Yashvi Chheda
Bariatric Dietician & Content Writer
How to Start Exercising Even When You Don’t Want To?
“Exercise is the key, because your life depends upon it”, according to Howard Rankin.
That is not exaggerated. Getting into a regular exercise routine lowers your risk of developing heart disease, a stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer, including breast, colon, and lung. Additionally, exercise improves sleep quality, builds bone and muscle strength, and reduces joint pain due to arthritis and other illnesses. There is still more.
Regular physical activity is essential for the growth of new brain cells as well as a wonderful way to combat sadness and anxiety. In addition to being a fantastic stress reliever, movement helps balance brain chemicals like endorphins and dopamine, which are important for motivation and a feeling of energy.
Conversely, the World Health Organisation reports that if you don’t exercise, your risk of death increases by 20% to 30% in comparison to people who are active. Fortunately, you only need to engage in roughly 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week – or 21 minutes per day – to reap the rewards.
Are you prepared to design an exercise schedule that you can follow and enjoy? Here are few suggestions that can be useful:
Try to make exercise regular part of your day
Start to approach fitness casually. You should plan working out every other day, but if you could not go, so be it. You might end up coming up with different excuses for skipping workouts like- having to go grocery shopping, wash clothes, and get to bed early. But just go out there and run for a day.
Now modify your strategy and get determined because exercise is just as vital as eating and sleeping, it has to be a regular part of your day. The justifications for not going will vanish as you change your perspective.
Start slowly and give your new routine sometime
Doing too much too soon is one of the biggest blunders exercise newbies make. Don’t start off by running three miles as quickly as you can if you want to try running. For the first mile, alternate running blocks or minutes with walking blocks or minutes, and then increase the distance. For whatever new activity you decide to try, the same rule holds true.
Give your new behaviour some time, as it takes some time for a new behaviour to become ingrained in you. Tami Smith, a certified personal trainer and the CEO of a fitness company, said: “I can’t tell you how many people give up after a week or two because it feels hard or they aren’t seeing results. “Give yourself an opportunity to start reaping the rewards. At least 30 days of consistency are required; after that, assess your feelings.
Find a form of exercise you like doing
Not everybody will take up running or gyming. Hence, examine several workouts to see which ones suit you. Running, swimming, biking, utilizing an elliptical machine, or enrolling in a kickboxing class are all possible options. You might also favour dancing in your living room while working out to a DVD. Everything is moving, and that is a wonderful thing.
Also keep in mind that numerous low-impact activities, including walking, may also help you stay physically fit. The word “exercise” may imply strenuous workouts, yet movement itself can be healthy without being strenuous. Any movement is better when it comes to naught.
Indeed. The more you enjoy working out, the more confidence you’ll have that you can overcome all kinds of challenges, which means you’ll be more likely to remain with your routine. Finding an exercise routine that you enjoy, whether it is alone or with people; outside, at home, or at a gym, is the key to maintaining exercise.
Ramp up the fun factor
Even if you discover an activity you like, not every workout will be enjoyable. You may occasionally feel drained, irritable, or simply not in the mood to exercise. Another possibility is to fall into a rut, where you don’t really despise but also don’t enjoy your workout. Now is the time to use the creativity that you have.
Drive to your favorite park for an outdoor workout instead of going to the gym. Participate in a friend’s preferred activity. Enroll in a class that interests you, such as Pilates or aqua yoga. Get some new fitness attire for yourself. Make every effort to maintain motion. Because our bodies are made to move, which is why it’s beneficial for us.
There are studies that prove a change in mental health and headspace capacity post workout session. You may notice a feeling of calm and clarity as you just walk or sit post exercise. Do not waste these feelings. Dive into work and conquer the procrastinated work with a full head of steam.
We are built to move. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have freedom of movement ought to reap advantages from it every day.