Do you truly enjoy exercising? Or does it seem more like a chore? If the thought of putting your body through strenuous drills is keeping you from working out, then it’s time to switch things up. Let me share with you my 4 secrets for liking exercise more in today’s post.
With some willpower and focus, you can jumpstart your new relationship with exercise today!
Exercise is a necessity in order to maintain good health.
Now you just need to find a way to make it more enjoyable!
Liking exercise more is possible when if you take the time to incorporate activities you enjoy.
Here’s a summary of the strategies I shared in the video:
Do exercise that you LOVE.
One of the simplest ways to ensure you get a great workout is to choose something you enjoy doing.
This could mean identifying a sport that you’ve played leisurely or giving a new activity a go.
Remember you burn calories through movement, so you’re really not restricted to time in the gym!
- Racquet sports are excellent calorie burners! Consider tennis if you have a partner or choose squash if you’re working out on your own.
- Swimming is extremely effective at building strength and endurance. If you’re looking for structure, try a water aerobics class. Otherwise, swim in a pool on hot summer days!
Just get into something that you actually enjoy doing and chances are you will keep doing it for longer.
If you’re going to make the effort to exercise, you might as well do something you actually love doing.
So keep trying various forms of exercise out, until you find what you like most. Then get into it.
Love HOW you exercise.
Focusing on something enjoyable while exercising can be a welcome distraction from the physical challenges.
Then you’re done before you know it!
When walking on the treadmill, plug in your earphones and blast your favourite tunes on your iPod or MP3 player.
Listening to music is a great diversion that can also be very energizing.
Another thing that helps with liking exercising more is involving other people.
For example, I love playing touch (rugby), especially when it’s with people I like.
When we do exercise AND get to connect with those we like, chances for success go up.
You will experience so much “feel good” that you find it easy to be motivated to go work out or play sports.
Let EXERCISE be the reward.
Some people endorse this idea that you should reward yourself for working out and exercising.
The problem with this approach is that it usually blows up in your face.
The reason for that is because people tend to choose the wrong “rewards.”
Rewards also only really work when they are used as positive reinforcement, which means they need to be immediate to the behaviour to be effective.
These two elements make it hard for people to come up with good enough rewards to condition their nervous system, in my opinion.
A much more effective approach is to just let exercise BE the reward.
Liking exercise more BECOMES the reward once you’re into it.
When you’re doing something you like, in a manner that you like it, that is rewarding enough in itself.
Your body also releases so many “feel good” hormones as a result of exercise, that you won’t need anything else.
As long as you exercise in the right way, you will experience plenty of satisfaction from the activity itself.
Let exercise be about HEALTH.
The easiest way to develop an appreciation for exercise is to consider the benefits to your overall health.
Keep in mind that exercise helps maintain healthy vitals.
On the other hand, limited exercise can result in developing ill health and premature death.
Exercise is all about improving your quality of life.
Listen, as people, we’re not moving nearly enough and exercise will help with that.
Just start associating exercise with a much bigger and more important purpose than just looking good or losing weight, like elongating your life, for it to become something you actually WANT to do.
Listen, exercising is heaps of fun.
I know how that could sound to someone who’s a couch-potato, but it’s true!
Sometimes you just need to experiment a little bit by trying out different forms of exercise and HOW you do them before you find the thing you like.
Just start and try a few things.
Also, and this is a BONUS secret, something that might also help you like exercise more is by NOT calling it exercise.
I don’t call what I do “exercise” but training; because that’s actually more what I’m doing.
There is a purpose to what I’m doing in my workouts as liking exercise would be difficult for me without it.
I have goals and targets I’m trying to achieve.
When you’re going to the gym willy-nilly without purpose, plan or goal in mind – you’re bound to fail.
So, take a shot at these strategies and you’ll see that exercise will become an enjoyable part of your day and less like an undesirable imposition.
Even when it’s difficult, give your body the treatment it deserves.
Last Thought …
Liking exercise more is indeed possible.
You just need to be wise about it.
Many people follow everyone else.
Don’t do that!
Liking exercise is about learning to love moving around.
Just get moving.
And if you can get outside and move about safely, then definitely do that.
Let your imagination go and get creative.
If you have any comments or questions, just leave them below.
Until next time,
Stay healthy,
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This post was previously published on therelationshipguy.com.
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Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com