We’ve all heard about these people that claim that they love to exercise, but do you believe them? Is there really such a thing as loving exercise or is it a myth created to get people to exercise?
We know that exercise releases endorphins in the body which makes us feel happier and less stressed but you usually feel these effects after you have finished the workout, so what about these people that seem to love the sweat, the racing heart, the lactic acid? We definitely have some Trainers within the Fitness Enhancement team that can vouch for their love of exercise! So can you learn to love exercise? And what are the habits of people that love to exercise?
Enjoy it
First of all, do exercise that you enjoy (or dislike the least). If you over and over again force yourself to do workouts that you actually don’t want to do, there’s a 99% chance you will quit exercising soon and you will definitely not love the session. The Gym is not the only place to work out, if you’d rather be out in nature when you exercise then do that! If you love doing weights, then go to the gym. If you find activities and exercise that you enjoy you are more likely to form a habit of doing them and continue for the long term. This also applies to working out alone or with a friend, do what you prefer, if you like to workout alone that’s great, but if you don’t then find a workout buddy ASAP and you can keep each other accountable. By making the exercise enjoyable you will learn to love it.
A plan and a backup plan
Planning for your sessions and packing the bag the evening before is something we have told you to do many times, but what we haven’t said is that it is also good to have a backup plan. Every now and then there will be something that happens that will mess up your plan whether it is your choice or not, and what will your reaction be then? Give up on all your goals and eat the biggest block of chocolate you can find because you have failed? Or think oh well I missed that workout but I will eat a healthy dinner tonight and then get back to training tomorrow and no damage will be done. Guess which one we would like you to do? Hint, it is not the block of chocolate. Having a backup plan and not being too harsh on yourself when you do a mistake or miss a session will help you in creating new healthy habits and enjoying the exercise.
It is great to have a long term goal to work for, but don’t forget to appreciate the things that happen instantly as you are doing your workout, for example; more energy, feeling happier, feeling proud of completing the workout, increased metabolism, “me time”. Remember these things and you will see that you enjoy the workout a lot more in the moment.
Dress for success
Exercise is not about the latest fashion and the expensive outfits that you can buy to look good. However, there is a point in wearing functional clothing when working out. They make it easier to move, they are comfortable, the material is made for exercise so it helps managing sweat, the seams are flat so they won’t chafe. There are heaps of different workout clothes brands in different price ranges out there, go for comfortable clothes that will help you in your workouts rather than make you feel uncomfortable, that will help you feel successful and you will enjoy the workout.
Feedback and music
One way to stay motivated and enjoy the results of your workout is to measure it, and these days there’s heaps of different fitness apps or watches to use to be able to do that. By using a heart rate monitor with a GPS you can monitor how many calories you have burnt, how far you have traveled in your workout, at what speed, your maximum heart rate etc. All these factors are things that exercise lovers love to do, for example; they collect kilometers and compare month by month how many they have done, they get motivated by seeing how many calories they burnt and that makes them feel proud so there’s a bigger chance they’ll stay on a healthy path for the rest of that day. Feedback (in any situation in life) is a positive thing and helps us with motivation. Another thing that helps is having your favourite tunes lined up on the mp3, listening to your favourite music while exercising makes you work harder but it also helps dealing with fatigue and you can go on for longer. You will definitely love the workout if you get to listen to your best hits!
Fitness Enhancement
And of course people who love to exercise train with our Fitness Enhancement Trainers, but you already knew that didn’t you?!
