4 ways to enjoy exercising
When it comes to exercise, not everyone counts it as a fun thing to do.
"There's a really small minority of people who are so disciplined that no matter what, they're going to do it," says Michelle Segar, author of No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness.
For most of us, that's not true. Which makes this fun business a topic of intrigue, and one that researchers take seriously.
So how can you balance fun with fitness? Michelle Segar offers these tips:
1. Design your own physical activity based on what you want and what feels good to you
Finding the fun in fitness takes "discovery and awareness," she says. If you don't like something, you won't stick to it. And if it doesn't make you feel good, well, "why would you prioritise things that don't make you feel good?"
2. Fun might not be enough to keep you going
Does the workout make you feel centred? Does it relax you? Do you enjoy the social aspect, the results? "If it means we have to run faster, be willing to push ourselves for something that actually isn't joyful so we can get social cohesion benefits, that's OK," she says.
3. Give yourself permission to discover the ways that moving your body feels joyful
"We have to let people know that walking is OK and it does count," she says.
4. Be realistic
"It's about starting slow and doing it in a way that will eventually lead to institutionalising it into your life," she says.
"Talk to people who own gyms, and they'll tell you that those who come in one or two days are much more likely to stick with it than those who go gangbusters. If we don't work with reality, reality will burst our bubble."
What kind of exercise do you actually enjoy? Let us know in the comments below.
Written by Leslie Barker. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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