We all know that we should make exercise a part of our lifestyle, however, most of us don’t have the willpower to power through the pain and sweat. Lucky individuals who have been exercising regularly actually think of exercise as a way to relieving stress and feeling better.
Unfortunately, the majority of us do not find exercise fun at all, in fact, it is something we dread and churn up excuses to avoid. For the betterment of your health, you should make exercise a part of daily life. If you are struggling to enjoy it then make changes that will make it a pleasurable experience.
Here are some ways you can train your brain to be more open to exercise:
- Find a workout that you enjoy
Workouts are different for everyone. Some fitness freaks get a kick out of an intense workout, someone who’s a beginner or is just not fond of working out will hate a CrossFit workout for example.
People who don’t like the idea of pushing themselves too hard at the gym should search for workouts of moderate intensity. Rigorous workouts at the gym can be intimidating and you’re likely to bring up excuses to avoid the gym altogether.
Unless you have to lose lots of weight, you may not have to spend many hours at the gym every day. Someone of good health and of weight can remain healthy by doing workouts such as aerobics, Zumba and even swimming. If you get overwhelmed with the idea of going to the gym, try going to an outdoors Yoga class instead, you might find the atmosphere more calming.
- Go with a friend
You have your very own cheerleader when you head to the gym with a friend. Going to the gym feels like less work when you’re meeting a friend there, it just feels like hangout with a friend. Studies suggest that those who work out with partners tend to exercise more than those who work out by themselves. Having a friend around gives you that extra push to keep you going.
When you exercise with a friend you have someone to share your progress with. If you decide on goals in advance such as trimming an inch off your waist or dropping a number of pounds, you’ll do a better job at achieving them when you have a friend to workout with.
Lastly, you’ll be willing to try new workouts when you have the support of a friend. You may be hesitant to try Latin Dance workout on your own but may be more willing if you’re friend agrees to do it with you.
- Dress up for it
Buy yourself proper active-wear for your workouts. Your brain automatically is more willing to work out when you are dressed appropriately. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that clothes impact behavior and attitude because of what they symbolize. Without you realizing it, your brain makes a slight shift based on the clothes you wear.
According to experts, you should perform better when in the gym when you are dressed in functional activewear. Sports psychologist Dr. Johnathan Fader claims that when you are in proper active-wear, you feel more confident in your abilities.
- Workout at home
For non-exercisers, going to the gym can be taxing so instead of going to the gym, follow a workout routine at home instead. Dedicate an hour to exercise every day. You can choose to do this while watching your favorite TV series, blasting to the music of your choice or any other way you find comfortable. The idea is to make exercising more comfortable for yourself.
There are various exercises you can do at home, including aerobics and even strength training. You can choose to spend some cash on exercise machines like a treadmill or elliptical. If you aren’t willing to spend money then you can follow intense workouts at home using stability and medicine balls as well.
