Finding exercise that you ENJOY!
When I say exercise – what are your first thoughts?
“I know I should, but I don’t like to”
“It’s so hard”
“I don’t have enough time”
“Tried it – don’t like it”
“What’s the point, I’ll always be fat?”
If ANY of these statements ring true for you – you don’t have an exercise problem – you have a thinking problem!! First and foremost, you’ve got to come at exercise from a place that will MOTIVATE you – not set you up for failure before you even start. And yes, that starts with your mind.
Why do you want to exercise? Have you REALLY figured out your motivation for doing it? Cause if it’s for any reason outside of loving and caring for your body – you might have found the problem!
Exercise is really meant to be a way to take care of and love on ourselves – NOT punish ourselves! And yes – exercise can play an important role in weight loss – but the focus of it should not be on how to burn the most calories possible – or how best to make yourself SORE for days – unless you are just really into that kind of pain! 😉
And full disclosure – when I first started exercising regularly – those WERE my motivating factors!! Heck, my heart rate monitor’s sole purpose was to tell me how many calories I burned!! 😉 And a workout that left me unable to sit down without screaming meant I KILLED IT at the gym!
Listen friends, there is nothing wrong with pushing yourself and enjoying the high from a challenging workout. Or feeling like a badass because your arms quiver when you wash your hair. But if these are the only reasons you choose to exercise – chances are – you are going to burn out quickly and lose motivation for doing it consistently.
But when you come from a place of wanting to care for yourself, be able to get up off the ground easily as you get older, walk the stairs without needing an oxygen mask – the motivation is kind of built in already. And I promise, it will make it easier for you to take a casual walk on those days when your body begs you for something a little less strenuous – cause you will realize it’s about more than how many calories you can burn to lose a pound this week.
When you are first starting out with an exercise routine – it’s important to be your own best cheerleader. Get clear on why you want to workout and be willing to try (and suck at first) at new things. There are SO many different ways to move your body nowadays. The times of Jane Fonda videos and step aerobics being your only options are LONG gone. (thank goodness – cause this girl is UNCOORDINATED!!)
But whatever you choose – choose it from a place of love and self-care. And if that feels a little too self-indulgent or stingy – then we may need to work on those thoughts next!! 😉
Would love to help if you are having a difficult time making exercise a priority in your life – post up in the comments where you struggle the most with this!
