose weight. Photo: Getty Images

How tai chi may help lower high blood pressure better than aerobic exercise can

Sara Chung practises tai chi at a beach in Shek O in Hong Kong. A study suggests that this ancient Chinese martial art may help lower blood pressure in people at risk of developing hypertension more effectively than conventional aerobic exercise. Photo: Sara Chung

Once blood pressure reaches the threshold of 140 mmHg – the systolic, higher measure, diastolic being the lower – patients are often treated with daily medication to reduce the risk of a heart attack. Photo: Shutterstock

Jogging or running is more ballistic than tai chi, which was found to be better at reducing blood pressure. Photo: Shutterstock

Tai chi was found to induce greater improvement in mobility and balance in older adults compared with conventional exercises. Photo: Shutterstock

Sara Chung is the founder of Balancd Fitness in Hong Kong. Photo: Sara Chung

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Pairing habits is particularly helpful if you are trying to increase your time spent exercising. Experts describe how to do this


Pairing habits is particularly helpful if you are trying to increase your time spent exercising. Experts describe how to do this.


How to age well