How to teach yourself to stop hating exercise

HAKUNA MATATA!

( The above word is just to draw your attention.  🙂

Do you like to exercise ? If so, you know that reaching that stage of enjoyment did not come naturally. After all, exercise requires extra will and effort , two things that 99 percent of us lack. And it is that the exercise requires all the will and effort that we can muster!

The good news is that if you stick with it long enough, the exercise will hook you. In fact, after the habit is established, we get pretty sick if we don’t exercise. This is because exercise literally changes the neural pathways in the brain, resulting in a body that craves the feel-good hormones released during exercise.

SO HOW CAN YOU TEACH YOURSELF TO LIKE EXERCISE?

« Exercise is my release from the stress of school and everyday life. If I’m frustrated, angry, or under a lot of pressure, exercising helps calm my nerves. It gives me an outlet for all my emotions and makes me generally happier. It also gives me confidence…because after I survive very hard training, I feel like I can handle any task that comes my way .” – Jessie E., Portola Valley, Calif.

1. DO SOMETHING YOU LIKE

One of the most frustrating things some fitness “experts” say is that you need to do specific exercises to stay in shape. This is not even remotely accurate. Now, if you have a goal of, say, adding 10 pounds of muscle, a strict weight training regimen is going to be necessary. Similarly, if you want to run a 10K marathon, it’s a good idea to run according to a set schedule.

But if you simply want a lean, healthy body, playing a sport or finding an exercise routine that you enjoy would be ideal. Play basketball, go mountain biking, walk your dog, hike a trail, take tennis lessons. In short, staying active doesn’t require joining a gym or hiring a personal trainer.

2. SEE THE BENEFITS

Even moderate physical activity provides a ton of health benefits . Physically, exercise improves muscle strength and increases endurance. Regular exercise also increases blood circulation, delivering much-needed nutrients to your organs and strengthening all primary organs, especially the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Mentally, there is no better anti-stress than exercise. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, improves memory, strengthens focus and concentration, and speeds up learning. Moderate exercise also provides us with a steady stream of “feel good energy” to get us through the day.

3. FIND THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT

If you want to enjoy exercising, finding the right training environment for you is crucial. Some people swear by the gym; others love to get out into nature; and others don’t really care about the environment as long as they get a little sweaty. Some people like to exercise alone. Others need a workout buddy. They are options.

Also, don’t underestimate the importance of finding a comfortable place and setting. Exercising in the right environment for you will make exercise much more enjoyable.

4. LISTEN TO MUSIC

If you see a person exercising, you will most likely see them wearing earplugs. It turns out there’s a good reason: Listening to music while working out is like giving your brain a double dose of dopamine.

Brain research shows that music affects mood by stimulating the formation of brain chemicals in the pleasure reward system (PRS). The SRP provides those feelings of drive and motivation that we need to get through a tough workout.

5. CHALLENGE YOURSELF… BUT NOT TOO MUCH

Some people start too fast, and then get discouraged when they can’t keep up. Others start off too slow, wandering around the gym doing nothing strenuous and then going home.

Start at a pace that is challenging but doable. For the lazy… You know you’re paying for that gym membership, right? At least get on the treadmill and walk or do something!

6. STAY WITH IT

Although we’ve given you some tips on how to learn to enjoy exercise, they won’t help you unless you apply a little self-discipline. Even doing something you enjoy can be difficult when you’re lying in a comfortable bed with the “button” to sleep within easy reach.

Get started now and before you know it, you won’t need an alarm clock. Your body will be up before the alarm goes off – you just want to start working out!