Exercise is Fun

Have you ever found yourself cringing when someone mentions the word exercise? It’s safe to assume that most of us have at some point in our lives. Many people can develop a negative mindset when it comes to physical activity, but with the right attitude and some targeted motivation, you might be surprised to discover that exercise can actually be fun! Everyone has to start somewhere and I can guarantee even the professionals struggled when they first started. The first part of exercise is always the toughest. You’re fighting with yourself to get out there and start. Your body is used to a routine and when you change that routine the body doesn’t like it but with commitment, you adapt and your brain doesn’t like it when you skip a workout.

Learning to enjoy physical activity is important as it opens the door to a whole range of health benefits. Research shows that regular participation in physical activity has a great deal of physical health benefits, including stronger bones and muscles and decreased risk of chronic disease. Not only this, physical activity plays a very important role in maintaining good mental health, including relief from stress, improving mood and quality of sleep, and decreasing the risk of developing a mental illness.

If that isn’t enough to get you excited about exercise, here are a number of fun ways you can make exercise more enjoyable.

1. Exercise with another person

In times like these it may be tempting to stay on the couch and binge watch your favourite tv show all day long. Sharing time with a family member or a close friend can make even the most gruelling tasks fun, so it will certainly make your exercise time more enjoyable. Exercising with another is a great way to catch up with friends while working out. It also holds you accountable to exercise; your friend won’t like it if you cancel on the morning of your workout just because you didn’t feel like going. Before long you’ll be pushing each other to achieve your goals. When the social distancing guidelines disappear you’ll be able to join a group of people and that’s where the fun really begins!

2. Do something you enjoy

Exercising doesn’t have to mean going for a run or doing a workout. Pushing your body to its limits is not enjoyable for most people and it’s certainly not the only way to exercise. Doing things that you find fun and also get you up and moving, is a great way to enjoy being active. Going for an afternoon bike ride, kicking a ball around in the backyard, going for a swim, walking the dog, or completing a Pilates session at home are all great ways to be physically active. Choose an activity that you enjoy doing and don’t be afraid to change it up and do something different every once in a while.

3. Reward yourself

If the health benefits of exercise aren’t enough of a reward to keep you motivated, create a reward system to add a bit of fun to your exercise routine. Set yourself some achievable exercise goals for each week and find a creative way to reward yourself when you reach them. This could mean a movie night for being physically active every day of the week or rewarding yourself with your favourite nutritious meal after you exercise. Don’t be afraid to get creative!

If you are in need of some more tips and tricks to make your exercise time more enjoyable, or some help with getting an exercise routine up and running, please don’t hesitate to contact us.