6 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH EXERCISE

 

An unhappy relationship with exercise is common but it is something that can be changed and is deserving of support.

There are many reasons as to why someone may not enjoy exercise or feel completely unmotivated to do it and 98% of the time it’s NOT because someone is simply just “lazy”.

Exercise is physical but it’s LARGELY psychological too. How we feel towards most things, including exercise is often influenced by a number of factors such as: one's culture, past experiences, education and the people that surround us.

For some, sometimes it’s just as simple as they’ve never found the right coach or program that suits their needs and lifestyle. Let’s face it, there’s a lot of programs and trainers out there that a beginner or someone living with an underlying health condition would find completely intimidating and definitely not suitable for their goals.  

If you’re looking to improve your relationship with exercise, here’s a few things you can start considering:

1. Adjust your mindset

Exercise doesn’t have to be gruelling and done 7 days per week in order to be effective. Being gentle, consistent and kind to yourself is key to a healthier and happier relationship with exercise. 

Instead of focusing on ‘intensity’ (which can build up over time), focus more on building a sustainable and consistent routine, no matter how little or small it may seem at first. Remember, a little bit is always better than nothing.

If you need help getting clearer on your short and long term goals, then click here to learn about how to write out your Health Vision.

2. Think about “why you should” versus the "inconveniences"

Let's face it! We're experts at making excuses. Many of us have the tendency to come up with the reasons why ‘not’ to do something instead of the many reasons why we should do. Next time you catch yourself making an excuse or saying something negative, immediately try to replace it with something positive and/or solution based.

For example:

❎ "I'm too busy to exercise."

✅ "I'm going to take 10 minutes at lunch to go for a walk outside." 

Look for the opportunities in your day to do something, no matter how small it is! 

3. Find something you enjoy that’s active

If you’re dragging your feet to the gym, a fitness class or doing nothing at all, then you haven’t found something that you truly enjoy…yet! When you find whatever it is that makes you feel good, you’ll be going back for more...trust me! Take the time to try new things that are active, such as various fitness classes, yoga, sports, hiking, find a walking group...anything to help get you moving more and enjoying yourself while you're at it!

4. Set realistic expectations and goals

One of the top reasons people just can’t seem to find their ‘groove’ or find joy in exercise is because they’ve either placed way too high of expectations on themselves or their goals are way too big. Start small and slowly build yourself up, even if that’s starting with 1 workout per week! 

Need help with setting realistic goals that will stick? Click here to learn how!

5. Be kind to yourself and self-compassionate 

Self-love or having self-compassion means accepting YOU for exactly who you are and putting your physical, emotional and mental well-being first.

When you are more self-compassionate, you are more likely to choose things that nurture both your mental and physical health. It is inevitable that your journey will be far from perfect. So instead of beating yourself up for when you've "fallen off track" or your week didn't go as planned, have self-compassion. Learn from your mistakes and grow from them 💕

6. Action Fuels Motivation 

Motivation is generated from taking action. 

For many of us, we don't feel motivated to go to the gym or to do a workout. But how often do you feel unmotivated after you exercise? 

Probably not likely! 

After a workout, most people feel much happier and get that boost of self-confidence that makes them want to go back and do it all over again.

Don't wait to feel motivated, start doing the little things to help BUILD your motivation.