How To Stick To Your Exercise Regime When You Hate Exercise
Unfortunately too many people think the gym is the only place to exercise and get fit and even though they don’t enjoy it, they still join up, push themselves to go for a few weeks and then end up dropping off.
Let’s take a moment to examine what emotional and psychological factors occur when this happens….
People generally join the gym with good intentions, those intentions being predominantly about health, in particular improving their health and often times their physical appearance.
These health benefits can be lost however when we start to blame ourselves for not being motivated enough, strong enough, determined enough to keep at it. A person may berate themselves referring to themselves as lazy. They may even shame themselves using words like “useless”.
The common one I hear all too often is,
“If only I had more willpower…”
Using shame and blame to whip ourselves into shape is incredibly unhealthy, causing lowered self-esteem (feelings of unworthiness) and behaviours that reinforce that self-image: “I am a bad person. I’m useless, I can’t stick to anything including the gym, I’m lazy and there’s nothing I can do about that, so I might as well give up.”
Believing we are bad, shame erodes our desire to change. We now find ourselves drowning in a shame fest-pit. Our healthy intentions to join the gym have now turned into some kind of mental flogging we give ourselves because we can’t stick to it.
Health is not just about what you’re eating or doing. It’s also about what you’re thinking, feeling and saying. Knowing this, we have to ask:
How healthy is it to shame, blame, criticise and berrate ourselves for not keeping with an activity we don’t enjoy very much?
Here’s the thing…
If you don’t enjoy the gym then it is not your fault that you can’t stick to it, true story!
Being repelled and avoiding activities, (or people, or circumstances) that don’t make us feel good is a natural inbuilt survival mechanism that has been encoded into our genes for millions of years. You actually have very little control over this.
Here’s another thing….
If you hate exercise, then maybe you need to change your definition as to what constitutes as exercise. All movement counts towards your health and it doesn’t have to be high intensity, lung busting, strenuous muscle burning movement in order for it to be worthwhile.
And here’s another thing…
If you enjoy something you’re more likely to stick with it. What’s missing for those folk who ‘can’t stay motivated’ is not willpower, but rather finding a physical activity that brings them joy.
Find an activity which lights you up and you won’t need willpower to keep at it.
Finding an activity that rocks your soul will have you eager to find time to include it in your life.
When you find something that you enjoy you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
Isn’t that so much more empowering than trying to force ourselves to do something we don’t enjoy only to drop out and then berate ourselves for ‘not having what it takes’???
🌟 So how can we make exercise even more healthy and how can we keep it consistant? I have a few suggestions:
✅ Find an activity that you enjoy, don’t call it “exercise” there’s too many negative connotations associated with the word ‘exercise’ which can cause inner resistance. Refer to your activity as “movement”, or make up your own funky name for it.
When I’m with my hula hoop I call it hooping, playing or jamming.
✅ Start thinking of exercise as ‘movement’ keeping in mind that ALL movement is beneficial for your health – it doesn’t have to be hard and fast to have benefits.
In fact moving at an enjoyable level is more sustainable long term for most people.
✅ Exercise, or physical movement as I prefer to call it, should come from a place of enjoyment. We’ve all heard the sayings:
“Exercise because you love your body not to punish your body”
or
“Use exercise as a celebration of what your body can do, not as a punishment for what you have eaten”
✅ Find life affirming ways to move your body that inspires you, brings you joy and creates connections whether those connections be social connections or a deeper physical connection to yourself and body.
✅ Find an activity that you enjoy. Go do it and experience what it is like to enjoy moving your body for the sake of movement rather than the sake of burning calories or toning and shaping your booty.
I love this image (above) and this quote here by Jodie @healthybalancefitness_
“When exercise is viewed as a way to burn calories we are driven towards high intensity, long duration options despite whether we like them, or whether they’re suited to our body in that moment. When we give up a diet mindset around exercise we’re free to explore movement for enjoyment and feeling good.
Maybe shooting a few baskets at the local park, hitting a tennis ball against a wall, playing around with a hula hoop, dancing in the lounge room, or gardening appeals? These are wonderful forms of movement that often get overlooked because they aren’t “workouts”. But guess what? All movement counts towards your health.”
✅ If you start a new activity remember you don’t have to keep at it forever. Over the last year I have tried my hand at hula hooping, Rock N Roll dancing, Pole-Fitness, walking, Yoga, aqua aerobics, stand-up paddle boarding, gardening, roller blading… just to name a few.
In fact, switching up our choice in physical activity keeps it purposeful, challenging, meaningful, pleasurable – when we have these qualities in our choice of movement we’re more likely to stick with it.
A great way to be truly fit:
Use exercise to feel alive and to exercise the inborn urge to move and be free
If we want to stop using shame and blame as a motivator and if we want to feel better about ourselves, then we need to engage into enjoyable activities that we can sustain.
Make movement fun! The more fun it is, the more eager you’re going to be to find time to include it in your life. Consider going on hikes or walks and take the dog, a friend or go with your family members. Have you tried skipping, tossing a ball or a hit of tennis – how fun would that be? You might find it fun to go rollerblading along the boardwalk, or roller skating at a skate rink. Some people love to bike ride along cycle paths – have you ever tried that? Or how about bowling with friends? Playing basketball in a team sport? Or just taking a walk at sunrise or sunset? If you like the water there’s swimming, surfing or boogie boarding. Perhaps listen to an audio book while you go for a walk? You might actually enjoy Yoga, Pilates, kickboxing or even a dance class? …Try things! If you don’t like them there’s so many more things (than the gym) you can attempt.
Not only will you develop your fitness but also an improved mental and emotional wellbeing as you discover the joy of moving your body in life affirming ways.
