How to Fall in Love with Your Exercise Routine
I’m going to let you off the hook right up front. You can stop doing the exercise you dread. If you want to stay healthy and fit as you age and get between the recommended 150 and 300 minutes of movement per week, I’ve got great news – there’s lots of ways to do it and have fun in the process.
The key is to get that first 2 ½ hours in each week. There are additional benefits of getting more, but those first 150 minutes are essential. Regular movement has been shown to boost mood, sharpen focus, reduce stress, increase energy levels, reduce body fat, reduce the risk of disease and improve sleep.
Despite all the benefits, it can be difficult to stick to an exercise program. Forcing yourself to do exercise you don’t enjoy will only last so long before your willpower gets depleted. Conversely, if your view of exercise is something that can release stress and be pleasurable, you’ll be more likely to do it. Once that endorphin release is experienced on regular basis, it will fuel the desire to do it again. The goal is to find an activity or group of activities that uplift and energize you mentally, physically and spiritually.
Here are some fun ways to brainstorm activities if you don’t know where to start or are looking for some new suggestions:
What did you like to do as a kid? Children naturally engage in activities that include functional movement patterns such as pushing, pulling, squatting, lunging, hinging, rotating and walking. What did you gravitate toward when you were growing up?
What activities have you always wanted to try? When I was in my early 40s, I wanted to learn how to surf. I worked out with a trainer in those days and for several months, we worked on movements in the gym that would mimic getting and staying on a surfboard. I was ready when the time came but let’s just say surfing didn’t come all that naturally to me, but I got in a few great workouts in that week trying something new.
What activity just makes you smile? I heard a story of a woman who used to ice skate when she was younger and hadn’t been on skates for decades. Later in life, she gave it a go and found she loved gliding on the ice. She has no desire to compete or work on her form, she just wants to feel the breeze on her face as she rounds the rink each morning.
As you give these deep desires some thought, consider your personality preferences. Would you prefer to do an activity solo or with a group? In the privacy of your own home or in public? Do you prefer being indoors or out? On land or in water? Do you like activities where you can compete with others or yourself? Do you like the feeling of teamwork? Are you working with a physical limitation or injury? Do you prefer a set schedule or flexibility?
Once you find what suits you best, experiment by mixing and matching. Play with your parameters. Try things out and see you how feel before, during and after. If it’s not a great fit, move onto something else. Just keep moving.
To further elevate your level of enjoyment, here are a few things that can increase your feel-good vibes and keep you motivated:
Connect with your “Why” – Remind yourself why you’re doing this in the first place. I believe keeping well is all about being able to do the things that light you up with the people you love. Keeping my body healthy and strong simply allows me to enjoy life.
Connect with your body – As you move, feel your muscles loosen, your blood flow, yourself getting stronger, the afterburn and all the goodness throughout the day. Give thanks for what your body can do today, while looking forward to how it will change, and what it will be capable of doing tomorrow.
Doing something that feels good – Enjoying the fresh air, walking or hiking in nature, clearing your mind, in silence or with music, alone or with others, playing. One of my favorite workouts in recent memory was with a group of friends early on a Sunday morning. We carried some equipment to a nearby empty playground and set up a circuit using the monkey bars and other structures and had a great workout with some resistance bands and kettle bells.
Try something new – A new sport or activity, a virtual race or challenge, an event for charity. In recent years, charity events have been great motivators and have pushed my limits, whether it was learning how to road cycle or running speed intervals to train for a 10K event.
Practice self-compassion – Give yourself the grace to accept where you are today, enjoy the changes you’re making, acknowledge the challenges, and celebrate the progress.
Movement is a lifelong commitment. There will be days you crush it and there will be days when you don’t. It’s all part of the process. And don’t forget to build in rest days, too.
May you enjoy the feeling of moving your body and having fun. Fall in love with having more energy. Fall in love with feeling more strength, flexibility and balance. Fall in love with feeling healthier. Feeling good will keep you going.
Because what’s the best exercise? The one you keep doing.
Journal Reflections: What are some activities you loved to do as a kid or in your leisure time as a young adult? What are some activities you always wanted to try? How might you incorporate those activities or develop a training program to condition your body to try it at a later date?