A lot of people say they hate exercise, and that’s their whole excuse for not doing it.
Lame.
First of all, I’m pretty sure my mom taught me that sometimes we have to do things we don’t like. Two, you can learn to love it. Three, actually, you don’t hate exercise at all. Movement is awesome; movement is LIFE. But here’s how you’re keeping that excuse for gym avoidance handy:
You keep telling yourself (and others) that you hate exercise.
Your mind is incredibly powerful and you will do as it says. So why not use that to your advantage instead of your distinct disadvantage? How about telling yourself how much you love it?
You set impossible goals.
Go from couch to marathon by next week! Get Heidi Klum’s body! If you set yourself up for failure you will begrudge every minute in the gym.
You do too much, too soon.
Let’s think again about that marathon by next week–or about starting a two-hour gym routine the first time you step foot in a fitness center. I can tell you from experience that running even 15 miles (that’s the farthest I ever got at one time), isn’t the most comfortable experience you’ll ever enjoy, but I can also tell you that running 15 before you’ve ever tried to run one will make you hate running. Same goes if you’re cannot-even-sit-on-the-toilet sore the day after your first workout. Be gentle with yourself and ease into your new routine.
You keep doing activities you don’t like.
Are you in that indoor cycling class because your friend got great results and there’s a waiting list for the class and everyone is raving about cycling, cycling, cycling? Personally, I am not a bike enthusiast. If I based my workouts on indoor cycling, I would hate exercise, too. Find something you enjoy. If you haven’t found it, you haven’t looked hard enough.
You make it as inconvenient as possible.
Go ahead: Join the super-frilly gym that’s 10 miles out of your way. Meet with your personal trainer at 4:00am. (Bonus: you’ll make her hate exercise, too.)
You focus on results (every day).
Don’t evaluate your abilities or your appearance every day. You’ve got to keep your goals in mind, but from day to day, you’re not going to notice big changes, and it’ll be easy to say you hate exercising because it doesn’t do any good. It DOES do good, it’s just going to take a little while to feel it and see it. Just remember that everything you do is building toward your ultimate goal.
You see exercise as an event rather than something that’s just part of your life.
It’s good to set aside exercise-specific time where you can really work up a sweat. But if you think you just have to do that hour at the gym (even though you hate that hour at the gym) and then you can sit around the rest of the time, you’re missing out. Start incorporating more movement into your day, and notice that it gets easier. By the time you’re ready to do that time at the gym, it won’t feel as difficult (and worthy of your hate) because you’re already used to moving. It’s part of the fabric of your day-to-day.
Have you ever said you hate exercise? Is moving your body a battle, or something you can enjoy?