Skip to main content
  • Individuals
    • Individuals
    • Business
    • Adviser
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Claims
    • AIA Vitality Member Login
  • Search
  • AIA Australia
  • Health Insurance
    • Member Benefits
    • Member Login
    • Get a quote
    • Make a claim
  • Life Insurance
    • Life Cover
    • Total and Permanent Disablement
    • Crisis Recovery
    • Income Protection
    • Business Expenses
    • Make a claim
    • Medix
  • AIA Vitality
    • Partners and Rewards
    • Already a member? Login
  • Content Hub
    • Move Well
    • Plan Well
    • Eat Well
    • Think Well
  • Help & Support
    • Making a Claim
    • Form Library
    • Policyholder Information
    • Complaints process
    • Contact AIA
    • Customer feedback
    • COVID-19
  • Covid-19 Response
    • Claims and Medical Support
    • Applying for Life Cover
    • COVID-19 FAQs
AIA
  • Individuals
  • Business
  • Adviser
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Claims
  • AIA Vitality Member Login
  • Health Insurance

    Health Insurance

    Cover that protects and rewards.

    • Member Benefits

      Learn more about the range of benefits available to AIA Health Insurance members.

    • Member Login

      Existing members login here to your online account.

    • Get a quote

      Ready to get started?

    • Make a claim

      Get help with making a claim.

  • Life Insurance

    Life Insurance

    We’re here to help protect your family, your lifestyle and your future.

    For Individuals

    For Business

    • Life Cover

      Helps protect your loved ones if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness or pass away.

    • Total and Permanent Disablement

      A lump sum benefit if you're no longer able to work due to an injury or illness.

    • Crisis Recovery

      Helps ease the financial burden should you suffer a traumatic event.

    • Income Protection

      Can provide you with a monthly income if you become disabled due to injury or illness.

    • Business Expenses

      May assist to pay expenses of your business if you cannot work due to injury or illness.

    • Make a claim

      Get help with making a claim.

    • Medix

      Personal Medical Case Management.

  • AIA Vitality

    AIA Vitality

    AIA Vitality is a personalised, science-backed health and wellbeing program that supports you every day to make healthier lifestyle choices.

    • Partners and Rewards

      Learn more about our partners and rewards.

    • Already a member? Login

      Check your AIA Vitality Status and get access to the tools you need to help improve your health.

  • Content Hub

    Content Hub

    The AIA Vitality Content Hub is your go to for science-backed, health and wellbeing inspiration and advice.

    • Move Well

      Finding your further when it comes to exercise and fitness.

    • Plan Well

      Improving financial literacy, because a good tomorrow starts today.

    • Eat Well

      Caring for your body with food that makes you feel good.

    • Think Well

      Tools and information to help cultivate a healthy frame of mind.

  • Help & Support

    Help & Support

    We strive to assist you for all your inquiries with high touch customer service.

    Contact AIA
    • Making a Claim

      Get help with making a claim.

    • Form Library

      A selection of forms you can download, fill in and send back to us.

    • Policyholder Information

      Useful information for policyholders.

    • Complaints process

      If you have a complaint, we'll do our best to resolve the situation.

    • Contact AIA

      How to get in contact with us.

    • Customer feedback

      Let us know how we're doing.

    • COVID-19

      How we are responding.

  • Covid-19 Response

    Covid-19 Response

    We’re here to help in a time of crisis.

    • Claims and Medical Support

      How we can support you.

    • Applying for Life Cover

      Learn more about our coverage.

    • COVID-19 FAQs

      Find out more.

  • Search
  • Contact Us
    • Call Us

      Open: 8am to 6pm, AEST Mon - Fri

    • Find an adviser

Move Well
Prev | Next
Back to Top
  • {{title}}

    {{label}}
  • How to start (and maintain) a running habit

    Staff Writer - 3 min read

    15 December 2017


    Running is a great way to keep fit, but it can be a big undertaking when you’re starting from scratch. Follow this easy guide to starting the habit and keeping it up.

    How to start (and maintain) a running habit

    If you want to take up running and you’re a little rusty – or getting into it for the first time – it can be tough to get started. But with the right motivation and a goal broken into achievable milestones, you’ll be sprinting towards your target in no time.

    Choose your motivation

    To maintain a habit, you need an ongoing motivation to keep you accountable. Runner David Gallichio was working full time and feeling unfit when he resolved to get moving. “I started from nothing. I hadn’t really exercised for five years,” he says.

    He set his sights on Run Melbourne’s 10-kilometre event, initially working to improve his distance each time he ran. “I got through the 10 kilometres, then I worked towards the half marathon in 2012,” Gallichio says.

    Whether you’re aiming for five kilometres, a marathon, or simply feeling fitter, make the journey as enjoyable as the destination with an upbeat playlist or a session in a scenic location.

    Warm up

    Warming up is essential. You’ll be using muscles that haven’t been put through their paces for an extended period, so this will ensure you avoid injury and recover better.

    It’s a good idea to invest in quality running shoes so you’re not putting too much pressure on your feet and ankles, too.

    Celebrate milestones and accept setbacks

    When you hit the footpath for the first time, set an achievable goal. That might be walking and jogging a one kilometre route. An app like Couch to 5K Run Training can help you to hit incremental targets.

    Gallichio chose a training app and followed it for six months. He admits the main challenge was finding the time to get out before or after work. “To form a habit, I made running a priority in my schedule. I made sure that I ran each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday,” he says.

    Some researchers have argued that it takes 21 days to form a new habit, but there are variables. If you have a busy week at work or family demands make it impossible to allocate time, you might feel like throwing in the towel. The key is to accept these dips in momentum rather than giving up all together.

    A realistic, positive outlook will enable you to push forward through setbacks and make running part of your lifestyle, even if you don’t take to the track every day.

    Make your #OneChange

    Download a running app.

    Set yourself up for success

    To boost your chances of making running an integrated part of your life, take a holistic approach. That means eating well, getting enough sleep and taking time to recover. The endorphins and added energy might spur you on, too.

    If you’re building up to long distances, consider a nutrition plan. Gallichio completed the Melbourne Marathon in 2013 and 2014 – when training got serious, he consulted a professional to ensure he was managing his diet correctly.

    “I thought that a litre of water when running 24 kilometres or more was enough. Once I’d spoken to a high-performance professional and improved my fluid intake, I had no problems,” he says. To anyone considering taking up running, he adds: “If I can do it from the shape I was in, anyone can do it.”


    Staff writer icon

    Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

    Disclaimer:
    The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional, tax or other advice. It does not take into account any individual’s personal situation or needs. You should consider obtaining professional advice from a financial adviser and/or tax specialist, or medical or health practitioner, in relation to your own circumstances and before acting on this information.


    This inspirational content is brought to you by AIA Vitality

    AIA Vitality is a science-backed program that helps you learn more about your health, offers ways to improve it and motivates you with rewards along the way.

    Contact AIA

    1800 333 613

    PO Box 6111
    Melbourne VIC 3004

    enquiries@aia.com.au

    AIA Global aia.com

    Contact AIA

    1800 333 613

    PO Box 6111
    Melbourne VIC 3004

    enquiries@aia.com.au

    Help and support

    Make a claim

    Frequently asked questions

    Customer feedback

    Complaints process

    Whistleblower policy

    Form library

    Explore AIA

    AIA Vitality

    Health insurance

    Life insurance

    OneLife

    About AIA

    Careers

    Our people

    Our commitments

    Media centre

    Our awards

    FSC commitment

    Help and support

    Make a claim

    Frequently asked questions

    Customer feedback

    Complaints process

    Whistleblower policy

    Form library

    explore Aia

    AIA Vitality

    Health insurance

    Life insurance

    Content Hub

    about AIA

    Careers

    Our people

    Our commitments

    Media centre

    Our awards

    FSC commitment


    Copyright © 2020. AIA Group Limited and its subsidiaries or affiliates. All rights reserved. Priority Protection and Priority Protection for Platform Investors products are issued by AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861, AFSL 230043). AIA Vitality, a personalised, science-backed program that supports members every day to make healthier choices, is available with eligible products issued by AIA Australia. AIA Health with AIA Vitality is issued by AIA Health Insurance Pty Ltd ABN 32 611 323 034, a registered private health insurer governed by the Private Health Insurance Act 2207, Private Health Insurance Rules 2007 and the AIA Health Insurance Pty Ltd Fund Rules. The information on this website is current as at 3 September 2020 and may be subject to change. It is general information only and is not intended in any way to be financial, legal, tax, health, medical, nutritional or other advice. You should consider your own personal circumstances and needs and view the relevant product documents, fact sheets, fund rules and terms and conditions before making a decision to acquire such products. If necessary you should obtain professional advice from a financial, tax, medical or health professional. Unless expressly stated, any views or expressions of opinion (including any video content) do not represent the opinion of AIA.
    Terms of Use | Privacy