Do you tend to lose motivation and push your trainers to the back of your wardrobe? You’re not alone…
Exercise is hard work. It’s time consuming, you get sweaty and often your body will ache. Why bother, right? Well, there are so many reasons to exercise, for one, study after study shows that there’s a direct relationship between exercise and happiness. We all know how important exercise is, but it can be hard to find the will power to get going sometimes.
The best way to overcome this mindset is to make sure you plan your exercise, so you get the maximum enjoyment as well as all the health benefits from your workout. So here’s 5 IDEAL tips to help you actually enjoy exercising.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT ACTIVITY
If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing it can make exercise a real slog. Just because a workout programme promises to deliver exactly the results you’re after doesn’t mean it will be right for you. You’re much better off doing something you enjoy and look forward to, and you’ll be more likely to keep it up! Whether you’re more at home swimming lengths at the local leisure centre, dancing in a zumba class or you prefer to go miles for miles on a treadmill, whatever it is – make sure you enjoy it!
CHOOSE THE RIGHT LOCATION
Location is also important if you want to really enjoy your exercise. If you go for a run or a bike ride you need to choose somewhere that lifts your spirits. Head for the woods or the park rather than pounding round an industrial estate. If you use a gym, make sure it’s one that you feel comfortable in, and go and see several before deciding which one to join. Being in the right gym with the right people can make a huge difference to your workout’s success. Exercising at home has it’s advantages too.
GO WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Turn fitness into a social event. “Exercising on your own, whether it’s working out in the gym or going for a run, can be a joyless experience. But exercising with others in a class is motivating and much more fun, especially if there’s great music too. When you try a class, give it two or three chances before you decide whether you want to continue or move on to something else: sometimes it takes a few weeks to start to learn the moves, feel comfortable and really get to love it,” explains Fitness Instructor and Nutritionist Cassandra Barns.
DON’T PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD
No pain, no gain – right? That saying is nonsense. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. If you ignore the pain in your back or a raised temperature and battle on anyway, you could exacerbate your injury or illness. This can lead to you having to miss more training sessions than you would have if you’d been sensible and taken care of yourself! Medical opinion is unanimous on this – don’t exercise if you have an injury or you’re feeling ill. If you can exercise the rest of your body without straining the injured area, that’s fine, but don’t push through the pain in your determination to keep going. You won’t enjoy it.
Seek medical advice if the injury is very painful or is taking a long time to heal, and get a referral to a specialist if you’re worried or your doctor can’t seem to get to the bottom of the problem. If you have the option, you can consider visiting a private clinic that deals with specific problems such as knee injuries.
HAVE MORE SEX
Struggling to find some couple time and keep up with a fitness regime? Why not combine the both, through lovemaking? Not only can this help to burn calories, but it can also help you have a great sleep, which can leave you feeling more energised! “Sex or masturbation can help to relieve tension and help you go off to sleep faster,” says Dr Marilyn Glenville, the UK’s leading Nutritionist. By getting a good night’s sleep it can then help you to be more productive the next day, which in turn can help you stay motivated for your exercise routine!
