13 Tips to Actually Enjoy Exercising

[Guest guest]

I actually used a lot of these tips myself to get myself to exercise regularly. I put my comments in blue:

13 Tips to Actually Enjoy Exercising

Posted: 18 Oct 2007 09:00 AM CDT

Is staying in shape always something that gets bumped to the bottom

of your list? I know many people that complain about not having enough

time to exercise. I think they are lying to themselves. The real

problem is that they hate exercising, so it will never be a priority.

I used to hate exercising too. Going to the gym, running and most

forms of physical activity seemed dull and painful compared to most

other ways I could spend my time. But by not giving up and looking for

a way I could enjoy working out, I reversed this pattern. Now I

exercise 5-6 times per week and I hate not being able to go.

Here¢s some tips to make exercise something you actually want to do:

Make it a Habit - Remove the thinking element. If you can make exercise a habit, then it becomes that much easier to go. Here¢s some tips on making habits stick if you aren¢t sure where to start. I found that setting a time each day like an appt. and not pushing myself too early helped me make it a habit. Get a Partner - Get someone else to go to the

gym with you. Pick someone who is committed to their health. Not only

can you socialize with someone while you¢re there, but you¢ll have a

backup in case your motivation alone isn¢t enough to drag yourself out

there. I find having a partner actually more distracting and I end up focusing more on them than me. I enjoy my exercise time alone. Tune Your Challenge Level - Here are two bad

ways to start exercising. Go out and run until your winded and

dry-heaving into a ditch. Show up to the gym, walk around, don¢t do

anything strenuous and go back home. In one case you put the challenge

level to high, the other wasn¢t challenging at all. Your goal is to set

a workout routine that is challenging, but not overwhelming. Challenge

is key to enjoyment. Set Goals - Not weight-loss or muscle gain

goals, but fitness goals. Set goals to beat your past records in

distance ran, push-ups or chin-ups you can do, weight you can lift or

degree you can stretch. Fitness goals make the gym a game where you

strive to beat your previous high-score. I started doing 2 minutes a day, then worked up to 3 etc. very slowly. I did also set goals and challenge myself while making sure not to burn out. Get Past Your Comfort Zone - So what if you

aren¢t the most svelte or muscular person in the gym?

Self-consciousness can be a big obstacle to enjoying your workout. The

key is to get used to it. When you continue to show up, you¢ll pay less

attention to the people around you and more to your workout. Believe me it is hard to go to a gym when you are 380 pounds! If you really really aren't comfortable, then exercise at home, get some videos or something.. just do it. Experiment - Don¢t stick with the same

routine. Mix it up and try different activities. There are many

different exercise routines you can follow or activities to try. If you

don¢t like lifting weights or running, try sports, martial arts or

dancing. Assuming that exercise needs to be pumping iron or jogging may

limit you from finding something you would truly enjoy. Music - This shouldn¢t come as a surprise, but

music can enhance a workout. I find running almost twice as enjoyable

with music than without it. Totally and I also have an MP3 player full of tunes I love, as well as I always have a good book to read during cardio.Short Workouts - Don¢t have time or enthusiasm to

last an hour? Just go for twenty or thirty minutes. Shorter workouts

can be better than longer ones if the intensity is higher and you

become more focused as a result. After an hour or two of exercise your

body starts to go into a state where more exercise can actually reduce

physical improvements. I actually would go for just as long as I could.. some days life got in the way of exercise but I figured 15 minutes is better than nothing -- and some days that was all I could fit in. I'm excited because I am buying an elliptical next month so that I can workout more at home. Daily Challenges - Make your workout into a

game. Sticking with the same type of exercises can get boring, so mix

it up by introducing an unusual workout challenge. My gym partner and I

have played a game that involves sit-ups and a deck of cards or one

workout day that involves different types of push-ups. If you aren¢t

sure where to get ideas, look through a magazine like Mens Fitness

which usually features a variety of different workouts. I usually just try to switch cardio machines to improve my bodies abilities.. I'm not that creative. I'm going to buy a stairmaster for my house too so I have another machine to switch to. Reward Showing Up, Not Weight Loss - Some

people have gotten the idea that they should reward themselves for

losing weight or gaining muscle. I disagree. Instead, I think you

should reward showing up to the gym and exercising regularly. There are

many ways you can lose or gain weight in unhealthy fashions. Rewarding

exercise is rewarding your commitment to health. For me rewarding myself is easy.. I just buy new clothes and it's exciting because I'm a total clothes hound, and the smaller I get the more cute clothes available to me and the better I look in them. Make Exercise Your Stress Relief - I know many

people that swear by using the gym to relieve stress. Some of them will

head to the gym because of a frustrating day even if it isn¢t on their

schedule. Exercising can be cathartic and release negative feelings if

you get used to using it that way. Then instead of avoiding the gym

because of a stressful day, it will be your reason to go. OMG, I've gotten to the point where I seriously get stressed if I can't get to the gym or get some exercise in. I feel very caged in and antsy. Never thought that would be me! Record Improvements - Again I recommend

recording fitness over body improvements. Recording weight loss or

muscle gain is a good idea, but because of the way your metabolism

functions it becomes increasingly harder to make weight changes as you

go to the gym more regularly. But fitness improvements can, if you work

on it, continue to rise. Keep a record of your strength, endurance and

flexibility so you can get pride in your accomplishments. I measure my weight, body measurements (waist, hips, etc.), body fat percentage, what levels I'm on on the cardio machines, etc. Make Time - You can¢t say you don¢t have time

to exercise. Exercise improves your energy levels and mood which makes

you more productive than any time lost. Find your forty minutes

somewhere in the day and make it a commitment. Get up a bit earlier and

go in the morning. Or schedule it right after work before you settle

down for the day. Once you make time and make it a habit, you¢ll

actually want to exercise instead of just feeling you should. I don't want to be rude to anyone.. I so know that at one point this was me.. but so many people say they don't have time to exercise but they have all the time in the world to watch TV, play video games, stuff like that. I know people can do it if they make the time for themselves. Luv,DebbySan , CA147 pounds lost! 95% of health issues reversed!Find out about the diet that helped me:Group: curingcandida/Website: http://www.naturallythriving.comStudying nutrition for 12 years. Currently pursuing Nutritional Consultant license.

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the tips, I am trying to see how far I can go with them. Again

thank you. Sammy

>

> I actually used a lot of these tips myself to get myself to exercise

regularly. I put my comments in blue:

(excessive quoting deleted by moderator - PLEASE trim posts when replying)