There are a lot of people that don’t enjoy exercise.
Being an ex athlete, I never quite got it, but having worked with clients over many years, I do now. Most have tried everything to lose weight, from every diet under the sun to every new fad exercise regime or piece of exercise equipment. It’s been brief, and while they’ve achieved limited success, its never been truly lasting change. Until the next fad comes around. And away they go again. Stuck like a mouse on a wheel running furiously but getting nowhere
The thing I point out to clients that seems missing is enjoyment. The second thing is tying exercise to weight loss, and a perfect body.
When you’re taking the time to begin exercise you need to make sure you find the correct way of getting your heart beating. You also want to make sure that you’re taking time to find exercise that’s actually going to help your body. And importantly, is to find exercise that you enjoy!
Make sure that you’re taking the time to understand what type of exercise you’re going to enjoy. There are many different types that you can choose to participate in and choosing the right one may take some time.
First, remove the weight loss/perfect body affiliation with exercise, seriously, it will set you free and view exercise in a different light. You may want to identify aspects of exercise or sports that interest you. Do you think you would enjoy gentle or intense exercise, are you competitive, do you enjoy a team environment, or do you want to go at your own pace and prefer being by yourself? For example, you may choose exercise such as walking the dog, or playing social basketball with friends. Make a commitment to it, it’s fun and enjoyable. It’s also a starting point, but one that you can build on. They are just a couple of examples, they’re a lot of different types of exercises that you can choose from and you want to make sure that you exhaust all of your options when you’re looking.
Second, you want to make sure that you’re taking the time to get to know what limitations your body has. There are many different injuries that your body can incur if you push yourself past your natural limits, based on age and ailments. Also, there’s very little point, and the fun and enjoyment will soon disappear if you’re engaging in exercise that hurts or inflames old injuries.
When beginning to exercise just make sure that you’re keeping your body moving, and that it’s FUN and enjoyable, on your terms. When making a commitment to your new found exercise, keep a holistic approach and goals realistic. Don’t be a bull at a gate (exercising five days a week), and then beat yourself up when you don’t achieve it (only make it 3 times a week). The more active that you keep your body the more happy you’ll be in the long run. Remember, rest between exercising sessions is just as important as the exercise itself.
Taking the time to get to know and research different types of exercise will give you the perfect opportunity to find something that you enjoy and that will lead to lasting change.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Aaron Tenabel is the owner and founder of Stride Life Coaching. An ex professional swimmer and elite coach, Aaron now uses those experiences and skills to specialise coaching individuals wanting to improve their health, achieve work life balance, and find greater purpose, fulfilment and authenticity in their career. Aaron also specialises in working with professional athletes, wanting to find passions outside their chosen sport, and help develop, empower and plan for their life post career.