A guide to making exercise a part of your life, from a former couch potato
A Matter of Perspective
For the majority of my life, I have despised, yes, d-e-s-p-i-s-e-d, exercise. I've tried various disciplines over the years, such as swimming, spinning, dancing, boot camp, among others. While I occasionally enjoyed the activity, it seemed like the benefits and endorphins always eluded me.
I never identified with those people who say their body ✨craves✨ exercise. I can tell you right now that even now my body only craves sleep, going to the bathroom, and a back massage.
However, in 2021, a year filled with changes and surprises, I found myself in need of a bit of routine, stability, and good habits. So, I decided to rediscover the gym. Two years later, I can tell you that exercising, beyond being something I enjoy, is an intrinsic part of my routine, something that happens almost by default.
Today, I want to share with you the steps that led me here.
A Non-Aesthetic Goal
If you're in a situation where you don't enjoy exercise, I bet a big part of your demotivation comes from associating it solely with physical appearance. Unless you're already on track, I can tell you that aesthetic goals are the motivation killers. The way we look is influenced by countless factors such as genetics, hormones, stage of development, diet, etc. Making your sole goal (or the most important one) to look a certain way is a one-way street to lose motivation.
Discover New Reasons
Now, this means that this motivation must go somewhere else. Think about what other things you could gain from exercise, beyond how you look.
Here are some of my personal reasons:
To have fun, live a better and longer life, be able to join exercise plans with my friends feeling capable and confident in my endurance, carry grocery bags without getting too tired, appreciate all the things this body of mine can do, play frisbee and go biking with my partner, not refrain from trying new things because of their physical aspect, create good habits that will allow me to enjoy playing with my grandchildren and help my children.
Adjust Expectations Based on Your Own Progress
Once you start, you can adjust your goals. For example, if you discover that you enjoy running, you could consider doing it a couple of times a week, then join a running group, and later participate in a small race. If you set the goal of running the New York Marathon from the beginning, I promise you'll lose motivation if your progress doesn't match the pace of the goal you've set. Remember, the most important goal is to form the habit of exercising your body; there is no time limit or intensity standard.
Eliminate Obstacles
In the beginning, it's important to prioritize enjoyment. Identify the things that prevent you from exercising and eliminate them: Don't like bumping into familiar faces? Train at home, with a personal trainer, or join a less popular gym. Don't like your workout clothes? Buy three outfits that make you feel good. Don't like doing burpees? Don't do them; there are other exercises. Don't like cardio? Try to find something you enjoy or do the minimum necessary.
It doesn't have to be perfect. There is no quality standard. A "so-so" workout is better than none. The goal is to form the habit.
At this initial stage, it's crucial to eliminate the things that create resistance so that you can learn to enjoy exercise. Later, once you have the habit more solidified, you can set goals that challenge your motivation and will surely give you a great sense of achievement when you reach them. Just to give you an idea, it took me a year of going to the gym to want to do a burpee. My physical condition was suitable for it long before, but my motivation wasn't.
The moral of this story is that it's a process that takes years, so we have to be comfortable with flexible, long-term goals without any burden of guilt. What I can assure you, though, is that it's a journey worth taking.
That's all I have for you today! Have a great weekend!
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