Make Exercise Fun
Being aware of your health by watching what you are eating and exercise takes work. For some of us it can feel like too much at times. Too often we begin to look at exercise as a chore we have to complete, when we’d rather be doing something else.
When these negative feelings begin to creep in we often skip a workout and end up feeling guilty. In order to make true lifestyle changes we have to make exercise a positive feeling for ourselves. Some of us have to be more creative than others to make exercising become something we look forward to. Here are 5 ideas to make getting physical fun.
Don’t Use a Mirror
Almost every gym in the world has one thing in common, the HUGE mirrors that greet you at every angle. To someone who isn’t enjoying working out, seeing themselves huffing and puffing through a workout does nothing to improve the situation.
If you do find yourself in a gym with the dreaded mirrors gracing the walls, set yourself up for success by vowing not to look into them. Glance past them at others you see in the mirror, avoid looking at yourself and focus on how your body is moving instead.
Listen to Your Internal Clock for Your Peak Time
Over the years there have been countless theories on the best time for exercising. From body temperature, sugar levels, hours of sleep and so many other factors experts have held various opinions.
The fact is that no two people have been created alike. Listen to your body and decide when to work out based upon your unique make up. A night owl won’t flourish by struggling to wake up at 5am to go for a jog, nor will an early riser enjoy a late night zumba class.
If you are unsure what time will work best for you, make a schedule and stick to it for a week to evaluate how you feel, if it doesn’t work try a different time of day the following week.
Keep an Exercise Journal
The same way a food journal will help you track your caloric intake, an exercise journal will help you become aware of the calories you are burning.
Use your journal to track the exercises you’re doing, the time or repetitions and set goals for increasing these over time. This will help you identify any problems and stay committed to your lifestyle and fitness goals.
Exercise for the Experience Not Immediate Results
To avoid resenting exercising when you’re not in peak physical shape, begin with an activity you actually enjoy. While it would be fantastic if we could just decide to be fit enough to complete a 10 mile run the first time out, it’s not going to happen.
By choosing to do something you enjoy you’ll be improving your physical fitness and beginning your journey to fitness in a manner which is more likely to be long lasting. So go on, get up and get biking, hiking, playing tennis or whatever it is you enjoy. Just get moving!
Be Creative, Not Rigid
Setting and keeping an exercise routine is important, but life will often get in the way. If you are rigid in your exercise schedule and become disappointed by a schedule hiccup you run the risk of giving up.
If you’ve planned to hit the gym for an hour but simply cannot schedule it in your day, try getting in a short workout at some point in the day. By being creative you can still burn the calories you had planned and won’t miss a day in your routine.